Mondo tests Triumph claims in Adonis assignment

Mondo Man will try to capitalise on the absence of Lulamba and Palladium and book his ticket to the JCB Triumph Hurdle in Saturday’s Ladbrokes Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton.

Most of the build-up had been dominated by which of Nicky Henderson’s star juveniles would line up at the Sunbury venue, but the Seven Barrows handler opted to run neither featured in the Grade Two event.

That leaves Gary and Josh Moore’s Mondo Man to head the six runners having chased home Lulamba at Ascot on his first hurdling appearance for new connections.

A high-class Flat performer who was both fifth in the French Derby and also fourth at Royal Ascot last summer, he cost owners John and Yvonne Stone €520,000 in the autumn.

However, he proved much to keen on his first outing over obstacles, with his team hoping a for a more restrained display at Kempton.

“He was too fresh at Ascot, but I hope he will switch off much better this time,” said Josh Moore.

“He finished off well despite how hard he was on himself, but we think it definitely put paid to his chances anyway.

“William Buick had warned us he might be keen, but at home he’s a complete sheep. He was undoubtedly too keen and at Ascot you turn downhill for half a mile after passing the winning line and it’s a long way downhill when keen.

“His fitness has come on and he’s been as good as gold since. He’s been training well and has come on for the run, it has taken a bit of gassiness out of him and that’s what improves him.

“It’s a good opportunity for him and hopefully he can make the most of it, but at the end of the day it’s only his second time over hurdles. He needs to put behind how he behaved the last day and hopefully we see a different horse here.”

Much further down the field behind Lulamba and Mondo Man at Ascot was Toby Lawes’ St Pancras in fifth.

The son of Siyouni was much improved when showing plenty of speed and quality to scoop Listed honours at Musselburgh earlier this month, with his handler feeling there could be more to come up in grade as they meet Mondo Man for a second time.

Lawes said: “He’s a lovely horse and improving all the time and we were delighted with the win at Musselburgh. It was a proper performance and if you check the fractions, he showed some serious pace in the final three or four furlongs.

“I think he showed a speedier side to him than we had seen before and he showed he has plenty of class.

“We do have a penalty for a class one win, but at the same time he is coming forward and it is an interesting race for us to take our chance in.

“I would expect us to close the gap with Mondo Man from Ascot with the experience we’ve gained. He’s a nice horse who is taking his racing well and I don’t think he’s the finished article just yet.”

He added: “If he won on Saturday we could definitely look at going to Aintree or Punchestown, but I do think we still have plenty to find with the Triumph Hurdle favourites and I didn’t want to take him to a Fred Winter.

“There are some interesting avenues we can take and with Lulamba not running, it brought this race much more firmly into play for us.”

Another winner north of the border at Musselburgh during their trials weekend was Fergal O’Brien’s Tripoli Flyer, who now bids for a hat-trick in the Ladbrokes Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle on the card.

“I’m looking forward to him running and he was very impressive last time at Musselburgh,” said O’Brien.

“His jumping seems to be getting better and better and what you like to see with young horses is that they are improving. His jumping was a bit shabby to start off with at Musselburgh but when it mattered, he really put in some good leaps over the last three and we were delighted with him.”

Stuart Edmunds’ Miami Magic sets the standard judged on his Aintree Grade One second on Boxing Day, but Celtic Dino was not disgraced when fourth in the same Formby Novices’ Hurdle and attempts to provide his trainer Sam Thomas with back-to-back victories in this Grade Two contest.

“He’s a stone better on good or quick ground and although we got beat at Aintree, it only just confirms to us what we sort of thought anyway, that we won’t be going anywhere near any racetrack that has soft in the description,” Thomas said.

“He’s such a good, strong travelling, good moving horse; he was devastating at Wincanton when the ground was quick at the start of the season and that’s the ground he needs. I’m expecting a big run on Saturday if we get the ground.”

Ben Pauling had to settle for second with Fiercely Proud 12 months ago, but now looks to go one better with his Uttoxeter winner Roysse.

Pauling said: “I’m looking forward to seeing him, I really am. I think the quick pace and the track will suit, he’s in very good order and it will give us an indication as to where we’re going with him.

“He’s a horse I’ve always thought has got a huge engine, which he has. We’ve done so much work with his jumping and hopefully it will pay dividends in the race.”