Why I think Dynamo should be Supreme favourite plus a 16-1 fancy for the weekend

You think you’ve seen all the two-mile novice hurdle division has to offer and then a horse comes and hits you right between the eyes. That horse is Dysart Dynamo.

In last week’s column I compared leading lights Constitution Hill and Jonbon, but anything their trainer Nicky Henderson can do Willie Mullins can do just as well, and in this case, possibly better.

Dysart Dynamo seems to have Jonbon’s fizzy disposition with Constitution Hill’s relentless power and on Sunday he put that into practice with a bloodless win in the Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle, a race Mullins took with Supreme winners Douvan and Vautour.

We must begin the analysis with a note of caution in that his two primary market rivals did not run to form. The 7-2 second favourite Hawai Game and Guily Billy were both pulled up, with the latter injured. However, the 19-length second Gringo D’aubrelle can be used to contextualise the form given he was a ten-and-a-half-length third to Stage Star in the Challow at Newbury.

He was eased in the closing stages but still recorded a time 11 and 12 seconds quicker than maiden hurdle winners Hiaou and Supreme Jet on the same card.

It is difficult to draw any legitimate conclusions by comparing times to previous renewals given the many different factors at play, but for those interested Min was four seconds quicker on heavy ground, Douvan was just two seconds quicker on soft and Vautour was ten seconds quicker on soft to heavy.

It is also important to remember those horses all received a lead whereas Dysart Dynamo made his own running.

The Racing Post Ratings team handed Dysart Dynamo a figure of 153 for the performance, which eclipses all of those mentioned above and makes him the best novice hurdler we’ve seen either side of the Irish sea this season. I find it hard to disagree.

The coming weeks will provide further clarity as Jonbon is set to take in the Saturday’s Supreme Trial at Haydock while Mullins’ other hope, last year’s Champion Bumper winner Sir Gerhard, is pencilled in for the 2m Grade 1 novice hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival on February 6.

Dysart Dynamo is only third in the betting for the Supreme, and he’s favourite in some markets for the Ballymore. His participation in the shorter race hasn't been confirmed yet, but he’s at the top of my list and he shapes as if the Supreme will suit him better.

He may have been keen to post on Sunday but didn’t pull during the race and relaxed perfectly in both of his bumper wins where he came from behind.

Enthusiasm for the job didn’t stop Klassical Dream from bossing the 2019 Supreme, and although this year’s running is set to be much stronger, at this stage I can envisage Dysart Dynamo doing exactly the same.

It can be a grey weekend at Ascot and Haydock

N'Golo
1.45 Ascot
1pt each-way at 16-1

Empire Steel
2.35 Haydock
1pt win at 6-1

All of the attention will be on Shishkin and Energumene this weekend and for all the Clarence House isn't a betting race, there are a few others around the country which are.

The SBK Holloway's Handicap Hurdle (1.45) at Ascot doesn't look a strong renewal and has the potential to fall apart come declaration time.

Garry Clermot should go close after running so well at the track last month and unexposed pair Unexpected Party and Stellar Magic are bound to be popular despite the fact they've gone up plenty in the handicap without winning.

I'm drawn to N'Golo, who made a decent start for Ann Duffield at Haydock behind Up For Parol, who wasn't disgraced in the Lanzarote on Saturday.

The grey was a Grade 3-winning novice hurdler for Willie Mullins and recorded an RPR of 140 when third in the Royal Bond just over a year ago. He was also pulling Danny Mullins' arms out at the second last in the Albert Bartlett but didn't get home after racing freely.

N'Golo: handicapped to go close on old formCredit: Patrick McCann

It continued to go downhill after then and he sold to Duffield for just £14,500 in October, but there was plenty to take out of his debut for the yard.

Sent off at 50-1, N'Golo made some quietly eyecatching progress in first-time cheekpieces before he hit two out and got tired. He's been dropped 4lb for that, while the reopposing Stellar Magic has been raised the same amount for finishing second.

N'Golo has sometimes looked quirky but it could be that a change of scenery is just what he needed and these conditions should bring out the best in him as he can pull hard but needs further than the minimum trip to get going.

Koshari was an 80-1 winner at Aintree in November after leaving Closutton and N'Golo is 16-1 now after attracting some support at the start of the week, so the risks are more than adequately factored into his price.

Last week I mentioned how frustrating it was to see horses win the time after they were put up in this column and I think there's a big chance of that happening again on Saturday, so I'm going to try and preempt it this time.

Empire Steel, another grey, was my fancy for the Rowland Meyrick on Boxing Day and it all looked to be going swimmingly when he pulled clear with Good Boy Bobby in the home straight.

Empire Steel: looked as if he was going to win the Rowland Meyrick before fallingCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

He looked to be going better than the eventual winner but knuckled on landing four fences from home and came down.

He is due to return in the Peter Marsh Handicap Chase (2.35) on Saturday and looks to have a huge chance off the same mark.

The presence of Royale Pagaille means he should get in off a lovely low weight and unlike him, he hasn't yet shown his hand.

He proved he handled the track when second to Strictlyadancer on his seasonal beau in November and will be much sharper now. If there is a positive to take from his non-completion last time it is that he comes into this a fresh horse.

Moore youngsters of interest

I enjoy following Gary Moore-trained runners and this week could be particularly interesting for his yard.

Hecouldbetheone (1.15) looked a fair talent when winning at Fontwell on New Year's Day and he is set to face the Walking On Air, who is highly regarded by the Henderson stable, at Newbury on Wednesday.

The Moore's ungainly type Authorised Speed (4.00) should get off the mark in the bumper on the same card. The five-year-old was second in a hot Listed race last time and has been well supported both times he's hit the track.

Finally, I'm hoping Jerrash (4.05) will make his hurdling debut in the concluding race at Ascot on Saturday. The son of Kayf Tara caught the eye when third at the course in November and has the pedigree to make up into a smart horse over staying distances.

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