"Excitement mounts at Tramore this Tuesday as New Barn Lane seeks his first victory in the Eddie McDonald Outstanding Contribution Award Winner 2024 Beginners’ Chase, showcasing promising talent in a competitive field."
This Tuesday afternoon, Tramore will host an exciting race, the Eddie McDonald Outstanding Contribution Award Winner 2024 Beginners’ Chase, which presents a great opportunity for New Barn Lane to secure his first victory. Although the race may not attract the strongest competitors, it serves as an excellent stage for the gelding trained by Conor O’Dwyer to rise to the occasion.
Since arriving at O'Dwyer's yard in the spring, New Barn Lane has had difficulty making an impression in his initial three races; however, he showed significant improvement following a 106-day break. In his latest outing, the seven-year-old impressed with a strong third-place finish behind Jasko Des Dames and An Peann Dearg at Wexford.
The winner's subsequent performances have further enhanced the form, as they went on to secure a win in a novice chase at Punchestown. Meanwhile, the runner-up, with a rating of 116, is recognized as being officially 22 pounds better than New Barn Lane. Nevertheless, New Barn Lane delivered a commendable performance, finishing merely two lengths behind while carrying the same weight.
As a result, the handicapper has increased his weight by 5 pounds; however, his recent performance indicates that he remains well-placed in this category. Given his limited racing experience and potential for improvement with a longer distance, New Barn Lane is expected to excel in this lower class. With his form on the rise, anticipate a strong challenge from him in the concluding stages as he aims for victory.
Ishan's first outing of the season in the Ladies Cove Handicap Chase may very well allow the Sam Curling-trained gelding to return to his winning form. Following a successful 2023 season over hurdles that featured three wins, the six-year-old demonstrated significant potential as he progressed through the ranks. His latest victory occurred at the Christmas festival in Limerick, where he won with a rating of 104, having begun the year with a rating of 84 at Punchestown.
Despite not performing strongly in his first race of the season at the Dublin Racing Festival, where he placed in the midfield, it was evident that the rigors of a hectic winter campaign had impacted him. Nonetheless, the choice to reinstate Ishan to the chasing circuit seems to be a wise one, and his connections will be eager to take advantage of his significantly reduced rating of 95, which is 16 pounds lighter than his previous hurdles rating.
Ishan's performance over fences last year was inconsistent, marked by a disappointing first outing and a commendable second place in his next race. Considering the demanding ground conditions at Tramore, which suit him well, Ishan appears to be in a good position to make a successful comeback. He is anticipated to compete strongly against the favorite, Tangental, in what promises to be a competitive race.
