Davids Charm© Photo Healy Racing
Smart novice hurdler Davids Charm will be aimed at another big handicap hurdle success at the Dublin Racing Festival next month as the John Joe Walsh trained gelding steps up to three miles for the first time.
The seven year old son of Milan has progressed to win three handicap hurdles, from his last four starts, in recent months and was successful last-time out in the Grade A Bar One Racing Handicap Hurdle at Fairyhouse in December.
Co Cork based Walsh reported “he is ready for road and definitely runs. He steps up to three miles (having won over two miles at Fairyhouse in December) but we had no worry about him staying the 2m5f when he won at Galway and I'm hoping he stays the trip at Leopardstown.
“He is climbing up the weights though and there'll be plenty of Mullins, Elliott and Gigginstown horses on lesser weights so it won't be ideal if he ends up with top weight. He is in good form though and we know if he stays that trip he'll take some beating.
“He's rated 143 and is still a novice but I won't enter him in any of the races at Cheltenham. He'll stay at home and run in the novices here and meet the lads when they come back from Cheltenham.
“I think he'll stay over hurdles again next season as he's not over big and we haven't schooled him over fences.”
Walsh is also planning to run one more horse at Leopardstown, with Cliff House entered for the Coral Hurdle on the Saturday of the festival. The gelding hasn't won since May 2016 but Walsh is hoping a good recent return to action might bring about improvement.
He says “Cliff House also runs on the Saturday. He was wrong last year like a lot of my horses were, as we had a virus.
“He seems to have come back to himself recently though and ran well on his first run back at Cork the last day. I'd be more hopeful but if you're not in you can't win.”
