Image © Healy Racing
It’s On The Line could make his return to competiive action at Down Royal on St. Stephen’s Day as he is among 19 entries for the Metcollect Oil Recycling Hunter Chase.
It’s On The Line could make his return to competiive action at Down Royal on St. Stephen’s Day as he is among 19 entries for the Metcollect Oil Recycling Hunter Chase.
Emmet Mullins’ seven-year-old enjoyed a near perfect season last term, winning all bar one of his six starts, with his sole defeat coming when under a length behind Sine Nomine in the St. James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Those five victories last season included spring festival success at both Punchestown and Aintree, as he became the youngest horse since Spartan Missile in 1979 to win the Aintree Foxhunters over the national fences.
Whilst he was victorious in the 2023 edition of the Down Royal Christmas highlight, he did so having had the benefit of a run in a point-to-point to blow the cobwebs off which he will not have if he is to repeat the feat, having not been seen in competitive action since his Punchestown festival triumph.
JP McManus could be doubly represented in the race, with Priory Park having been thriving since switching to open company this season, recording four wins on the bounce, and the eight-year-old has been entered by Edward O’Grady.
Among their potential opponents, Sam Curling has entered his stable star and former Cheltenham festival winner Angels Dawn, with the 2023 Kim Muir winner also have an alternative option in an open at Dromahane on December 30th.
David Christie sent out Vaucelet to win the race in 2020, and he has three potential runners, including last year’s fourth Ramillies, whilst the 2022 winner Dorking Cock could seek to regain his crown for Stuart Crawford, and he is among the other northern trained entrance, alongside recent Kirkistown winner Vina Ardanza.
Ryehill and Lisleigh Lad are two previous hunter chase winners that could also feature, with the latter famed for supplying his trainer Eleanor Broderick with her first track success at Fairyhouse last month.
The final field will be known on Monday following the close of declarations.
