Warren Greatrex is aiming high with Mighty Bandit after he completed a hat-trick of chase victories at Doncaster on Saturday.
The six-year-old made the headlines when changing hands for €420,00 at the Caldwell Dispersal sale in February 2024. It was a huge figure for a horse with just one victory to his name after blowing out at Leopardstown. He then pulled up in the Triumph Hurdle, and he could only manage to win a Pontefract Maiden that season.
Mighty Bandit belatedly returned to the winner’s enclosure in August, and he appears to have finally turned the corner. The switch to chasing has evidently improved him, with the first leg of his hat-trick coming at Newbury in December. The third leg came when recording a Town Moor double last weekend, bolting up 17 lengths in Class 2 company.
Bandit “definitely ready” for big races now according to Greatrex
Speaking to the Press Association via Racing TV, Greatrex noted “He seems to be progressing very well,
“He’s got his confidence up and he jumps very well. He’s had this price tag on his head and he’s now looking like it’s not so silly.
“He’s pretty much at Grade 1 level for a novice, he was rated 142 the other day and he won by 17 lengths. He’s going to be in the 150s now and that puts you in the Grade 1 bracket.”
Mighty Bandit was raised 10lbs to a mark of 152 on Tuesday, making him the third highest rated Novice Chasers in Britain.
“People may have thought, ‘what the hell are they doing?’ continued Greatrex.
“He has taken a bit of time, but it just proves the ability has always been there. I probably put him in some big races because of his price tag and he probably wasn’t ready. But he’s definitely ready now.”
With no entries for Cheltenham next week, connections have set their sights to Aintree after his Doncaster jumping exhibition.
“We’ll look at Aintree, he’ll be entered in the two-mile and two-mile-four novice chases. He’s riding a crest of a wave and I wouldn’t put it past him at all to go there and do the business.”
Mighty Bandit’s rapid success will prove popular for punters of Highland Legacy in the Grand Annual. He was a length behind at Newbury receiving 5lbs, with the pair now separated by 19lbs in the ratings.