Saludos keeps up run for Jessica Harrington

Jessica Harrington

Jessica Harrington's stable, which was in such poor form that she saddled just five winners in two months, maintained its relentless progress at Navan.

The trainer's return in December and January came from 74 runners but this month she has saddled five winners from just 11 starters. Two of those came in Grade One races at Leopardstown on Saturday and Saludos maintained the quality by winning the Grade Two Flyingbolt Novices' Chase.

The absence of Mikael d'Haguenet, Quel Esprit and Sam Adams - who had run in the Dr PJ Moriarty Novices' Chase won by Harrington's Bostons Angel 24 hours previously - robbed the field of much of its class. Torphichen was sent off as market leader but was already held in third when making a blunder at the fourth-last.

That left Saludos, who had made all for Robbie Power, with Montan making progress on the run to the penultimate fence, after which Paul Carberry switched him inside of Saludos to challenge at the last. Saludos had fallen when in contention in the Grade One at Leopardstown's Christmas meeting and had then disappointed - having broken a blood vessel - when only fifth in the Arkle Novices' Chase there three weeks ago. But now he stuck his head down to grind out a one-and-three-quarter-length win with Torphichen 14 lengths back in third.

The going may be good for Harrington but it is the likelihood of good going at Cheltenham next month that prevented her for making any Festival entries for a horse who is a confirmed mudlark.

The two other Grade Two races on the card went to Colm Murphy, starting with Voler la Vedette in the ladbrokes.com Boyne Hurdle. Andrew Lynch kept the mare off the pace until coming through to challenge at the second-last. She was still fractionally behind Stonemaster jumping the final flight but only had to be pushed put to win by two lengths from Rigour Back Bob and Oscar Dan Dan.

This was a drop in class from recent attempts to take on the likes of Hurricane Fly and Solwhit on each of her last three starts. Voler la Vedette also does not have any entries for Cheltenham and connections are thinking more in terms of the spring meetings at Fairyhouse and Punchestown.

Stable companion Quito de la Roque followed up for Murphy in the Ten Up Novice Chase as the seven year-old managed to concede 5lbs to his four rivals an win with more in hand than the winning margin of a length might suggest as Davy Russell eased him right down on the run-in.

Quito de la Roque, who has won four of his eight career starts, is entered for both the RSA Chase and National Hunt Chase at next month and no decision has yet been made about which race he will contest.

Spirit Son only has an entry for the Stan James Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham but the fee paid does not look wasted judge by the way that Nicky Henderson's horse won the Listed Betfair Phone and Android App Novices' Hurdle at Exeter.

He cruised into the lead for Barry Geraghty to beat Cedre Bleu, himself a good winner at Newbury last time out, by 21 lengths.

Paul Wheeler

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