Saldier strikes gold with smooth victory on chasing bow

PA Sport Reporters
February 9, 2023 4:19 pm

Top hurdler makes fencing switch at Thurles.

Dual Grade One-winning hurdler Saldier made a winning chasing debut at the age of nine for Willie Mullins at Thurles.

Winner of the Galway Hurdle in 2021 off top-weight, he also has a Flat rating of 103.

Injuries have perhaps prevented him reaching the heights which once looked likely, but he showed the fire still burns bright in the Horse & Jockey Beginners Chase, jumping with aplomb for Paul Townend.

He perhaps had to work harder than his starting price of 4-9 may have suggested to see off Solness, but he prevailed by two and a quarter lengths.

“It’s the first time Paul has come in after a beginners’ chase saying that he wanted more jumps!” said Mullins.

Dual Grade 1-winning hurdler Saldier gets the job done on his fencing bow in the Horse & Jockey Beginners Chase @thurlesraces 🏇@WillieMullinsNH was winning this for a third year on the spin, most recently with @Ladbrokes Dublin Chase @LeopardstownRC hero Gentleman De Mee … pic.twitter.com/CoOlGml9HF

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) February 9, 2023

“I’ve watched him schooling at home and he just loves it, it lights his fire.

“When he went out in front he was idling and the minute a horse came up behind him, or he saw a fence, he just took off.

“It’s late in the season, but we had to do something with him and we decided to give him a shot at going over fences.

“He’s well able to handle the minimum trip and he loves jumping, so I’d imagine that’s the direction we’ll go.”

He added: “When we bought him we didn’t think of him as a novice chaser, he was a Flat/hurdle horse.

“He’s just had training problems all along and the way the season has panned out, we gave him a few pops over fences a few weeks ago, and he just took to it like a duck to water. It was a bit of a surprise to us, but we’re delighted.”