Mondo Man shaping up for Palladium clash at Kempton

Gary Moore is predicting a much-improved Mondo Man will be on display in the Ladbrokes Adonis Juvenile Hurdle, as he looks ahead to the prospect of an exciting clash with Palladium at Kempton next weekend.

A high-class performer on the Flat, he was fifth in the French Derby last summer before also running well behind Calandagan when fourth in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.

He was subject of a €520,000 transfer to his new connections in the autumn and was set a formidable task on his first start for Moore and his son Josh, sent to Ascot to tackle leading Triumph Hurdle fancy Lulamba.

Mondo Man proved much too keen as he came home second, three and a half lengths adrift of Nicky Henderson’s juvenile hotpot, but Moore senior has revealed he was not fully tuned up for that debut outing and a fitter and slicker model will be on display in the Adonis.

“He didn’t give himself much of a chance at Ascot, but he will be a lot fitter this time,” said Moore.

“We did get held up at a vital time before Ascot, but hopefully he will be better this time and we will have a few different contraptions on him to anchor him a little bit at Kempton.

“He’s not like it at home and he doesn’t pull. You can ride him on a long rein and he barely picks up the bridle, but you get him on a racecourse he changes his tune then.”

At Kempton it appears he will have another top-ranking Seven Barrows youngster to take on, with the Adonis slated for €1.4million buy Palladium following his opening win at Huntingdon.

However, Moore is looking forward to testing Mondo Man’s mettle in the Grade Two event, which takes place at a track he hopes will suit his talented youngster’s speedy profile.

Moore continued: “It looks like Nicky’s other horse, Palladium, is going there and we will look forward to that. But I’m sure he won’t be the only decent horse to turn up in it – there is no such thing as an easy race anymore!

“It’s a sharper track around Kempton and the ground will hopefully be a bit better, so a bit more of a speed test and the pace they will go will help settle him down a bit better.”