Robbie Power On Footpad, Saldier & Apple’s Jade’s Return

There’s no doubt that Footpad was bitterly disappointing at Naas on Saturday.

Footpad
He looked beaten before he fell at the last. Looking back at the race, I think he made a bad mistake at the third fence and it just looked to me that he lost all his confidence.

I was talking to Ruby after the race and he said he slipped close to the third fence and that’s why he made the mistake. It’s a wonderful game.

In the past fortnight, Samcro and Footpad have both got beaten so you can take nothing for granted in this game.

It will be interesting to see both Samcro and Footpad when they reappear. They’ve a lot to prove. I’d imagine Footpad won’t appear until December, more than likely closer to Christmas. He has to step back up to the game. He was a very, very good Novice last season but it was a disappointing start to this campaign. Hopefully he can get back to winning ways the next time we see him.

Saldier
Saldier was very, very unlucky in the Four Year Old Hurdle. He’s a horse I’m very fond of as I won a Four Year Old Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown on him at the festival last April.

He’s a horse that left a good impression on me.

I was very, very impressed with him that day and he looked set to win again on Saturday, until he fell at the last. I thought he was making a very good reappearance and just sort of grabbed at the hurdle and fell. Hopefully he’ll be none the worse from that.

I think he’s a very, very good horse and he could be an outsider to keep an eye on for something like the Champion Hurdle. Espoir D’allen was a decent two-mile hurdler last year as well and I think he had him well-cooked when he fell.

Magnium
I was delighted with Magnium yesterday, on his first run for Jessie. I’d won a Maiden Hurdle on him for Tony Martin in Killarney. It was a huge step up in class for him and he acquitted himself very well.

The lack of pace in the race didn’t really suit him but he ran really well. He’s an exciting horse to look forward to for the rest of the season and, possible, he could step up to two-and-a-half mile as well. That might suit him better. Whatever he does this season is a bonus as he’s going to make a lovely chaser.

Apple’s Jade
Apple’s Jade looked something like back to her best. She won impressively and it was a terrible shame what happened to Identity Thief. I thought he was a very, very good horse but, unfortunately, that’s the ups and downs of horse-racing.

I thought Jezki ran a cracker as well in his first run for a while.

Ballyoisin
Ballyoisin was very, very impressive. Okay, it probably wasn’t the strongest of races and he didn’t have huge opposition against him, but he ran a good gallop all the way. He jumped from fence to fence – he’s a brilliant jumper. He’s also got a very, very high cruising speed and he stays well – his stamina’s there as well.

It’ll take a good horse to lower his colours over two miles.