More exciting prospects

Tuesday's action didn't look anything out of the ordinary at first glance but there were some notable performances from some exciting prospects featured in One Jump Ahead and the November Update.

Nassalam is included in the French Revolution section of OJA (page 149) and the Dream Well gelding made it two out of two since joining Gary Moore with another wide margin win at Fontwell. A 59 lengths winner on his UK debut at the same track last month, he defied a penalty with consummate ease and, while his opponents didn't amount to a great deal, he jumped fluently and bounded away to register a 49 lengths victory. His rider Jamie Moore was delighted with the performance and he looks another smart prospect for his stable. Thank you to James Reveley for highlighting him when we spoke in the summer having partnered him on his hurdles bow at Clairefontaine in late Jun.

No Risk Des Flos (11/4) cost €200,000 as a store horse and is a half-brother to the useful Vision Des Flos. Featured in the Unraced Bumper Horses (page 166), Olly Murphy's gelding is improving with racing and scored at the second time of asking over hurdles at Uttoxeter. Having shaped with promise in both a bumper at Carlisle and over timber at Newbury, he built on that here as he stayed on strongly after the last to win the two miles maiden hurdle by three and a quarter lengths. The five year old has taken time to together but will be even better over two and a half miles in due course. 

There were also a couple of very good performances at Punchestown during the same afternoon. Cape Gentleman (5/4) was nominated as a horse to follow in the November Update and Emmet Mullins has got a cracking prospect on his hands. Bought for €80,000 at the Arqana Sale in France over a year ago, the Champs Elysees gelding won the Irish Cesarewitch at the Curragh in October off a mark of 85. Switched to hurdling, the former Nicolas Clement trained four year old made a smooth transition winning the two and a half miles maiden hurdle by a couple of lengths. With the exception of an error at the fourth last, his jumping was good and always appeared to be in control. He looks Graded class and will stay further, if necessary. 

Finally, Declan Phelan's Irish Pointers are churning out winners like it's going out of fashion and Eklat De Rire (2/1) made a splendid start to his chasing career. Tackling the three miles one beginners chase, the Saddex gelding, who won a point-to-point for Liz Doyle, made all and produced an excellent round of jumping. Rachel Blackmore's mount beat a 134 rated race fit rival which suggests he is a horse with a bright future. A big powerful looking six year old, he looks tailormade for the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.