The coveted Irish Grand National is just under two weeks away, and the Emmet Mullins-trained novice chaser Soldier In Milan was given a glowing report by Donagh Meyler at a recent gallops morning.
The son of Soldier Of Fortune has had just five races under rules, winning two of them. A former point-to-point winner, he looked potentially smart when landing a Punchestown bumper last May. Four lengths in second was King Rasko Grey, who was an impressive winner of the Turner’s Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham. Connections wasted no time going chasing, though he failed to complete after pulling up at Leopardstown.
Soldier In Milan drastically improved to finish a half-a-length fourth at Gowran Park, having jumped the last in front. It was a blanket finish, and the form has been nicely franked by the first and third.
He comfortably got off the mark in a Punchestown Beginners Chase, beating Willie Mullins’ Kiss Will. The second was fifth in the Novice Chase Handicap at Cheltenham, and the pair pulled 16-lengths clear of the third.
Albeit a beaten favourite in Grade 3 company at Thurles, it was a performance that suggested there was another day in mind.
“Emmet is a real shrewdie, he loves it” – Donagh Meyler
Donagh Meyler, who’s rode him the last three occasions, spoke at a gallops morning via Sporting Life regarding his chances: “I’m looking forward to Soldier In Milan, he fits the bill as a novice. It’s his first year over fences and he’s been doing things well as of late. It’s very rare but we’ve seen it with Florida Pearl and Fact to File who is a recent example – horses who go straight from bumpers to chases.
“His bumper performance worked out spectacularly well given he beat King Rasko Grey. He’s a big frame of a horse. Emmet thought that he’d just be wasting his time over hurdles and he seems to be jumping fences well. He’ll have a nice weight in the race so hopefully he can be bang there please God.
Meyler continued: “It was a messy race the last day. He was dropped him in just to teach him how to switch off a little bit during the race. He did and it turned into a bit of a sprint which didn’t suit him. But he came out of the race well and he’ll hopefully come into the BOYLE Sports Irish Grand National in the right form.
“Emmet is a real shrewdie, a great target trainer, he loves it.”