Overturn out to conquer Punchestown rivals
April 18, 2012
Donald McCain’s admirable dual-purpose performer Overturn looks set to take his chance at the Punchestown Festival on April 27 in the Grade 1 Rabobank Irish Champion Hurdle where he will attempt to go one place better than his fine runner’s-up spot in the Stan James Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham last month, writes Elliot Slater.
As always the Tim Leslie-owned gelding gave his all at Cheltenham, leading from flagfall and going a strong gallop that had plenty of his rivals in trouble before the home turn.
Eventually headed before the last by the eventual impressive winner Rock On Ruby, the eight-year-old nevertheless kept on best of the rest to finish an honourable second ahead of the previous year’s champion Hurricane Fly, who he could well lock horns with again in the showcase Irish contest.
Winner of the Grade 2 Coral Hurdle at Ascot in November before following up in the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle where he proved too good for Nicky Henderson’s former champion Binocular, Overturn ran second to the smart Grandouet in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham in December before occupying third spot behind Binocular in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park on Boxing Day to attract plenty of horse racing betting tips heading into the New Year.
After such a heavy pre-Christmas schedule it came as no surprise when McCain decided to give his star a mid-term break and he returned to the fray in the Champion Hurdle full of beans and did himself proud in finishing runner-up to Rock On Ruby. Connections deliberately avoided running at Aintree so as to send the gelded son of Barathea to Punchestown with plenty of petrol left in the tank, and McCain is expecting his Chester Cup and Northumberland Plate winner to go very well against popular racing betting tips that could include Hurricane Fly, Go Native, Thousand Stars and Unaccompanied.
As always the Tim Leslie-owned gelding gave his all at Cheltenham, leading from flagfall and going a strong gallop that had plenty of his rivals in trouble before the home turn.
Eventually headed before the last by the eventual impressive winner Rock On Ruby, the eight-year-old nevertheless kept on best of the rest to finish an honourable second ahead of the previous year’s champion Hurricane Fly, who he could well lock horns with again in the showcase Irish contest.
Winner of the Grade 2 Coral Hurdle at Ascot in November before following up in the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle where he proved too good for Nicky Henderson’s former champion Binocular, Overturn ran second to the smart Grandouet in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham in December before occupying third spot behind Binocular in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park on Boxing Day to attract plenty of horse racing betting tips heading into the New Year.
After such a heavy pre-Christmas schedule it came as no surprise when McCain decided to give his star a mid-term break and he returned to the fray in the Champion Hurdle full of beans and did himself proud in finishing runner-up to Rock On Ruby. Connections deliberately avoided running at Aintree so as to send the gelded son of Barathea to Punchestown with plenty of petrol left in the tank, and McCain is expecting his Chester Cup and Northumberland Plate winner to go very well against popular racing betting tips that could include Hurricane Fly, Go Native, Thousand Stars and Unaccompanied.
Posted by Robert James.