Although the National Hunt season is only just getting into its stride, there are few trainers in better form than Charlie Longsdon. The victory of Long Lunch at Plumpton on Monday was his thirteenth winner in twelve days including five winners on a single day. Those sort of stats are usually reserved for the likes of Nicholls and Henderson so it illustrates just how quickly Longsdon is moving up the ranks.
Tomorrow he introduces one of his most promising young chasers for the season in Pendra, now in the colours of leading owner JP McManus. The Irish-bred gelding was always going to make a chaser so his three wins over hurdles were something of a bonus last season. The chestnut won at Huntingdon and twice at Plumpton before being upped in grade at Sandown for the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle.
Going to the last it looked as if he may get the better of Melodic Rendezvous but he eventually had to settle for second place under Noel Fehily. The winner is very highly regarded and the run of Pendra drew the attentions of Ireland’s leading National Hunt owner JP McManus. His first run in the famous green and gold silks came in the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham festival where he was sent off a well-backed 6-1 favourite under Tony McCoy.
Not surprisingly, he found the hustle and bustle of that huge field too much to handle and was eventually allowed to come home in his own time after suffering interference. Longsdon is wasting no time in putting him over a fence and he lines up at Carlisle tomorrow with the champion jockey aboard.
He faces a decent rival in Nicky Richards’ Eduard who was not disgraced at Aintree last season after some consistent efforts. He is quite closely matched on his second to Melodic Rendezvous at Cheltenham in December and is certain to have been well schooled. He also knows his way around here having won a novice hurdle in February at the northern track and is a respected rival.
It could be a good day for McCoy who rides four fancied runners for Jonjo O’Neill but I’m siding with Pendra to land the nap.
Pendra 2.20 Carlisle
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