Gavin Cromwell takes chance with Punchestown plan as Flooring Porter prepares to kick off huge period

Gavin Cromwell is set to unleash some of his stable stars over the next fortnight, starting with Flooring Porter in the Grade 2 Florida Pearl Novice Chase at Punchestown on Saturday.

The in-form trainer will also be represented in the coming weeks by Encanto Bruno and Letsbeclearaboutit, who are set to tackle Grade 1 company at the Fairyhouse Winter festival.

Dual Stayers' Hurdle winner Flooring Porter made a seamless transition to chasing at Cheltenham last month, when enjoying a smooth two-and-a-half-length success over Broadway Boy, and that form was boosted when the second bolted up in Listed company last Saturday. 

The eight-year-old could take on the likes of Affordale Fury, Sandor Clegane and Churchstonewarrior this weekend, and Cromwell is keen to find out how he fares going right-handed for the first time since being pulled up in the Champion Stayers Hurdle at the 2021 Punchestown festival.

Gavin Cromwell has had an excellent start to the seasonCredit: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

"Flooring Porter is in great shape and we’re looking forward to getting him out this weekend at Punchestown," said Cromwell. "It’s his first time going right-handed since he ran at Punchestown after he won his first Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham.

"The chase track is big and he’s more mature now so hopefully he's an easier ride. He’s a year older and even towards the end of last season you could see that he had matured. 

"The timing of the race suits, and if we're ever going to try right-handed again, I think we should try it now. We can still go to Leopardstown at Christmas and it just looks an obvious race for him."

Cromwell is also set to send a strong team to the Fairyhouse Winter festival the following weekend. Encanto Bruno travelled with plenty of verve before his stylish success in a novice hurdle at Cheltenham last month and he will drop back to two miles for the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle on December 3.

"Encanto Bruno will run in the Royal Bond," he said. "I’m hoping the ground doesn’t get too soft, but the forecast is pretty good. I was very happy with him at Cheltenham as he doesn’t show that kind of speed at home, but he’s just very quick over his hurdles. 

Some members of Gavin Cromwell's string work out at home on WednesdayCredit: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

"He obviously stays well given how he finished up the hill over two and a half miles. He has that bit of experience so hopefully it will stand to him."

Letsbeclearaboutit is unbeaten in two starts over fences, landing a Gowran beginners' chase in September before stretching ten lengths clear in Grade 3 company at Cork this month. He is pencilled in for the Grade 1 Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse.

"Letsbeclearaboutit came out of Cork great," said Cromwell. "He jumped very well there. He missed a season with injury after his bumper year so there’s not that many miles on the clock, so hopefully there’s still plenty of good racing to be had with him."

The eight-year-old enjoyed a promising novice hurdle campaign last season, finishing fourth at Cheltenham and Aintree over three miles, but Cromwell is keen to keep him at shorter trips over fences, while he could also be joined by stablemate Perceval Legallois.

Gavin Cromwell with Letsbeclearaboutit at his yard in County MeathCredit: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

"He nearly over-travelled at Cheltenham and Aintree last season," he added. "He actually ran away with Keith Donoghue at Cheltenham so to finish fourth in an Albert Bartlett after doing that is a fair run. 

"He’s taken to fences very well and it puts a bit of a lid on him as there’s more jumping. He gains so much with his jumping and he has plenty of gears so he could even come back in trip.

"Perceval Legallois could run in the Drinmore. I will have a talk with connections, but he's in good nick. He was running a big race at Cork [when falling] the last day. It was too far out to call but he certainly wasn't finished."

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