Autumn Evening (Sean O'Keeffe) winning at Fairyhouse© Photo Healy Racing
The Jessica Harrington-trained Autumn Evening will bid for further Irish success in the £100,000 bet365 Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso this afternoon.
The Shunter won this valuable prize 12 months ago although Autumn Evening hasn’t been done any favours by the UK Handicapper racing off a mark of 147, 7lb higher than his current Irish rating.
The five-year-old son of Tamayuz won the Liam Healy Memorial Lartigue Hurdle at LIstowel last autumn and has been in good form in recent months winning again at Fairyhouse and also only edged out close home when third in the Liffey Handicap Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Harrington said, “It’s worth more money than the County Hurdle and will probably be no less competitive.
“He ran very well in Leopardstown, a flat track and left-handed which Kelso is. They are due some rain and I wouldn’t mind if the ground is soft for him.”
Metier looks set to go off favourite for the Morebattle and the Harry Fry-trained gelding is one of a number in the line-up that could bid to emulate The Shunter who went on to earn a £100,000 bonus for also winning at the Cheltenham Festival.
Autumn Evening doesn’t hold an entry at Cheltenham but Harrington will be represented at the upcoming Festival meeting by Ashdale Bob in the Coral Cup.
“He won two Grade 2s over hurdles last year and just didn’t take to fences,” said the Moone trainer.
“He’s one of those horses that sits a little bit in between. He’s top of the handicap and probably not quite a Grade 1 horse.”
