In a season where I think we have so far lacked proper Grade 1 potential performances from Hurdle debutants, I think we definitely saw one with SLADE STEEL – and as such I want to get him in the book before he runs again this weekend.
A very good Bumper Horse last season, Slade Steel was a winner on debut at Punchestown in December, before then after a break of 129 days rounding off his campaign with a good 3rd placed effort at the Punchestown Festival in April – where he ran behind Ballyburn and Dancing City in the winners Bumper, and was only beaten 7 lengths by the impressive winner despite travelling widest of the field and having to turn the home bend 5 deep. He certainly isn’t a Horse who is going to be defined by his Bumper career, but he showed significant promise and speed; noted by racing manager Robbie Power after his debut… ‘He does everything nice and has plenty of pace.’
Last month he made his long awaited return to action in a 2m Maiden Hurdle at Naas, and I’m still kicking myself now for not putting him up for that contest, but a combination of the sustained support for King Of Kingsfield (8/11 SP) and the sharper trip unfortunately put me off. Either way however, Slade Steel put in a proper Hurdles debut performance to win – being asked to pick up the long time leader KOK on the term for home, and finding plenty for pressure to jump into a lead at the last before powering home up the run in for a 5.5L success. That form has been boosted since too, with King Of Kingsfield going so close in the Grade 1 Royal Bond – only beaten 1.5L into 2nd. Clearly then this P2P winner looks ready for a step-up in trip, but I love that he was able to win so well over 2m too, as in the Ballymore you do need that bit of speed as well as stamina – and he looks to me like a Horse in the mould of an Inthepocket, who although didn’t go for the Ballymore eventually, still showed that mix of speed/stamina during his Novice campaign.
Slade Steel was entered/confirmed for the Royal Bond last weekend then, but connections decided to send An Tobar instead – which I absolutely love, as now they are going for a 2m4f Grade 2 Novice Hurdle at Navan on Saturday, which coincidentally was won by Inthepocket 12 months ago. Here he will face 4 rivals (Ballymore price in brackets):
Ballystone (-)
Grade 2 Navan Novice Hurdle (2m4f), Navan, 09/12/2023
Better Days Ahead (50/1)
Lecky Watson (50/1)
Slade Steel (25/1)
Stellar Story (33/1)
Now I personally think you can immediately discount Ballystone (not good enough), and Lecky Watson looked to need every yard of 2m7f on Hurdles debut at Thurles – so I’m surprised both he and Better Days Ahead (to a lesser extent) aren’t going for the 3m Novice Hurdle at Cork on Sunday for which they were entered. In my thinking then it leaves Slade Steel in a match with Stellar Story, who won a Maiden Hurdle over 2m4f – but he really had to dig deep to win over that trip, and I think even he could end up being a Bartlett type. Slade Steel is surely the Horse with the most speed in the race on Saturday then, and I think he’s a Horse who’s going to relish 2m4f now as he will be able to travel strongly on the bridle for that bit longer before Rachael needs to press any buttons. I expect him to win on Saturday, and if he does then he really emerges himself as a top Ballymore contender, as Stellar Story would be a good scalp to get. A likely route to the Ballymore would probably be the Lawlor’s Of Naas and then Cheltenham (like Bob Olinger), as I don’t think he’s quite quick enough for a Supreme, and connections surely think he has too much pace for a Bartlett. The Ballymore looks the only race he will go for to my eye.
Looking at the Ballymore market as a whole then, Ballyburn has assumed favouritism after his 2m Maiden Hurdle defeat, but it remains to be seen if he will step up in trip. I didn’t like his extremely low head-carriage last time either, so he would be one I can wait to see out again before judging (especially at 7/1). I thought Firefox was very good in that aforementioned Maiden and he would be dangerous if turning up here, but again it remains to be seen what trip he will run over – you’d say he doesn’t need to immediately step up in distance based on his latest effort, and he could go to the Grade 1 over 2m at Leopardstown over Xmas. Put a line through A Dream To Share (10/1) and Supreme-bound Willmount (16/1), then you’re down to the likes of Predators Gold and Down Memory Lane, but I thought that Slade Steel was more impressive doing what he did in his Maiden Hurdle than what either of those have done (albeit they have potential). Chapeau Du Soleil has just won and shortened to 14/1 in places too… which I think is very short for a Horse still with plenty to prove! I therefore think that Slade Steel is a cracking price at 25/1, and he has the potential to shorten drastically if doing the business at Navan on Saturday (especially if he’s impressive).
[Ballymore] SLADE STEEL 1pt Win @ 25/1
Cheltenham Ante-Post 2024 Book:
[Turners] Inthepocket 1pt Win @ 12/1 (Now 7/1)
[Pertemps] Icare Allen 1pt Win @ 20/1 (Now 14/1)
[Mares Novice] Enola 1pt Win @ 14/1 (Now 33/1)
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