Donn McClean's Horses To Follow: September 29th to October 4th

Before we dive in, some basic rules for a horses to follow list is to keep them in a tracker and on your radar for the next three runs, bearing in mind ideal conditions across variables like venue, ground, opposition and price are satisfactory to you as a punter. This column should help you build up a list that proves profitable under those circumstances, provides timely reminders to reduce repeated form study and assist with your enjoyment of a season be it National Hunt or Flat racing in the UK and Ireland and sometimes beyond.

Vadiana - Bellewstown, 29th September 2022

Vadiana was a little unlucky not to win the seven-and-a-half-furlong fillies' maiden at Bellewstown last Thursday.  Slowly away from her inside draw, Ronan Whelan squeezed her along early so that she got a position in fifth place and along the inside.  It appeared that she got a little out-paced when they quickened at the three-furlong marker, and it looked like she became a little unbalanced on the track when her rider asked her to pick up.  She was only sixth as they passed the furlong marker but, taken to the outside at that point, she finished off her race strongly, getting to within a half a length of the winner Native Queen by the time they got to the winning line.  Three strides later, she was in front.

It was a fine performance by Tracey Collins' filly.  It was just her second run, it was a nice step forward from her racecourse debut at Gowran Park at the end of August, made all the more admirable by the fact that she came home with just three of her shoes.  A half-sister to Girouette, who was trained by Tracey Collins to win the Group 3 Phoenix Sprint Stakes, Vadiana could do better on a more conventional track, and possibly stepped up to seven furlongs.  She goes well  on this easy ground, so she will be of interest if she races again before the end of the season. 

Spirit Gal - Dundalk, 30th September 2022

Spirit Gal was impressive in winning the Listed Star Appeal Stakes at Dundalk on Friday.  The step up to seven furlongs was an unknown for Willie Browne's filly, and she had shown so much pace in winning over six furlongs at Naas on her previous run that it was not certain that the addition of a seventh furlong would be a positive for her, but she saw it out really well.

Seamie Heffernan rode her as if he had no worries about the distance.  He sent her to the front from flagfall, as he had at Naas over the shorter trip.  She was quickly into her rhythm in front, her rider dictating the pace to suit his filly. She led into the home straight and, when her rider gave her a squeeze as they raced to the furlong marker, she picked up well and she was strong all the way to the line, coming over two lengths clear of impressive maiden winner Cairo, who was in turn three lengths clear of teh Chesham Stakes runner-up Pearling Path.

It was a strong performance by Willie Browne's filly, a first runner in a black-type race for her trainer, and the form is solid.  It opens up options for her too, she showed lots of pace again, but she went to the line so strongly that you couldn't rule out the possibility that she will get a mile too.  She is out of a Galileo mare, a half-sister to a stakes winner over an extended mile on dirt, and she is an exciting prospect.

Cougar - Gowran Park, 1st October 2022

Cougar did well to win the three-year-olds' maiden hurdle that opened proceedings at Gowran Park on Saturday.  He was weak in the market beforehand, but he travelled well through his race, and his jumping warmed up nicely, it was very good for a debutant.  He moved up on the outside at the end of the back straight, and he jumped up nicely into third place over the third last flight.  He jumped into second place behind the leader and favourite Charlie Luciano over the second last flight, and he stayed on well over the last and up the run-in to get up and win by a half a length. His cause admittedly aided by the runner-up's ponderous jump at the final flight, but he went to the line strongly, and his winning time was the fastest comparative time of the four hurdle races run on the day by a fair way.

You couldn't have asked for much more from the winner, who was having his first run over hurdles, his first run for Padraig Roche and JP McManus, and his first run since June.  That run in June was in a 10-furlong maiden at The Curragh, his last race for Aidan O'Brien, which he duly won by seven lengths.  By Deep Impact and out of a sister to Maybe, with a rating of 92 on the flat, he is a high-class recruit to hurdling.  He jumps well and, it is very early days of course, but he could take a high rank among the top juvenile hurdlers this season.

Banbridge - Gowran Park, 1st October 2022

Banbridge was very good in winning his beginners' chase at Gowran Park on Saturday.  Sent to the front from flagfall by JJ Slevin, his jumping was sure-footed and slick and accurate throughout.  A chasing debutant, he took everything in his stride, he didn't miss a beat and, challenged by Indigo Breeze at the third last fence, he came away from that rival on the run to the second last, jumped the last two fences well and went on to win by eight and a half lengths, eased down.

Joseph O'Brien's horse was a progressive novice hurdler last season.  A dual winner last summer, he wasn't at his best on soft ground at Leopardstown's Christmas Festival, but he bounced out of that to win on better ground at Navan in January, and he followed up by winning the Martin Pipe Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.  That is a race that has been won by several horses who went on to be high-class staying chasers, including Sir Des Champs, Don Poli, Killultagh Vic, Champagne Classic, Early Doors and Galopin Des Champs, and Banbridge could have a really interesting season ahead of him now over fences.  Out of a half-sister to MIdlands National runner-up Major Malarkey, he stays two and a half miles well, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him stepping up in trip as the season develops and, obviously, the fact that he is a Cheltenham Festival winner will be a positive if he returns to Prestbury Park in March.

Frontal Assault - Galway, 4th October 2022

Frontal Assault was impressive in winning the Mongey Communications Chase at Galway on Tuesday. Weak in the market beforehand, he warmed to his task nicely after a ponderous jump at the first fence.  He travelled well through his race after that, up on the outside of leader Darrens Hope.  He joined the leader at the final fence, he travelled well to the home turn, and he moved on easily into the lead, staying on well up the hill to come four and a half lengths clear of the mare by the time he got to the winning line.

Gordon Elliott’s horse’s task was rendered a little easier than it might have been by the fact that the well-backed Jon Snow under-performed, but he couldn't have done much more than he did.  A gallant second in the Irish Grand National last April, this was his first run since then, and there is every reason to expect that he will come on for it.  As well as that, this two-mile-six-and-a-half-furlong trip is probably at the lower end of his distance range.  He should be even happier when he steps back up in trip.

This was his first win over fences, so he is still a novice this season, and that gives him lots of options.  Gordon Elliott mentioned the Troytown Chase as a possible target now, and that makes lots of sense.  He has a remarkably similar profile to last year's Troytown winner Run Wild Fred: a Gigginstown House/Gordon Elliott horse, runner-up in the Irish Grand National as a maiden chaser, rated in the mid-140s.  Frontal Assault will be of interest if he does take his chance in the Troytown Chase on 27th November at Navan, a track at which he won a Grade 3 novices' hurdle two seasons ago, and in other staying chases through the season.