Flanagan looking forward to Minella mount Sean Flanagan is looking forward to the ride on Minella Fair in the Grade Two Florida Pearl Novice Chase at Punchestown on Sunday. The Noel Meade-trained gelding had a frustrating campaign last season due to unseasonably dry ground and Flanagan is hoping he can make up for lost time this term. Testing conditions are crucial for the Flemensfirth gelding and he was an impressive winner in heavy ground over two-miles-six at Limerick last month. Flanagan feels the trip may have been on the short side at Down Royal last time but is hoping the experience he gained in that Grade 2 contest, behind Real Steel, will stand to him. “He only had one run last year through no fault of anyone, only ground. He's very ground dependent, he does need very heavy ground,” said Flanagan. “He got it in Limerick but it probably wouldn't have been as heavy as he would have liked it in the north. It was a baptism of fire too as they've jumped out and gone 100 miles per hour. “I think he would have learned a lot from it and I think going forward he's going to be a nice staying chase prospect given his ground, it needs to be soft or soft to heavy at least. “He had no chance of running last year. There were probably a lot of horses that did run last year as they were running out of time and they had to take a chance but they didn't get to show their full potential because they weren't getting to run on ground that was suitable for them. “Now this year thankfully it's a different picture. It's heavy ground, there is lots of rain forecast, and it's proper jump racing thank-God.”
