Triumph hope Minsk set for Fairyhouse hurdles bow
Minsk, currently the 10/1 second favourite in the ante-post list for the grade 1 JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham on March 16 despite never having jumped a flight in public, will make his eagerly anticipated hurdling bow at Fairyhouse on February 25 in the Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle just 19 days prior to the showcase four-year-old championship contest, writes Elliot Slater.
The gelded son of Dalakhani joined the jumps yard of Dessie Hughes in late-January having previously been trained by John Oxx, for whom he ended last Flat campaign in tremendous form landing a hattrick of wins at distances between 12 furlongs and two miles. Successful on his handicap debut over a mile-and-a-half at the Curragh in June off a mark of 76, the promising stayer was then partnered by Katy Walsh in the Curragh Amateur Derby Handicap over the same course and distance off a 5lb higher mark in September and duly routed his 25 rivals by storming away to a three-and-a-half-length success. Those with Stan James free bets should remember this.
A 12lb rise in the weights to a mark of 93 and the step up to two-miles failed to halt the progress of Minsk who landed his third successive win when slamming Cry For The Moon by five-and-a-half-lengths in the Hacketts Bookmakers Irish Cesarewitch, after which there was a flood of interest in the rangy gelding to go jumping. In the end it was Barry Connell who acquired the exciting prospect and it was he who selected Dessie Hughes as the man to guide the youngster towards a crack at the JCB Triumph Hurdle. People looking for a BetVictor review need to bear this in mind.
Reported to have schooled well, Hughes is keen to see Minsk make a winning start to his new career at Fairyhouse, after which a decision will be taken on whether or not to head across the Irish Sea with the relatively inexperienced jumps campaigner to tackle the hurly-burly of one of the toughest races at the whole four-day National Hunt extravaganza.
