Connections of Colenso© Photo Healy Racing
Colenso bids to complete a hat-trick for trainer Pat Flavin in the Tom Murphy Mercedes Benz E-Class Handicap Hurdle at Tramore on Friday evening.
Formerly trained in Britain by Andrew Balding, the son of New Approach was picked up for the relatively modest fee of 11,000 guineas at Tattersalls last July and is now looking a shrewd purchase.
His efforts in three maiden hurdles in January, February and March were fairly uninspiring, but he bolted up at Wexford on his handicap debut and comfortably defied a 7lb rise over this course and distance.
The assessor is bound to catch up with him eventually, but a further 8lb hike might not be enough to stop him going in again.
Colenso’s two main rivals appear to be Gordon Elliott’s recent Clonmel scorer Skeaping and Littlestickarubarb who has won two of her last three starts over fences for Mick Winters and reverts to the smaller obstacles off a significantly lower mark. Megalomaniac looks the one to beat in the opening Tom Murphy Mercedes Benz A-Class Beginners Chase.
Henry de Bromhead’s inmate opened his account in good style in a handicap hurdle at Clonmel little over a fortnight ago and looks the type to raise his game significantly over the larger obstacles.
Noel Kelly ’s Canadian Steel bids to follow up his 13-length Downpatrick win of a week ago in the Tom Murphy Mercedes Benz B-Class Handicap Chase, while Elliott’s Dona Katharina might be good enough to win what looks a very modest Tom Murphy Mercedes Benz CLA Mares Maiden Hurdle.
Gavin Cromwell and champion jockey Paul Townend team up with Allduckornodinner in the Tom Murphy Mercedes Benz C-Class Handicap Hurdle.
The nine-year-old belatedly opened his account at this venue in mid-May and a 6lb rise does not look insurmountable.
Following successive runner-up finishes, Morning Skye will be well fancied to go one better in the Tom Murphy Mercedes Benz GLC Maiden Hurdle for trainer Denis Hogan and jockey Andrew Ring.
Elliott’s Gun Merchant and the Emmet Mullins-trained Rocket Lad look the two to concentrate on in the concluding bumper.
