Grade Three Madigan Group Novice Chase Guide 2023

Francin is now a 10-year-old and he’s probably not quite lived up to expectations if we’re being critical of him.

He’s had his issues, hence the absences, but he’s had a good few opportunities to show what he’s capable of now - and I don’t really think he’s much of a chaser.

He’s ran four times over fences this season, and he’s been well placed to finish third twice. He has to reverse the form with a fair few of these, and on what we’ve seen, I don’t think that’s likely.

Good leave.  

Glengouly was a relatively useful hurdler before making a successful switch to chasing. He had more-or-less no respect for his hurdles at all, so I was surprised to see him chasing so soon, but he’s clearly matured over the summer and he has learned to respect his obstacles - by the looks of things!

He made all at Thurles, from Telmesomethinggirl and Brides Hill, the form is pretty average given Telmesomethinggirls performance next time out,

But, he could only beat what was in front of him and he did jump well. Interesting runner but may lack a touch of class against some of these.

Journey With Me won last time out at Naas, but although he won by 13L, you wouldn’t be itching to back him here, not in my opinion anyway!

He’s always been viewed as a chaser, but he didn’t impress first time out, when falling at Gowran Park (beaten 3rd, tired fall 2 out).

He did win at Naas, granted, but he didn’t beat a lot, and he made a few mistakes, and he never really looked comfortable at his fences.

He’s up in grade here against horses who have achieved much more, it’s time to see him deliver on his potential now with conditions to suit.

Gracchus De Balme has had one go over fences, and he failed to complete, so it’s not entirely ideal here, in much deeper waters to boot.

He did run quite well nonetheless, but it was a novicey fall and you’d have to have reservations about him here.

His trainer, Joseph O’Brien is in cracking form however, so you can’t completely underestimate his chances here, as he’s a decent horse too, but today would have to be a watching brief in this company.

Ha D’or ran to a very high level as a novice hurdler, and he made the perfect start to life as a chaser when scoring at Fairyhouse on the 21st December.

He oozed class there and won in a canter, he impressed with his jumping fluency and the pace he went – it was really hard to find a negative from what I saw.

If you’re being super critical you might say that a few of his market rivals underperformed, but that’s nothing to do with Ha D’or - chasing certainly looks his bag.

He’s exciting, but he’s up in class now against some exciting horses himself, he’ll be bang there nonetheless.

Impervious, a recent acquisition to J.P. McManus’ already talented fleet of horses, was a deeply impressive winner last time out - when defeating the useful Dinoblue - at Cork in a G2 Mares’ Novice Chase.

She made a winning chase debut prior to that, at Wexford – where she particularly impressed in the jumping department.

She was again, pretty much foot perfect and showed a willing attitude to pick off Dinoblue with relative ease, she’s against the Geldings now, but you’d be hard pushed to knock her thus far.

She ought to be bang there.

Minella Crooner was probably unlucky not to win on his first attempt over the larger obstacles at Punchestown, when beaten a head by Darrens Hope.

He did make amends himself – by a short head – next time out at Fairyhouse from I Am Maximus in second with a nice gap back to Largy Debut in third (yawning gap to the rest).

He’s probably the most talented in the field on his lifetime form, but now, novice chasing he has to re-establish his dominance on a few of these, and that won’t be easy.

Interesting.