High-class Kargese closing in on return to action

Willie Mullins’ Kargese is nearing a return to action, as connections chart a course to the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

As well as being a dual Grade One winner as a juvenile with big victories at both the Dublin and Punchestown Festivals, the Kenny Alexander-owned five-year-old also gave high-class rivals Majborough and Sir Gino plenty to think about when runner-up in the Triumph Hurdle and at Aintree in the spring.

The aim is to go one better at Prestbury Park in March and Kargese could follow the route Lossiemouth took to the Mares’ Hurdle by running in the Unibet Hurdle on Festival Trials day later this month.

“Willie seems very happy with her and she’s very close to a run he’s said, she’ll run sometime this month,” said Peter Molony, Alexander’s racing manager.

“She could go to Cheltenham at the end of the month possibly, or there are other options, but we will see, we just decided to give her a bit of time in the early part of the season. The Mares’ is where I would have thought we are heading.”

Kargese’s conquerors Sir Gino and Majborough look set to carry all before them over fences this term and their early chasing escapades give connections plenty of confidence Kargese can also continue to flourish this term.

Molony continued: “Watching back those two races in the spring, coming to the last she was absolutely galloping over both Majborough and Sir Gino, but having pulled quite hard early, she just ran out of steam.

“If she learns to settle, I think she could be very exciting.”

Alexander-owned stablemate Jade De Grugy was another to land top honours last term, but plans for an intended chasing campaign have been put on hold for the time being following an interrupted first half of the season.

Also quoted at single-figure odds in the betting for the Mares’ Hurdle, it is hoped she will return before the end of the campaign, but there is no timescale being placed on her reappearance.

“She’s very exciting and the plan was to go chasing with her, but she had a small setback and she’s had a few weeks off and only just come back into training,” added Molony.

“At this stage we will probably stick to hurdling with her as it will be the latter third of the season when she will be running, so there is no point running over fences at that stage of the year.

“It’s just a watching brief at home, but hopefully we will see her at some point.”

There was also a reminder from Molony not to forget Gala Marceau, a Grade One winner and Triumph runner-up in her juvenile days, but not seen at her very best during the last campaign.

Last sighted chasing home Lossiemouth at Punchestown, she is soon to reappear following a setback that has kept her sidelined so far this winter.

“She had a knee operation at the beginning of the season, just for something niggly that was giving her a few problems last year,” explained Molony.

“She will be due back in the next few weeks. She’s a super mare who definitely wasn’t at her best last year, so hopefully she will be a better mare this season. She’s grown over the summer and strengthened, so we will see.”