Owner-breeder Tim Gredley is setting his sights on the Grade Two Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow for his talented three-year-old, Opec, following her commanding hat-trick over hurdles.
Trained by James Owen, the daughter of Sea The Moon has shown steady improvement since an unfortunate fall on her hurdles debut at Market Rasen. She bounced back with victories at Wetherby and Fakenham before securing her first Listed triumph in the Bet In-Race With Coral Fillies’ Juvenile Hurdle at Newbury, where she made it all to win by eight lengths.
Reflecting on her progression, Gredley said:
“She’s amazing, isn’t she? She’s a full sister to Allmankind, which is exciting. Whether she reaches that standard remains to be seen, but she’s improving with every run.”
The Chepstow contest, scheduled for late December, now looks to be the next step for the promising filly. Gredley added:
“The plan is likely the Finale Juvenile Hurdle. We’ll wait for the marks to come out and finalize things, but she handles soft ground, and the race seems a good fit.”
Opec’s stablemate, Ambiente Amigo, finished third in the same Newbury race after winning her hurdles debut at Newcastle. Gredley explained that a change in headgear might have impacted her performance:
“She got a bit keen without the hood, so we’ll probably go back to using it and take it from there.”
Meanwhile, Gredley’s Liam Swagger will aim to extend his unbeaten run over hurdles in the Rhino Bet Encourages Safer Gambling Juvenile Hurdle at Market Rasen on Thursday. A former maiden on the Flat, Liam Swagger has impressed over jumps, winning at Market Rasen and taking the Listed Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle at Wetherby.
“He’s a lovely horse who enjoys jumping, and that’s his biggest asset,” said Gredley. “We’re fortunate to have several promising juveniles, and we’ll decide on their paths after the next runs.”
With a strong string of young hurdlers, Gredley’s team appears primed for success on both the Listed and Graded stages.