Dreal Deal to make chasing switch

Keith Hamer
November 10, 2021 9:57 am

Prolific winner to move from hurdles this term.

Ronan McNally is looking forward to sending his Grade Two hurdle winner Dreal Deal novice chasing this season.

The Armagh trainer reports the six-year-old to be schooling well and hopes to have him on the track in about a month’s time.

Dreal Deal’s biggest success in the Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in January was his sixth in a row. He has been absent since running way below par in the Grade One Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in April.

“He’s probably still a month off a run. I’m going novice chasing with him. He’s ticking over at the minute and I’ll start upping his work any day now,” said McNally.

“I was hoping to run him on the Flat but it was a rushing match to do it, so I didn’t bother.

“He’s an absolute machine to jump, touch wood, so chasing looks his game. In a point-to-point he was second, so he’s schooled really well.

“I’m not going to put any pressure on myself with a date. As soon as I feel he’s ready to go we’ll get him out. It’s definitely exciting.”

The Jam Man is ready to return to action after being off since February (PA)

McNally is looking to get a run shortly into The Jam Man, who was tailed off on his last start in February when McNally’s horses were not performing.

“He seems good. I had him entered in the November Handicap and he just wasn’t ready for it, but he has a couple of engagements coming up,” he said.

“He’s entered in the Troytown and in the Ladbrokes Trophy. I’d just love to get a run into him as a prep run, but I’m struggling to find something to suit.

“There’s a Pertemps qualifier at Punchestown on Sunday, so I might give him a run in that. That’s where he sits at the minute. He’s ready to rock any day.

“I just gave him five and a half months off. The horses went totally off the boil in January. I put them out to grass for a long time and they were late coming in.”