I'VE GOT FESTIVAL FEVER

Karl Hedley is looking forward to a brilliant week of Irish racing in the capital

- Karl Hedley

With the new year upon us, many horses will be heading towards their prep races for upcoming festivals including the Dublin Racing Festival in February and of course Cheltenham in March. In the piece below, I have selected a number of individual runners who will likely be engaged in these future meetings and who showed potential going forward into 2024.

Waterford Whispers came with a rattling late run to claim the Rated Novice Hurdle, at Fairyhouse in early December. Seventh on debut in April, the Westerner gelding made the breakthrough on his next start at Galway and was sent off a well-supported 4/1 chance over this near twoand-a-half mile trip. Given a patient ride, the Henry de Bromhead-trained victor was pushed along in fifth before two out but jumped the last in third and really powered home from there, hitting the front inside the final 150 yards before going on to score by a length-and-three-quarters.

The Terence O'Brien-trained Answer To Kayf looked set to score on clearing the last but he ultimately couldn't hold off the winner and had to settle for second under John Shinnick. The front pair were five lengths in front of Luminous Light while the well fancied Redstone could only manage a disappointing sixth.

"It was hard to weigh him up after Galway," Frank Berry, racing manager for JP McManus, commented. Mark said it was a messy old race but he jumped quite well and picked up well going to the last. He looked in a bit of trouble early, in the straight and is still learning on the job. It was a good performance and he quickened up well at the back of the last. He is a big lad that will jump a fence in time.

You'd be very pleased with him." Conor Stone Walsh continued his excellent start to life as a National Hunt jockey, claiming the subsequent Handicap Chase aboard Solness over an extended two miles.