GAVIN CROMWELL BLOG: Champion Hurdle Winning Trainer and BETDAQ Brand Ambassador Gavin Cromwell has plenty of runners across the weekend, starting at Downpatrick on Friday.


It’s a pretty busy weekend for the yard with plenty of runners at both Downpatrick and the Curragh. The horses have been running well without quite getting their head in front, so hopefully we’ll be among the winners soon.

CURRAGH (Friday)

Friday begins with Point Reyes in the fillies maiden (4.55pm). She was an expensive breeze-up purchase and she’s ready to start here.

We’re hopeful she’ll be very good, but being thef first run of her life, it’s all a bit of a learning curve and we’ll know much more about her after this. Whatever she does here, she’ll improve tons for the run, but we’re hopeful of her running a nice race.

She’s doing everything right at home and even though it’s her first start, she’d probably be our best chance of a winner this weekend. We’re hopeful she’ll be as good as her price tag suggests.

DOWNPATRICK (Friday)

We run both Javoski and Lucky Road in the maiden hurdle (5.15pm). Both look a bit up against it here and we’ll see much better horses once we can get them into handicaps.

A Place Apart was a bit disappointing on his last start at Haydock over fences. He runs in the handicap hurdle (5.50pm) off a much lower mark and although he’s off top-weight, we’d like to think he’s got a solid place chance.

He’s won around Downpatrick before, so he knows his way around the track and we’re hopeful he’ll put up another solid performance.

We run Top Of The Charts in the beginners chase (6.50pm). He ran pretty well at Ayr two starts ago, but didn’t quite follow it up at Punchestown earlier this month over a trip that probably stretched him slightly.

He’s off a workable mark and is back down in trip, but might find one or two too good here.

Le Braye runs in the same race.

He was third in a similar race at Tramore the last day. He was only a length down in third there and will have a leading chance if he can repeat that run here.

Toosey runs off top-weight in the handicap chase (7.20pm).

He was pulled-up the last day, but if he can bounce back to form, he has the ability to go close. The ground should be perfect for him and I’d be hopeful that he’s got it in him to win a race off his current mark.


CURRAGH (Saturday)

Ciao runs in the Premier Handicap (4.45pm) on Saturday.

She’s been running fairly consistently for a while now. You could almost put a line through her last run as she did too much too early and was never going to have enough left in the tank.

Back down in trip, I’d like to think she could be competitive again.


CURRAGH (Sunday)

Innamorare (5.00pm) is a consistent sort who was done really well since joining the yard. She’s a really likeable filly who always gives it her all and we’re hoping she can come on again from an encouraging fourth at Cork last time.

It’s a very competitive race and it’s a pretty big ask, but she’s in great form at home and if she can pick up some prize money, we’d be happy.

Yafordadoe is our final runner of the weekend in a maiden (6.00pm).

He ran pretty well on his debut at Gowran Park, but didn’t quite back that up at Leopardstown the last day. He’s another who will be seen at his best in handicap company.