Ambitious Kirby sets his sights on Punchestown for Don Poli

The former Grade One winner, previously trained in Ireland by Willie Mullins and then Gordon Elliott, was purchased by ambitious owners Darren and Annaley Yates from Gigginstown House Stud 48 hours before this month’s National.

And while the drying ground at Aintree became too quick for the £170,000 acquisition who was only in Kirby’s care for less than two days before the big race, Don Poli still showed his undoubted class for much of the four-and-a-quarter mile marathon and was last of the 19 runners to successfully complete the course.

Now Catterick-based Kirby, who has enjoyed his best-ever National Hunt season thanks to the form of horses like four-time winner Lady Buttons and the redoubtable Little Bruce –second at Cheltenham this week under Tommy Dowson – has his sights set on the high-profile Punchestown Festival which starts on April 30.

“All being well, we get some rain and bit softer ground for Punchestown,” the trainer told The Yorkshire Post.

“There are a couple of handicaps – three-and-a-quarter miles and three miles, six furlongs.”

Though the trainer is giving Don Poli time to adjust to his new surroundings, he is pleased with the horse’s work on the gallops so far and was encouraged by the horse’s run at Aintree in a historic race that saw Tiger Roll become the National’s first dual winner since Red Rum.

“He didn’t do anything wrong and there will be other days for him. I am looking forward to it,” said Kirby, who went on to suggest that Cheltenham’s cross-country races could be tailor-made for Little Bruce next season after his fine run earlier this week.

Meanwhile, Paul Midgley finds it difficult to split his three runners in the Scottish Sprint Cup Handicap at Musselburgh today.

The North Yorkshire trainer believes Final Venture, Captain Colby and the 2017 winner Line Of Reason should not be far away in the five-furlong dash, granted luck in running.

Midgley had hoped to have four runners, but his other five-day entry, Tanasoq, met with a slight training setback.

However, he still fancies his chances with his trio in a typically competitive renewal of this valuable sprint.

“I expect all three, if they get the run of the race, to be there or thereabouts,” said Midgley.

“Final Venture is having his first run of the year. He’s done plenty of work. He’s been galloping well and he looks well.”

Midgley is happy to run Line Of Reason quickly after the nine-year-old was second to Teruntum Star at Beverley on Wednesday.

Watersmeet gained a much-deserved success when making it third time lucky in the Betway All-Weather Marathon Championships Conditions Stakes at Lingfield.

Having finished second in 2017 and third 12 months ago, the Mark Johnston-trained eight-year-old finally hit the jackpot in the two-mile prize.

Despite missing the break, the son of Dansili, who usually front-runs, came with a strong challenge from off the pace before being kicked on by Joe Fanning around a furlong from home to cross the line two and a quarter lengths clear off odds-on favourite Amade.

Middleham-based Johnston said of the winner: “I’ve often thought he has deserved a big one on the turf or all-weather. He has actually run three times before in these finals, as he ran in the mile-and-a-quarter race and has been twice placed in this race, so it was his turn.

“He took the blind off too early, hit the gates and sat back on his hocks and missed it, so he was back in the field and Joe said he had to think again.”

Looking to future engagements, Johnston pointed towards another tilt at the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle in June for the winner.

He said: “I don’t know how many times he has run in the Northumberland Plate before, but he should be well capable of winning a race like that. Those races have got to be for him as he is eight years old and there is nothing else for him.”