Bob Olinger could get the sternest possible test of his championship hurdling credentials if lining up against Flooring Porter at Navan this Sunday.
Flooring Porter, winner of the Stayers Hurdle at Cheltenham for the last two seasons, tops a dozen entries for the Grade 2 Railway Bar Lismullen Hurdle. However, Gavin Cromwell’s star will get competition in the attention stakes should he clash with Bob Olinger in the 2½-mile contest.
Despite a fortunate success at the Cheltenham festival in March, Bob Olinger’s novice chase season ultimately proved anti-climactic, with trainer Henry De Bromhead opting to return to the smaller obstacles for a first start of the new campaign.
The racing world looked at Bob Olinger’s feet following his last appearance over flights with a brilliant success in the 2021 Ballymore at Cheltenham. He is a general 8-1 shot to dethrone Flooring Porter as stayers champion at Cheltenham in March.
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The 2020 Lismullen winner Sire Du Berlais is among a handful of Gordon Elliott-trained entries for the race that also includes Teahupoo.
Navan also hosts the Grade Two Muldoon & Gormley Fortria Chase on Sunday. The reigning two-mile champion Energumene does not figure among nine entries but two stable companions among his leading challengers for the title this season do.
Both Ferny Hollow and Gentleman de Mee also have been given entries for Saturday’s Grade Three Barberstown Chase Poplar Square Chase at Naas.
Gentleman De Mee landed a Grade One in impressive style at Aintree in April. Ferny Hollow has raced just twice in the last two years but won both starts as a novice chaser, including the Grade One at Leopardstown last Christmas. He is as low as 6-1 in some lists to ascend to the top of the two-mile pecking order at Cheltenham in March.
Ground conditions at Navan are currently soft, with an unsettled weather outlook for the week ahead.
In other news Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has decided to retitle the Grade Two mares novice hurdle at the Cheltenham festival in March in memory of Jack De Bromhead.
Love Envoi won the Ryanair Mares Novice Hurdle last March, but Henry De Bromhead revealed on Tuesday that O’Leary will sponsor the race in memory of his 13-year-old son Jack who was tragically killed in a fall during a pony race in September.
“Michael O’Leary has very kindly said they are going to name the mares novice hurdle the Jack De Bromhead Mares Novice Hurdle which is incredible,” the trainer said. “I’m hoping to do a Willie (Mullins) on it and try and fill the field if at all possible!”
Wednesday afternoon’s Irish action is on the all-weather at Dundalk, where Silver Nemo could be worth checking out in a seven-furlong handicap. Siobhan Rutledge’s mount won twice on the all-weather at Chelmsford in 2021 and may appreciate a step up in trip having been a running on third to Beleaguerment over six furlongs last time.
