Ballymore Novices' Hurdle

The Irish appear to have a strong hand this year as the current back-up cast to big favourite Sir Gerhard includes the much touted Journey With Me.

The British charge will seemingly be led by Challow Hurdle winner Stage Star, who will bid to go two places better than stablemate Bravemansgame managed 12 months ago.

So, let’s take a deep dive of those likeliest to challenge on Wednesday.

Sir Gerhard

Sir Gerhard has already demonstrated what he is capable of at Prestbury Park having defeated stablemate Kilcruit in the Champion Bumper last March, and the Cheveley Park Stud owned seven-year-old more than earned his ticket to this contest when landing the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival last month.

While some were perhaps initially underwhelmed by the visual performance, which wasn’t helped by some less than fluent hurdling, those holding the stopwatches were mightily impressed and the runner-up gave the form a solid enough luck given that he was a close up second in Grade 1 company at Christmas.

The speedy son of Jeremy displayed a far greater aptitude for hurdling on his debut in December and would seemingly be better suited by taking a lead in a strongly run race. That would perhaps suggest that he would be better suited to the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle where a ferocious gallop is all but guaranteed. However, Willie Mullins seems convinced that this race would present no problem.

Sir Gerhard certainly appears to be the fastest horse in this race and that can count for plenty in the Ballymore, as it can often be a slowly run race that develops into a sprint and therefore plays to the strengths of a horse with plenty of toe.

That said, there appears to be some top class staying prospects this year and I’m sure that connections will be keen to place more of an emphasis on stamina, which could possibly run the sting out of the Cheveley Park Stud representative.

Only time will tell.

Journey With Me

Journey With Me has been riding the hype train from the very moment that he landed the same bumper in which Bob Olinger made a successful racecourse debut 12 months earlier, with many predicting that he could emulate his stablemates success in this very contest.

An impressive hurdling debut a Leopardstown further fanned those flames as Journey With Me comfortably dispatched current Albert Bartlett favourite Minella Crooner and Supreme contender Kilcruit in the manner of a very smart horse.

It’s fair to say that there were less fireworks at Naas last month, however, the striking son of Mahler got the job done and will head to Cheltenham with an unbeaten record to defend.

Like with the aforementioned Ginto, connections of Journey With Me will be hoping for plenty of pace in this race as Henry de Bromhead himself has expressed the opinion that he doesn’t possess the same gears as Bob Olinger and is already shaping-up as a staying chaser in the making.

The form of his Leopardstown success puts him firmly in the mix and the De Bromhead yard have begun to rediscover their form in recent weeks.

Journey With Me looks a big player.

Stage Star

Stage Star looks set to carry the torch for Britain in this contest with Constitution Hill and Jonbon set to take their chance in the Supreme, and the Challow Hurdle winner should not be overlooked in a fairly open year.

The promising son of Fame And Glory placed third in the Grade 2 bumper at Aintree last spring and he hasn’t put a foot wrong in three starts over hurdles this season, easily scoring at Chepstow and Newbury before returning to the Berkshire track to land the same Grade 1 contest that stablemate Bravemansgame claimed 12 months earlier.

The manner of that success will have had connections dreaming of Cheltenham Festival success, however, there will have undoubtedly been the occasional nightmare involving Irish trained horses and although Gringo D’aubrelle placed third at Newbury he only boasts a rating of 130 in Ireland, and therefore perhaps isn’t the most useful of yardsticks.

An official rating of 143 puts Stage Star firmly in this mix and he is 2/2 on left-handed, undulating tracks courtesy of two wins at Chepstow. So why not dare to dream.

Others to note

Whatdeawant is owned by the sponsors of this race, who enjoyed success with City Island in 2019. The six-year-old defeated Ginto in a Fairyhouse Bumper before placing third behind Kilcruit in the Grade 1 bumper at the Leopardstown Festival, demonstrating that he possesses a touch of class.

Things didn’t go right for him when placing fifth in the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle and it shouldn’t be forgotten that he was sent off just 2/1 on the day. He could easily leave that run behind him.

Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle 2022 Prediction

The defection of Ginto to the Albert Bartlett and Dysart Dynamo to the Supreme leaves this open for SIR GERHARD, who looks a cut above his remaining rivals. 

This race often develops into a sprint and last season’s Champion Bumper hero is by far the quickest horse in this race, yet he still possessed the stamina to land an Irish point-to-point and is therefore prepared for anything that his opposition throws at him. 

Three Stripe Life followed him home at the Dublin Racing Festival last month and may do so once again. While stablemate Whatdeawant is better than he showed in the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle and could represent good each-way value.