Photo by Patrick McCann, Racing Post.
For the last 20 years Henry de Bromhead has established himself as one of the best in the game, but the County Waterford trainer has taken his form to another level over the past couple of campaigns, with last season the best of his illustrious career.
Team De Bromhead bagged 98 wins last season to join Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott at the top table of Irish jumps trainers.
With winners at all the major festivals, De Bromhead is now among the most respected of his trade and has amassed a string that is the envy of most. He already has 67 winners this season and looks set to land his maiden century.
“We’re thrilled with how things are going,” says De Bromhead. “We’re getting sent lovely horses, have a great team of people around us and the support from owners has been amazing.
“We have around 80 horses now and hopefully that number will keep growing – there is always room for more.”
This weekend is a big one for Irish racing with the two-day Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown and De Bromhead has several of his major hitters primed, including exciting mare Honeysuckle.
She will generate majority of the headlines, but with horses such as A Plus Tard, Aspire Tower and Notebook also among the team it is an exciting time for the trainer.
“They’re all in good order at the moment and we’re hoping they each run their races. This weekend will also give us a good idea of who will be going to Cheltenham and what race they will run in.”
A Plus Tard
6 b g Kapgarde – Turboka
He is such an exciting young horse who did us proud last season winning the Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase at the festival by 16 lengths, which gave all concerned a great thrill. He has definitely improved from last year and is really starting to fill out his frame. I was delighted with his Grade 1 win at Leopardstown. He travelled and jumped well that day and he won very nicely at the end from Chacun Pour Soi, which is pretty smart form. He is pretty versatile regarding underfoot conditions but he prefers to go left-handed. He is entered at this weekend’s Dublin Festival in the Grade 1 over 2m1f and then we will see how he gets on before making a decision over which race to go for at Cheltenham. He is in the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Ryanair and a decision will be made nearer the time. I am leaning towards the latter at the moment, but we don’t have to make a decision yet.
Aspire Tower
4 b g Born To Sea – Red Planet
He was a decent Flat horse with Steve Gollings, but he has taken to hurdling like a duck to water. He won his maiden at Punchestown by 13 lengths and when they win like that you have to step them up in class so we dipped our toes into Grade 2 company at Leopardstown last time. I hoped he would run a big race but I didn’t expect him to come home 18 lengths clear of the field! I’ve been very pleased with him since Leopardstown and he’s in good order ahead of the weekend’s Grade 1 juvenile hurdle.
Balko Des Flos
9 ch g Balko – Royale Marie
He was at his best two years ago when beating Un De Sceaux to win the Ryanair but he has been a bit in and out since, but he did run a big race at Aintree last spring when third to Kemboy. He has had a couple of ordinary runs this season and hopefully we can get him back to his best. We’ll keep him fresh and go straight to Cheltenham and I would think it will be the Ryanair again as I am not sure he would get the trip in the Gold Cup.
Captain Guinness
5 b g Arakan – Presenting D’Azy
He has always worked like a nice horse so, despite him starting at 20-1 on his debut at Navan, I wasn’t surprised to see him win. We stepped him up to Grade 2 company next time in the Moscow Flyer and he ran a cracking race to make Andy Dufresne pull out all the stops. He travelled so well for Rachael and I was very happy with his effort. It was only his second ever race so you would be hopeful of him stepping up on that. He won’t go to the Dublin Festival this weekend as the plan now will hopefully be Cheltenham. He has an entry in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and we will see how he progresses between now and March before making a final decision.
Chris’s Dream
8 b g Mahler – Janebailey
He’s a talented horse who has progressed again this season. We brought him back at Navan in November for the Troytown Chase where he was impressive in beating 22 rivals over 3m. It was decided straight away that we would aim him at the Irish Gold Cup and he seems in very good order. The one proviso is that we will monitor the ground conditions as he needs ease in the ground. If it isn’t right then he could be rerouted to the Red Mills Chase.
Cobbler’s Way
6 b g Oscar – Beeper’s Leader
He had one run in a bumper last season and we put him away after a taking success at Limerick. First time out this season he came up against the smart Andy Dufresne and he ran a nice race to be second. He came on a lot for his first run and duly beat some nice types at Leopardstown over Christmas. He’s a big horse and the plan is to go to the Dublin Racing Festival. He has entries for the Ballymore and Albert Bartlett but let’s get this weekend out of the way first before deciding which route to take.
Fully Charged
6 gr g Fair Mix – Alora Money
His first run for us was an encouraging second at Punchestown and he really improved for that when winning by 22 lengths at Limerick over Christmas. He heads to Clonmel next month for the Grade 3 novice hurdle. He is a nice prospect and how he does there will tell us if he is worth taking to Cheltenham, most likely for the Albert Bartlett.
Honeysuckle
6 b m Sulamani – First Royal
She is the most wonderful mare who has not put a foot wrong – she is brilliant. She was a Grade 1 winner last season at Fairyhouse and looked even better when winning the Hatton’s Grace there this campaign. She heads to Leopardstown this weekend for the Irish Champion Hurdle, but we’ll be monitoring the ground closely as I don’t want to send her back to 2m on good ground. Looking further down the line the plan is to go to Cheltenham where the Mares’ Hurdle is the likely target, but if she were to win well this weekend it could be that the Champion Hurdle would be considered. However, I’m a firm believer in taking one race at a time.
Jan Maat
7 gr g Electric Beat – Jeanine
He did well in the summer winning twice, and also finishing second twice to Wicklow Brave. We gave him a break after his last run in October with a view to bringing him back in the spring. He has returned to training and it is possible he could go to Cheltenham with the Arkle or the Grand Annual possible targets, but we will see how he is nearer the time.
Jason The Militant
6 b g Sans Frontieres – Rock Angel
After finishing third to Envoi Allen on his only start last season he suffered a setback that forced us to ease off. He has taken well to jumping this term and ran a fine second at Fairyhouse first time out, before a good win at Limerick. I’ve always liked him and if the ground is in his favour he could be heading to Leopardstown this weekend or failing that there is a Listed novice hurdle at Punchestown the following week.
Le Musigny
6 b g Anzillero – Fee Magic
He has the most wonderful pedigree being a half-brother to Grands Crus, Le Richebourg and Gevrey Chambertin. He joined us in May 2018 and it was 603 days before we finally got him out. He’s a lovely individual who has a real future when he jumps a fence. I don’t have any Cheltenham aspirations for him, in fact there is a Listed hurdle at Naas just before then that he is likely to go for.
Minella Melody
6 b m Flemensfirth – Cottage Theatre
A good bumper horse who delighted us when taking the hugely competitive Solerina Hurdle in fine style on Saturday. She had impressed in her two runs before that and is another exciting mare. She’ll be aimed at the mares’ novice hurdle at the festival now.
Minella Indo
7 b g Beat Hollow – Carrigeen Lily
He’s a tough horse to beat as he has shown with wins in three of his last four races. The only race of that quartet he didn’t succeed in was when second to Laurina, but I was delighted with his win at Navan last time out when he really slugged it out. That taught him a lot and there were plenty of good horses in behind. He’s a horse who only does enough and Rachael was very happy with him and the plan now is the RSA Chase at Cheltenham.
Moon Over Germany
8 ch g Germany – Elea Moon
He’s an interesting horse who did us proud at the Aintree meeting last year. He has been running well in defeat since, notably when second to Notebook in November. I gave him a run over hurdles at Leopardstown over Christmas as I feel his mark is far more favourable – he is rated 15lb higher over fences. He has a mark of 134 over hurdles here in Ireland and 140 in Britain so the plan is to go to Cheltenham for the County Hurdle.
Monalee
9 b g Milan – Tempest Belle
He’s been a grand servant with five wins for us, but he hasn’t won for 12 months despite running well in defeat. His latest effort when second to Delta Work in the Grade 1 Savills Chase was great. The plan is to go straight to Cheltenham for the Gold Cup, where he would have to be taken seriously.
Notebook
7 b g Samum – Nova
He has really taken to fences and has improved with each of his three outings this season. The latest was a particularly good effort when landing the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown from Fakir D’Oudairies, who is top notch. He seems to enjoy his job which is a big help to me. He’s in the Irish Arkle this weekend and hopefully after that we’ll go to Cheltenham for the Arkle. There’s certainly more improvement to come from him.
Ordinary World
10 br g Milan – Saucy Present
He’s a very consistent old boy who ran a great race the other day at Leopardstown when third to stablemate A Plus Tard. He’ll go for the Grade 1 Dublin Chase this weekend and he’s been in very good form at home ahead of the race.
Paloma Blue
8 br g Stowaway – Court Leader
He’s a grand horse who doesn’t appreciate the ground too deep, but despite that ran a good race when a close second to Getabird at Gowran in November. We sent him to Ascot for a graduation chase before Christmas but he got a bit lost in the ground on that occasion. He has an entry in the 2m handicap this weekend and we will see how he gets on there before making further plans. I would hope he’s in the Cheltenham team where the Grand Annual would be a target.
Petit Mouchoir
9 gr g Al Namix – Arnette
What a super horse he has been and he still has a high level of ability. He was an encouraging second in the Grade 1 Matheson Hurdle to Sharjah at Leopardstown over Christmas and we’ll have a crack at the Irish Champion Hurdle next. The Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham would be a possibility.
Plan Of Attack
7 b g Court Cave – Loadsofability
He’s had a good season with wins at Wexford and Aintree before putting in a cracking effort at Leopardstown over Christmas when third of 27 in the Paddy Power off a mark of 135. He’s been raised 3lb for that, which is fair enough. I had him earmarked for the National Hunt Chase, while the Kim Muir is another possibility.
Poker Party
8 ch g Gentlewave – Becquarette
He won three times last year, notably the Kerry National at Listowel in September. Although beaten last time out in the Paddy Power Chase, he put up a good show to be fourth of 27. We will be considering him for all the Nationals – Aintree, Ireland and Scotland. We have no firm plans but he stays extremely well and is worth a chance in at least one of those races.
Presented Well
7 b g Oscar – Millstream Express
His two runs this winter have been disappointing but he is better than his results have shown and he seems in good order now. There is a Pertemps qualifier at Punchestown on February 9 that he will go for next. Depending on how he does there will decide if he makes it to Cheltenham for the final.
Put The Kettle On
6 b m Stowaway – Name For Fame
I thought Aidan Coleman rode a brilliant race when she won the Arkle trial at the November meeting. She’s a real gutsy lady and when the mares start to improve you really don’t know when it will stop and I’m sure there’s more to come. We’ll give her a break and then aim her at the festival in March. She’s in the Arkle, the Marsh and the Close Brothers so we have several options.
Royal Thief
6 b g Fame And Glory – Lady Fancy
A progressive and unexposed novice hurdler who has won two from three this season. I was happy with his win at Thurles where he really knuckled down and he goes for the Pertemps qualifier at Punchestown next month. If he qualifies then he would be off to Cheltenham.
Solomn Grundy
10 b g Westerner – Marika’s King
He came to us from Neil Mulholland and has run some nice races without success. We had him down for the Thyestes Chase at Gowran, but he didn’t get in. I think we could look at a possible drop back in trip for a beginners’ chase now.
Sub Lieutenant
11 b g Brian Boru – Satellite Dancer
He has been a wonderful servant to the yard and his second placing in the Topham last year gave us plenty to think about. He sustained a minor injury in the summer and we backed off, but he is cantering away now and the Grand National, back at Aintree, is his target. He clearly loved the famous old National fences and he could be interesting.
Dark horse Presented Well