Before we are obliged, or should that be reduced, to looking at today's modest all-weather cards following the abandonment of Folkestone, it is worth recalling some of the action from last Sunday's jumps card at Leopardstown. In particular, with a view to the Cheltenham Festival, the victory of the Willie Mullins-trained Glencove Marina should be kept firmly in mind. I can scarcely recall jockey Ruby Walsh waxing so lyrical about a horse after he recorded a 10 lengths win on Glencove Marina. "I've always thought this is the best horse we've had in Willie's yard for some time. The way he jumped and travelled today, he's a proper horse,'' Walsh told At The Races.
Ante-post interest is all but ruled out, sadly, as Mullins will give Glencove Marina several entries at the Festival. "He's some chaser. I thought if there is one horse in my yard that could be anything, it is him,'' said the trainer. Glencove Marina is 10-1 for the Arkle and 12s for the SunAlliance Chase. We shall have to wait and see how he gets on in his next race, back at Leopardstown on February 10, but Glencove Marina is certainly one for the Cheltenham short list.
It comes to something when a Classified Stakes at Kempton today, ie Banded Racing, offers a punting possibility, but step forward Mujamead (4.10). His trainer, Tony Carroll, has been getting a few winners lately. Jockey Kirsty Milczarek is certainly on a roll, and Mujamead has shown improved form over hurdles since he last ran on the Flat. If he can carry that improvement over to this poor affair, he should go close.
