Kanturk trainer Michael Winters delivers with more success with Crowsatedappletart

Kanturk trainer Michael Winters was back in the winners enclosure when his popular chaser Crowsatedappletart completed his seventh success at Limerick last weekend. 

This horse has been a model of consistency and was given a great ride by Gavin Brouder. Beaten just a nose in an agonising photo-finish for his connections at the Listowel festival last month, Crowsatedappletart was a comfortable three-length winner.

Winters reported: "He is a great horse but also has his own mind. At home he’d look back at you and slow down, so I suppose he keeps a bit for himself. As a young horse he wouldn’t handle that ground so it took a long time for him, and that (2m3f) is his trip.

"He is rated 109 and that race had €30,000 for the winner, which is crazy but in fairness to him he had had a pile of placings. 

He lives out in the field but was in last night due to the wet weather, so maybe we’ll keep him in the night before he runs again.” 

As the jump season really warms up Henry De Bromhead has confirmed that Envoi Allen is set to make his seasonal reappearance in the BetVictor Champion Steeplechase in Down Royal at the start of November. The 11-year-old gelding is more than familiar with this Grade One contest having competed in the last three renewals of it with victories secured in 2022 and last year when he beat Hewick by half a length. 

This will be a terrific ride for Doneraile’s Darragh O’Keeffe who takes up the role as stable jockey after the retirement of Rachael Blackmore.

De Bromhead said: "Envoi is going to the north and he seems well. We are all getting a bit older so we'll see, but I had him loose-schooling on Sunday morning and he seemed in great form. We want to get him to Down Royal, hopefully get a good run there, and there is nothing set in stone after that."

DOUBLE

Upton’s Wayne Lordan teamed up with his old boss from West Cork, Thomond O’Mara, aboard Charlie Brow’n, which was the second leg of a double at Navan during the week. Carrying the colours of Roisin Hickey, the 9/1 chance was recording a first career victory at the 16th time of asking. Charlie Brow'n kept on strongly close home to win by a head.

Wayne Lordan said: "He handles that ground well. To be fair, he ran quite well when he stepped up to the mile and a half in Killarney. I know the two turns are a little bit tight in Killarney, but you've long straights.

"He ran okay in Thurles, but the track was a little bit tight for him. He's quite a big horse. Back up to a big, galloping track on soft ground was a help. 

He might be a bit of fun for them over the winter.” 

Aidan O’Brien has assembled a Del Mar-bound Breeders’ Cup team headed by the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe runner-up Minnie Hauk. The filly, a three-time Group One winner, missed out by just a head at ParisLongchamp earlier in the month and now has the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf in her sights. Another filly travelling from Ballydoyle to California is Bedtime Story, who finished fourth to Kalpana in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot last weekend.

O’Brien said: “She ran well and we were very happy with her. She’d probably would have preferred a stronger pace but ran very well. She definitely could go for the Filly & Mare Turf, that’s what we’re thinking.” 

The Group One-winning filly Precise is targeting the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and The Lion in Winter could go for the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile, with True Love a possible for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Another big story this week was the announcement that Cheltenham management were looking at moving the Festival meeting to run from Wednesday to Saturday. The fixture currently starts on Tuesday and finishes on Friday, with the Champion Hurdle the highlight on the opening day while the four days conclude with the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

However, following a decline in the Festival’s total attendance over the last three years, Cheltenham’s chief executive Guy Lavender has admitted a switch to a weekend finale for the meeting could have its merits, although it is only “a concept” at this point.

He told the Racing Post: “As a leader, you have a remit to investigate a range of options. I think this one certainly has some merit for investigating, but we are a long way from getting to a firmer view or decision point.”