Mikael On Target For RSA Chase

Despite failing to winning any of his three outings so far over fences, former top-class novice hurdler Mikael d’Haguenet has been confirmed an intended runner in the RSA Chase at Cheltenham on March 16, writes Elliot Slater.

After establishing himself as the best novice hurdler in Britain & Ireland during the 2008/9 season, remaining undefeated in six starts that included three Grade 1s, (most notably the Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle at the 2009 Cheltenham Festival where he defeated Karabak by three lengths, then seven weeks later his four-length defeat of Cousin Vinny in the Land Rover Champion Novice Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival), the Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old was sidelined with injury for more than 18 months before returning to the fray this season as a budding novice chaser.

Thrown straight in at the deep end, the Lavirco gelding was sent off 6/4f to make a winning debut in the Grade 1 Drinmore Novices’ Chase at Fairyhouse in December and looked set to justify the hype until falling when leading narrowly at the final fence in the race eventually won by Jessies Dream.

In hindsight he was probably asked to race again too quickly when sent to Leopardstown a fortnight later for another Grade 1 chase and was beaten a long way from home, trailing in fifth of the eight runners behind Realt Dubh. The most up to date RSA chase betting suggests he’ll have to show a significant improvement if he win at Cheltenham.

Sent off favourite to break his duck over fences at the third time of asking at Leopardstown in mid-February, Mikael D’Haguenet appeared to still be going well enough when hampered at the second last by the fall of his stable companion Quel Esprit and eventually was beaten six-lengths into third behind Boston’s Angel, in the Dr PJ Moriarty Novices’ Chase.

It’s fair to say that so far the former leading young hurdler has been out of luck over the larger obstacles but he has shown he still retains plenty of ability. After working satisfactorily after racing at Leopardstown on Sunday he has been given the green light to take his chance in the three-mile novice chase championship and is currently on offer at odds up to 16/1.

Tags: cheltenham, Mikael d'Haguenet, RSA chase, rsa chase cheltenham, rsa chase runnersShare

Mikael D'Haguenet faces nine on Irish chase debut

Mikael D'Haguenet: star staying novice hurdler of the 2008-2009 season

  PICTURE: Caroline Norris  Mikael D'Haguenet faces nine on Irish chasedebut By tony o'hehir 10:59AM 14 DEC 2010 MIKAEL D'HAGUENET, the star staying novice hurdler of the 2008-2009 season, when he was unbeaten in six starts for Willie Mullins, will face nine rivals on his Irish chasingdebut in the Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse on Wednesday.

RELATED LINKS Drinmore card RSA Chase betting  Runner-up on his only previous start over fences at Auteuil in May 2008 before joining Mullins, Mikael D'Haguenet missed all of last season due to a setback but is second favourite behind Time For Rupert for the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Head Of The Posse, who is two from two over fences, Berties Dream, winner of the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March and who has finished fourth on his two starts over fences, Realt Dubh, another dual chase winner, and Jessies Dream are among Mikael D'Haguenet's rivals in the 2m4f event.

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Mikael D'Haguenet 'tough to beat' in Drinmore

Mikael D'Haguenet: Irish chase debut will be his first run in 18 months

  PICTURE: Caroline Norris  Mikael 'tough to beat' in Drinmore return By Jessica Lamb 10:14AM 26 NOV 2010 MIKAEL D'HAGUENET, off the track since a Grade 1 double at the Cheltenham and Punchestown festivals last year, will be "tough to beat" as he goes over fences on his return at Fairyhouse on Sunday, according to trainer Willie Mullins.

RELATED LINKS Drinmore card  The 10-1 second favourite for the RSA Chase heads a field of nine in the Grade 1 Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase over 2m4f, with Noble Prince the only absentee from the original entries.

"He is fine and we are sure he will handle the ground okay," Mullins said. "We just hope he jumps well.  He will be tough to beat if he has a clear round."

Mikael D'Haguenet ran once over fences in his native France before joining Mullins, but has not run in a chase since and will be returning from a 576-day absence.

In an unbeaten six-race campaign as a novice hurdler in the 2008-09 season, he won five consecutive Graded events, including the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Land Rover Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.

Leading the opposition on Sunday are the Gordon Elliott-trained Jessies Dream, a 20-1 shot for the RSA Chase, and Grade 2 Craddockstown Novice Chase scorer Realt Dubh.

Noel Meade, Realt Dubh's trainer, said: "The two and a half miles will help as he stays very well and fingers crossed he jumps soundly."

The going at Fairyhouse is soft, soft to heavy in places with severe frosts forecast for Friday and Saturday night. Frost covers have been put on the landing and take-off sides of the obstacles.

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Mikael D'Haguenet delights Mullins at Punchestown

Mikael D'Haguenet and Paul Townend school after racing at Punchestown

  PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)  D'Haguenet delights Mullins at Punchestown By Tony O'Hehir 7:00AM 15 NOV 2010 MIKAEL D'HAGUENET delighted trainer Willie Mullins and rider Paul Townend when schooling over a circuit of the course after racing at Punchestown on Sunday.

RELATED LINKS Drinmore card Hattons Grace card Free bets  The star novice hurdler, who was unbeaten in six starts for Mullins in the 2008-2009 season when he won three times at Grade 1 level, could make his debut over Irish fences in the Grade 1 Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse on November 28.  

Mikael D'Haguenet schooled with seven stablemates and jumped like an experienced chaser with his trainer and Townend expressing themselves "thrilled "with his display.  

Mullins said: "You'd have to be delighted with that.  He jumped from fence to fence. He did run second in a chase in France over two years ago before he came to us and while the Drinmore will be a big ask first time over fences for us, it is quite possible that he will run.  

Townend said: "I let him go to the front after jumping a couple of fences as the horse leading us wasn't really striding on and he was brilliant. He winged his fences and you'd have to be really pleased."  

Mikael D'Haguenet missed all of lastseason after suffering a couple of setbacks.