Storm Darragh is presenting logistical headaches in advance of Saturday’s cross-channel racing programme, although the impact of this latest named weather event, thankfully, appears more predictable in Ireland.
Met Éireann’s overnight orange alert for very strong winds in Leinster is due to expire 90 minutes before Saturday’s Navan card starts. An Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board spokesman said on Friday no problems were expected, although the situation would be monitored.
In contrast, a series of morning inspections in Britain underline the potential impact of high winds and rain.
Both Sandown’s Tingle Creek programme and the Becher Chase card at Aintree must pass morning inspections. There is also a 7.30am precautionary inspection in Chepstow.
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“There are some suggestions the winds will be at their strongest at around midday time — and gusts of up to 50mph plus, possibly from first thing but certainly from midmorning,” said Sandown’s clerk of the course Andrew Cooper.
“A few of us have been kicking this situation around for 48 hours and the common consensus seems to be that 50mph seems to be the tipping point, and arguably 45mph.
“You’ve got to take into account all aspects of putting on a day of racing, not just from an equine and rider point of view but for the public as well. All racecourses tomorrow are in that ballpark,” he added.
Should Sandown get a green light there could hardly be a more appropriate winner in the circumstances than Darragh O’Keeffe, who is due to team up with Quilixios in the Tingle Creek.
Solness (Danny Mullins) is the other Irish declaration for the two-mile Grade One where Jonbon is favourite to emulate Kauto Star as a back-to-back Tingle Creek winner.
Willie Mullins saddled the last Irish-trained winner of the race, Un De Sceaux in 2016, but misses out this time.
However, the weekend’s local highlight will be the return to action of Mullins’s former dual-Champion Chase hero Energumene at Cork on Sunday.
A leg problem has kept Energumene out of action for almost 20 months, but he lines up for the €100,000 Bar One Hilly Way Chase, one of four races live on RTÉ 2.
If winter conditions are a problem elsewhere then the sight of Mullins saddling six of the eight Hilly Way runners underlines how they are helping the sport’s dominant figure to hit top-gear in time for the lucrative Christmas period.
Mullins will saddle 15 runners at Navan including last season’s Cheltenham Champion Bumper winner Jasmin De Vaux. He makes his debut over hurdles as do two more exciting prospects Kaid D’authie and Kirsca De Thaix in other maiden contests.
His Scottish National winner, McDermott, is one of a handful of Mullins runners in a later handicap chase. And if his sole hope, My Great Mate, can land the Grade Two Novice Hurdle it will spell ominous news for opposition everywhere.
Nevertheless, it’s Energumene that’s the focus of much attention as he tries to land the Hilly Way for a third time. Before his setback, he was the benchmark in the two-mile division, albeit without ever capturing the public imagination in the manner of a Moscow Flyer or Sprinter Sacre.
The latter was one of those rare horses that came back from the sidelines to regain a championship, although not with the aplomb of his pomp.
Considering it remains to be seen what version of Energumene comes back, bookmakers rate his stable companions Gaelic Warrior and El Fabiolo as more likely to lift the Champion Chase crown in March.
Still, a heady 180 Timeform rating has been exceeded only by two Mullins horses, Douvan and Galopin Des Champs, over fences and he has only ever been beaten twice over fences. Paul Townend sticks with Energumene on Sunday, where ground conditions are likely to turn against Joseph O’Brien’s Banbridge.
Mullins has six other runners in Cork, although none perhaps more intriguing than the modestly rated Johnny Blue in a handicap hurdle. It will be his first start for the champion trainer having previously been with Nicky Henderson. On his last start for the Englishman, Johnny Blue was beaten at 1-6 in Exeter in April.
Separately, jockey Bryony Frost will team up with the Irish Grand National hero Intense Raffles for the first time when Tom Gibney’s grey makes his seasonal debut in Saturday’s €100,000 Bective Stud Handicap Hurdle in Navan.
With regular rider Dary Jacob sidelined through injury, as is JJ Slevin who rode Intense Raffles to National success at Fairyhouse last Easter, Intense Raffles’ owners have turned to Frost, who rides for them in France.
Anthony Bromley, racing manager to Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, said: “There’s no jump racing in France until Sunday for us and it fitted neatly that Bryony could go over, sit on the horse on Friday and ride him on Saturday.”
Frost hasn’t ridden in Ireland since the 2022 Dublin Racing Festival. Her sole winner in Ireland was on Frodon in the 2021 Champion Chase at Down Royal.
