Paul Townend on The Midnight Club lands in front to win from David Casey on Arbor Supreme and Sam Waley-Cohen on Oscar Time in third place at Fairyhouse yesterday. INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan
Whip Hand
Midnight Club heads for National as Solwhit plans world domination
The Willie Mullins-trained gelding put in an impressive performance at Fairyhouse.
THE MIDNIGHT CLUB cemented his place at top of the market for the Aintree Grand National yesterday, after putting in a polished performance in the Grade Two At the Races BobbyJo Chase in Fairyhouse.
The contest has often given clues to the Aintree marathon; in 2005 Hedgehunter came home victorious before completing the double in Merseyside. The Midnight Club’s trainer, Willie Mullins, was responsible for that 2005 winner, and he looks to have a strong hand for this year’s running. The champion trainer also saddled yesterday’s runner-up Arbour Supreme for owner JP McManus.
The Midnight Club, who finished second in the Thyestes on his seasonal bow, stayed on excellently in the final furlongs suggesting the extended distance of the national may well be within his range. Having raced prominently throughout on the heavy going in Fairyhouse, he quickened well and was probably worth more than the solitary length between him and his stable mate. The likeable gelding is now as short as 10/1 with some firms to improve his trainer’s record in the race.
In other racing news, Limerick handler Charles Byrnes announced a change of plan for his stable star Solwhit. The multiple Grade One winner had been scheduled to miss Cheltenham in favour of the Aintree Hurdle, after finding Hurricane Fly too good on their last three starts. But Byrnes now favours a trip to the World Hurdle at Cheltenham, stepping his charge up to three miles for the first time.
Speaking to At The Races he said: “It looks more likely now that he’ll run. We gave him a break after his last run and he just started riding out again last week. I think he’s freshened up well and the plan is to run him in the World Hurdle.”
He’s obviously going into the unknown by running over three miles, but it seemed the best option.
“We were thinking of waiting until Aintree but as long as he’s all right between now and then, he’ll go to Cheltenham.”
While Solwhit has top class form over two miles, he did claim the Aintree Hurdle over two and a half miles in 2009, and ran some fine races on the flat over extended distances. Despite having won only one of his starts this term, the sven year-old son of Solon has accrued over £650,000 in career prize money.
Midnight Club heads for National as Solwhit plans world domination
THE MIDNIGHT CLUB cemented his place at top of the market for the Aintree Grand National yesterday, after putting in a polished performance in the Grade Two At the Races BobbyJo Chase in Fairyhouse.
The contest has often given clues to the Aintree marathon; in 2005 Hedgehunter came home victorious before completing the double in Merseyside. The Midnight Club’s trainer, Willie Mullins, was responsible for that 2005 winner, and he looks to have a strong hand for this year’s running. The champion trainer also saddled yesterday’s runner-up Arbour Supreme for owner JP McManus.
The Midnight Club, who finished second in the Thyestes on his seasonal bow, stayed on excellently in the final furlongs suggesting the extended distance of the national may well be within his range. Having raced prominently throughout on the heavy going in Fairyhouse, he quickened well and was probably worth more than the solitary length between him and his stable mate. The likeable gelding is now as short as 10/1 with some firms to improve his trainer’s record in the race.
In other racing news, Limerick handler Charles Byrnes announced a change of plan for his stable star Solwhit. The multiple Grade One winner had been scheduled to miss Cheltenham in favour of the Aintree Hurdle, after finding Hurricane Fly too good on their last three starts. But Byrnes now favours a trip to the World Hurdle at Cheltenham, stepping his charge up to three miles for the first time.
Speaking to At The Races he said: “It looks more likely now that he’ll run. We gave him a break after his last run and he just started riding out again last week. I think he’s freshened up well and the plan is to run him in the World Hurdle.”
“We were thinking of waiting until Aintree but as long as he’s all right between now and then, he’ll go to Cheltenham.”
While Solwhit has top class form over two miles, he did claim the Aintree Hurdle over two and a half miles in 2009, and ran some fine races on the flat over extended distances. Despite having won only one of his starts this term, the sven year-old son of Solon has accrued over £650,000 in career prize money.
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Charles Byrnes Cheltenham Grand National Horse Racing Racing Solwhit THE MIDNIGHT CLUB Whip Hand