WHAT had been billed as a Champion Hurdle trial of significance, the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park today has deteriorated to little more than a good blow out for Danoli, who faces only three rivals and one of them, Tiananmen Square, is being trained for the Stayers Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Fallen by the wayside is the latter's stable companion Hotel Minella, who finished just ahead of Danoli when runner up to Collier Bay in the AIG Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown, the injury prone Fortune And Fame and Balawhar.
Hotel Minella would not have been suited to Gowran's testing ground - it is likely to be quite sticky but he is in fine shape for the Champion Hurdle which will be his next race. The ground would also have militated against Fortune And Fame, who was said to be a bit sore after working on Thursday morning. Trainer Dermot Weld said the nine year old is pretty fit and there is still time to get him right for Cheltenham.
Danoli had his final piece of strong work for today's race on Jim Bolger's gallops on Wednesday. The Champion Hurdle second favourite is in good form and will have benefited enormously for his much needed run at Leopardstown. His efforts far exceeded the expectations of his trainer Tom Foley and left connections and onlookers emotionally drained.
As far as the Champion Hurdle is concerned Danoli's running today will tell us little. However, the outing should leave him not far short of peak fitness for Cheltenham. Foley is hoping for some decent ground at the Festival meeting, but he will not be risked if it is very firm.
Several good National Hunt performers have been dogged by injury. It now appears that Montelado will not have recovered in time from his latest setback to contest the Champion Hurdle. Danoli and Montelado apart, other good hurdlers to have suffered enforced lay offs include Fortune And Fame, Balawhar and Tiananmen Square, as well as the chasers Merry Gale and Harcon.
Tiananmen Square returned after a long absence to finish a two and a half lengths third behind Derrymoyle in a two and a half miles conditions hurdle at Punchestown. The slow gallop helped keep him in touch but it was a promising effort and he is likely to renew rivalry with Derrymoyle in Cheltenham's Stayers Hurdle. It remains to be seen if he will have the pace to keep in touch with Danoli today. Jupiter Jimmy has not been seen out since winning a three miles hurdle over this course in April.
The Red Mills Trial Chase has also cut up disappointingly. Percy Brennan, who beat Blazing Spectacle in a beginners' chase at Punchestown, should be good enough to land the odds from Imperial Call's stable companion Lisselan Prince.
