Image © Healy Racing
Angels Dawn is one of 14 Irish-trained horses that have been entered for the upcoming St. James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase.
Sam Curling’s mare looks set to make her third visit to the Cheltenham Festival, and having enjoyed success there in the 2023 Kim Muir, the now ten-year-old is the current favourite for the blue-ribbon races in the hunter chase calendar, having won both of her outings in the point-to-point fields this season.
That included a six-length defeat of her potential Cheltenham rival Ryehill, with that eight-year-old among the leading contenders after he went and won a Hunter Chase at Naas in early February by 12 lengths.
Two of the horses that finished behind Ross O’Sullivan’s charge that day also feature in the Cheltenham line-up. They are the former Munster National winner Ontheropes, and leading hunter chaser Its On The Line.
He has come up second best in each of his two visits to Prestbury Park to date, and the eight-year-old heads to Cheltenham this year without a win under his belt having finished second at Down Royal and third at Naas.
Sean Doyle’s Willitgoahead has been a big improver this season winning four of his five starts, and the seven-year-old could be favoured by the dry forecast in the run-up to the festival getting underway, where he could cross paths once again with Rocky’s Howya.
There was nine lengths between them at Limerick over Christmas, but Declan Queally’s charge has got good course form having only been beaten four lengths in the 2023 edition.
Like Rocky’s Howya, Carnfunnock has been a recent open winner, with Stuart Crawford’s eight-year-old having won successive points at Tyrella and Kirkistown in recent weeks.
The Irish entries are completed by Wonderwall, Priory Park, West Of Carrig, Fountain House, Lisleigh Lad, Plan Of Attack and Cloudy Tuesday.
