It is 25 years since Henry de Bromhead saddled the first winner of his stellar career in Tramore at the turn of the millennium and he could celebrate that milestone in style on New Year’s Day.
Hopes are high the first meeting of 2025 will survive a forecast 20mm of rainfall and pass an 8.0am precautionary inspection, which shapes as good news for De Bromhead in particular.
The man who trains just minutes from the track is due to saddle both the 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Minella Indo and his newest Blue Riband hope Monty’s Star in the featured Grade Three O’Driscoll’s New Year’s Day Chase.
The latter is as short as 14-1 in some ante-post lists for Gold Cup glory in March. Tramore’s biggest race of the year was famously used twice by Al Boum Photo in 2019 and 2020 en route to securing ultimate Cheltenham glory.
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It’s a very different context to when the comparatively unheralded Fidalus – De Bromhead’s first runner with license – won at this meeting a quarter of a century ago.
Since then he has enjoyed remarkable career success, most notably 2021‘s unparalleled Grand Slam of the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Gold Cup and Grand National, while also enduring personal tragedy through the loss of his son Jack in 2022.
De Bromhead’s partnership with Rachael Blackmore has transcended the sport in recent years and she teams up with Monty’s Star on just his fifth start over fences.
Runner-up to Fact To File at Cheltenham last season, he was subsequently second to Spillane’s Tower at Punchestown. It’s a very decent level of form, although sceptics might suggest his lofty status in Gold Cup betting might have as much to do with his connections.
Despite officially turning 12 on the day, Minella Indo, in the same Barry Maloney colours, looks as good a test of those Gold Cup credentials as anything else in the field.
Earlier on the Tramore card, Blackmore and De Bromhead could kick off 2025 with maiden success through Rockonliam. Rachel’s Secret is another maiden contender of theirs with a big shout.
Despite Willie Mullins declaring four for Tramore’s feature, Paul Townend is due on duty at Fairyhouse for four spins that include Allegorie De Vassy in the Grade Three Mares’ Chase. Cheltenham Festival winner Limerick Lace is also in the line-up.
Townend is pencilled in for the Beginners’ Chase mount on Champ Kiely. About this time two years ago, he was scoring at Grade One level over hurdles but hasn’t run since April 2023. My Trump Card appears to be Gordon Elliott’s number one here, although Cleatus Poolaw might be a decent alternative.
With a cold snap set to kick in with a vengeance on Wednesday night, an Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board spokesman has said it is too early to speculate about possible weather interruption to this weekend’s fixtures.
Saturday’s Cork card is due to be followed 24 hours later by Grade One action at Naas, where the €100,000 Lawlor’s Hotel Hurdle features.
“The forecast has piqued interest but at this stage it is too early to say what might happen,” he said. “No one forecast fog for the first two days of Leopardstown.”
Last year’s Naas programme was cancelled after one race due to fog and run the following Friday. Overnight temperatures later this week are set to drop to minus four, although temperatures could rally later in the weekend.
In other news, last week’s King George VI Chase hero Banbridge has been upped to a career high official rating of 168 by the IHRB handicapper.
Joseph O’Brien’s star overhauled the French horse Il Est Francais to land Kempton’s St Stephen’s Day feature by less than two lengths. That has resulted in a 3lbs hike.
It puts Banbridge on the same official rating as Saturday’s Savills Chase runner-up Fact To File, who has been dropped 1lb on the back of his performance behind Galopin Des Champs. The latter maintains his status as the sport’s top-rated steeplechaser on 177.
John McConnell’s 2023 festival winner Seddon is the sole Irish contender due to line up for Cheltenham’s New Year’s Day programme.
With the threat of high winds, officials at Prestbury Park are monitoring conditions in advance of Wednesday’s action, although some forecasts suggest those winds will subside before racing begins.
Seddon memorably was a first Cheltenham Festival winner for McConnell and jockey Ben Harvey when landing the Magners Plate. It was the highlight of a four-in-a-row winning streak that season that culminated with a valuable handicap hurdle success at Punchestown.
The veteran won twice on the level in 2024 but failed to fire at Cheltenham last month when fifth in a Veterans’ Chase. He is due to line up for a lucrative Premier handicap chase back at the track on Wednesday.
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