Robbie Power on Invitation Only, Magic Of Light, Presenting Percy & More

In a race like the Thyestes you’re looking at a horse that could potentially go on and be a Gold Cup contender like Djakadam was a few years ago.

I think Invitation Only still needs to improve plenty to be a Gold Cup contender. Maybe he’s more a English Grand National contender but it was a good performance.

Dublin Racing Festival
We’ll make a decision later on in the week about Sizing John but he’s in good form at home and we’ll see how things are. I’m looking forward to Supasundae as well, it could be a fantastic weekends racing.

It’ll be interesting to see in the Irish Gold Cup if someone can stamp their authority on the Gold Cup market. I still think that’s a wide open market.

Presenting Percy
From what we’ve seen so far this season he’s the deserving favourite for the Gold Cup. It’s an unusual campaign for a Gold Cup contender to start off over hurdles. it doesn’t happen very often but it’s a similar route that Pat Kelly went with Presenting Percy last year. I’d imagine if everything is ok with Presenting Percy he’ll go back for the Red Mills Chase in three week’s time.

He won with a lot more authority than the winning margin suggested in Gowran Park. I was very very impressed with his performance.

In my opinion from what we’ve seen this season so far he deserves to be the favourite for the Gold Cup.

Magic Of Light
Magic Of Light ran a cracker at Huntingdon during the week despite having only run six days earlier in Ascot.

She got done for tow off the home bend but she was closing on the winner all the way to the line. She’s been having a great season so far and it was another great run from her.

Not Many Left
Not Many Left was a good winner in the Pertemps qualifier and I’d imagine the plan for him now is to got to Pertemps Final. He could probably do with another run between now and Cheltenham for experience. He’s only had two runs this season.

Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle laid down a market for the Mare’s Novice Hurdle in Cheltenham.

I thought she was very very impressive, she traveled like the best mare in the race and when she got to the front she wasn’t doing a stroke and I’d say there’s plenty more to come from her.

Reel Steel
Reel Steel put in a good performance in the Beginners Chase. He’s a very good horse going forward, he could be a contender for the JLT Novice Chase or the RSA Steeple Chase.

Fakir D’Oudairies
Joseph’s 4-year-old was very very impressive. He sort of put a dent in the form of the English horses for definite. I think the Irish juveniles look a lot stronger than the English ones on the basis of that race. Joseph definitely holds a strong hand for the Triumph Hurdle there’s not doubt about that.

Paisley Park
I thought Paisley Park was very very impressive in winning the Cleeve Hurdle. He’s obviously improved plenty from Ascot. The more strongly-run race suited him and he’s a big player for the Stayers Hurdle. You could see little bits of holes in the form with West Approach finishing second but I thought he couldn’t have done it any easier.

Espoir D’Allen
It was a good performance from Espoir D’Allen as Naas on Sunday. I think he was entitled to beat what he did beat.
If he’s going down the Champions Hurdle route he’d want to beating the horses he beat on Sunday.

Ballyward & Chris’s Dream
Ballyward was impressive in the Novice Chase at Naas On Sunday. I rode Chris’s Dream in that who finished second. I thought Chris’s Dream ran a good race and has improved plenty for us. Ballyward definitely stepped up a lot on his Beginners Chase when he was just punched off by Shady Operator. I was impressed by his performance and I’d imagine Willie will have an eye on both the four-miler for him and the RSA.

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