Have the bookies overreacted on Jeriko Du Reponet for the Supreme? Three things we learned this week

An action-packed afternoon at Cheltenham and Doncaster on Saturday gave us plenty of clues for the major spring festivals. Here are three key takeaways from the week . . .

Lossiemouth is the real deal

Predicting the future of a Triumph Hurdle winner is often tricky business. For every superstar like Katchit there is also one who flattered to deceive such as Ivanovich Gorbatov. 

However, the performance of Lossiemouth at Cheltenham on Saturday more than confirmed the promise of her juvenile campaign and it would take a brave man to oppose her as the odds-on favourite in the Mares' Hurdle. 

Lossiemouth and Paul Townend return after winning the Unibet Hurdle Credit: Edward Whitaker

When Constitution Hill scoped dirty and was ruled out of the Unibet Hurdle, the connections of Britain’s other leading two-milers would have been secretly rubbing their hands with glee. Little did they know they would be swept aside in a very similar manner by the returning Rich and Susannah Ricci-owned star.

Willie Mullins has played it smart by easing her in slowly this year and not overracing his young talent, only unleashing her now in preparation for the spring festivals. 

Any tilt at the Champion Hurdle was quickly ruled out by the Ricci camp, but she has massive scope for improvement and perhaps she can follow the Honeysuckle route by sweeping the mares’ contests this year before tackling the boys next season.

Sir Gino could be next superstar for Donnellys

"An absolute machine" was how Harry Cobden described Sir Gino, and who are we to argue? The rider of Burdett Road had the best seat in the house as Sir Gino sprinted away with the Triumph trial in the manner of a very smart horse.

From Al Boum Photo to Shishkin and State Man, Joe and Marie Donnelly's black and yellow chequered silks have become synonymous with quality over the last few years and they have another exciting prospect on their hands.

Sir Gino cemented himself as the Triumph Hurdle favourite with a stunning win on SaturdayCredit: JOHN GROSSICK

As mentioned above, you have to be careful in predicting how juveniles may progress, but the French-bred Sir Gino was bought with a chasing career in mind. He shaped that way on his hurdling debut at Kempton, although he was slicker at Cheltenham. 

He will have bigger targets in mind down the line and, as the old cliche goes, anything he achieves this season may be considered as a bonus.

Those taking short prices about Sir Gino for the festival next month may want to hold off for the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at next week's Dublin Racing Festival in which Willie Mullins, who has won three of the last four Triumph Hurdles, is set to unleash some of his top prospects. 

Is Jeriko Du Reponet drift an overreaction?

Most of the ante-post Cheltenham markets are taking proper shape, but the Supreme remains slightly mysterious and was muddied further by Jeriko Du Reponet's underwhelming victory in the Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle at Doncaster.

The unbeaten five-year-old was pushed out to a best-priced 8-1 after battling to get the better of Lump Sum and Fiercely Proud and a repeat of that run would make insufficient to win at the festival.

Jeriko Du Reponet after his Doncaster success on SaturdayCredit: GROSSICK RACING

However, on ground that may have been too quick (officially good) and after a slow gallop that led to a bit of a sprint, have the bookies been too hasty?

Apart from El Elefante, who finished last, Jeriko Du Reponet's other three opponents were all last-time-out winners and even if the winning margin was unflattering, he demonstrated his willingness in a battle and was at his strongest at the line. A stronger gallop on softer ground would be much more to his liking.

Mystical Power, owned like Jeriko Du Reponet by JP McManus, shortened as the Supreme favourite following his rival's performance, and as a Moscow Flyer winner he has obvious claims, but his route to Cheltenham is unusual for a Willie Mullins-trained favourite having only had one prior run over hurdles at Galway in the summer.

He still has the option of the Ballymore, unlike Jeriko Du Reponet whose only festival entry is in the Supreme. He looks a certain runner and the 8-1 available now could look big on the day if he goes there as Nicky Henderson's number one.

Read this next:

Festival movers: Sir Gino 6-4 for Triumph after thrashing Burdett Road and Lossiemouth odds-on for Mares' Hurdle - but Jeriko Du Reponet drifts

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