Countrywide Flame flying for Triumph Hurdle – Horseracing Update
After finishing third in Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown on last Sunday, John Quinn’s veteran gelding is now weighting his wings to go to Cheltenham to run in the high-profile contest of JCB Triumph Hurdle.
Scheduled to begin at 1:30 on March 16, the Grade 1 race of 2m1f distance will have 77 runners including a number of big names.
Prior to the Cheltenham challenge, Countrywide Flame is likely to test his mettles in Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle.
However, the trainer is yet undecided whether to run his pupil ahead of the mega event or rest him completely.
Countrywide Flame’s participation in Handicap Hurdle can prove to be both good and bad for his performance in Triumph Hurdle. Good in a sense that he may take an acid test of his preparation for the super clash and bad in a sense that he may render unfit
or lose his stamina.
While speaking to the media today, Quinn said, “He's come back fine. It will be straight to Cheltenham for him now. I'm going to enter him in the Fred Winter, but he'll more than likely be just about top weight in that, so he'll probably run in the Triumph.”
He added, “He was a bit gawky at the first couple of hurdles on Sunday, which is unlike him. I'm not saying he'd have won, but he threw at least a length away at the first and second hurdles and you can't do that in Grade Ones.”
Owned by Estio Pinnacle Racing, the four-year-old black gelding has won 7 out of his total 22 starts to date. His victories include 3 Flat Turf, 1 All-weather and 3 Hurdle. Bred by Michael Clarke, he was foaled in March 2008.
Countrywide Flame’s last triumph came on November 22, 2011. He finished second in a race on December 27.
Thus, the recent stats of the gelding make him a favourite runner for Triumph Hurdle. Most of the bookmakers believe that the young sprinter will be able to perform well at Cheltenham.
Quinn too expects big run from his talented gelding. Thus, Countrywide Flame is carrying a burden of heavy expectations.
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