In the third part of the ante-post focus, this column focuses on Enda Bolger’s On The Fringe who looks a decent bet for the Foxhunters at the Cheltenham Festival, run on the Friday of the Festival at Prestbury Park.
Yes he’s 12, yes he has run only once this year and yes Nina Carberry won’t be on board but stick with me folks as On The Fringe, despite his advancing years, looks to hold an outstanding chance of landing his third successive Foxhunters Chase.
Enda Bolger is a genius in these races and he has trained On The Fringe quite brilliantly to prime him for the Festival two years running. JP McManus’ son of Exit To Nowhere has made his name in these races and was particularly impressive in the 2015 Foxhunters winning by 17 lengths.
In last year’s renewal he only won by a neck under an inspired Carberry ride before going on to win Foxhunters Chase at Aintree for the second succssive year and the Racing Post Champion Hunter Chase at the Punchestown Festival.
Bolger again waited till February this season to unleash his charge and he ran an absolute cracker when second to Foxrock at Leopardstown in the Inn Hunter Chase. .That was a superb performance as he jumped brilliantly and travelled with his usual zest, tanking into the contest before tiring turning for home and was eventually outstayed by Foxrock, beaten three and a half-lengths.
That was a brilliant run in my opinion and that would have set him up beautifully for the Foxhunters for which he is a general 6/4 shot.
Other contenders who could give him something to think about include Paul Nicholls’ Wonderful Charm who has looked scintillating so far this season and Paint The Clouds. However, On The Fringe is short in the betting but he deserves to be and I would be very disappointed if he did not win this race for the third successive time.
