American adventure in Seddon’s sights

Simon Milham
July 23, 2023 12:38 pm

Far Hills target for John McConnell’s runner

Seddon will follow in the hoofprints of Hewick when he heads for the American Grand National Hurdle Stakes at Far Hills in October.

Hewick famously landed the two-mile-five-furlong Grade One event with some ease for trainer John ‘Shark’ Hanlon last year and now fellow Irish handler John McConnell looks poised to send dual Cheltenham winner Seddon to the New Jersey track.

Seddon won a handicap hurdle at Cheltenham in October and then after a chase victory at Leopardstown over Christmas, he took the Grade Three Magners Plate Handicap Chase on his return to the Prestbury Park track at the Festival meeting in March.

🇮🇪 Another Irish-trained winner – Seddon strikes in the @MagnersUK Plate Handicap Chase for @McConnellRacing & Ben Harvey#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/JnX1OfGSdP
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 16, 2023

A fourth successive victory followed over hurdles at the Punchestown Festival in April and McConnell is now prepared to roll the dice Stateside.

He said: “It’s in our heads that the trip and ground will suit him and while it might not top what Hewick did, it will be a nice trip at the very least.

“He’s 10 now and with his rating, he’s either going to be at the top of these big handicaps or in graded races and not winning them, so going to America will be a lovely thing to do.

“Shark paved the way and I don’t know if Willie (Mullins) might line something up over there, after having a bit of success over there this summer. It mightn’t be as easy as it was before, but if he was placed, it would certainly pay for his trip anyway.”

Owned by the Galaxy Horse Racing Syndicate, Seddon has run six times in those colours and connections could be keen to run in staying races on the Flat should opportunities arise.

“We were particular about where we run him and what we run him in and it’s been good, but obviously with his rating it is going to get harder from now on,” said McConnell.

“America will be a great opportunity to have an nice holiday and I’d say we will probably run him on the Flat beforehand.

“There is a two-mile race at Killarney in the middle of August. That’s nice timing. I think he could be a nice horse on the Flat over two miles and that’s another avenue we might explore.

“You never know. He certainly could be a nicely-rated Flat horse over a trip and that is something we might explore further.”

Meanwhile, the County Meath handler is keen to see how far up the ladder hurdler Encanto Bruno can climb.

John McConnell will explore Flat options for Seddon (Mike Egerton/PA)

A winner of a Cheltenham bumper in October, the five-year-old was well held on his return in the Champion Bumper, but made a sparking hurdles debut when coasting to a 13-length success at Bellewstown in July.

McConnell said: “I’m hopeful Encanto Bruno will get there in October or November. He won his maiden hurdle at Bellewstown impressively and we have some other nice horses to come along.

“It’s great to have a really nice bunch of jump horses.

“Obviously we haven’t got the strength and depth of some of the big guys, but we definitely have more strength in depth than we’ve ever had.

“It’s a numbers game and we are trying to improve quality now, but I don’t mind having lower-rated horses as long as they can win.”