Aspire Tower out to continue superb De Bromhead purple patch in Spring Juvenile

Tattersalls Ireland Spring Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1) | 2m | 4yo | RTV & RTE2

The Spring Juvenile does not have a great track record of producing Triumph Hurdle winners, but Aspire Tower could be well placed to buck such a trend.

Henry de Bromhead, who never had a juvenile hurdler before last season, must be thinking he should have rolled the dice with some Flat cast-offs a long time ago as Aspire Tower has taken to jumping like a duck to water.

A Flat winner who is rated 86 in that discipline, Aspire Tower made an immediate impact for De Bromhead over hurdles at Punchestown in December.

He followed up on that win with a brilliant display in the Grade 2 Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle here over Christmas. That was despite notable greenness after he had a good look at the stand on the run-in.

Aspire Tower (right) and Rachael Blackmore jump the first before winning the Knight Frank Juvenile HurdleCredit: Patrick McCann

Can he be beaten? It is hard to see anything in this line-up landing a glove on him and, while you will not get rich backing him at long odds-on, perhaps the move is to play him for the Triumph.

Wolf Prince has twice been put in his place by Aspire Tower but, on the two occasions he raced without De Bromhead's ace in the line-up, he has looked well above average, most recently in winning at Leopardstown.

Joseph O'Brien landed this race 12 months ago with Sir Erec and he relies on Cerberus and A Wave Of The Sea. The pair do not appear up to that standard but have acquitted themselves quite well since being sent hurdling and can finish in the money.

What the stats say

Throughout the past 20 runnings of this race, Our Conor (2013) is the only winner who followed up in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.

What the trainers say

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Aspire Tower
He seems really well so we'll see where he fits in. We've never really had any juvenile hurdlers up until recently and we're lucky to have a good one like him so soon. He's in mighty form at home and it appears to be all good with him.

Brendan Duke, trainer of Clemencia
I'm aware of the enormity of the task at hand in turning the form around with Aspire Tower but don't underestimate this horse. He's going to run a huge race. He's really smart. There were five different reasons why you didn't see the best of him over Christmas but I think you'll see the best of him here.

Clemencia: is predicted to improve markedly from his last outing by trainer Brendan DukeCredit: Alain Barr

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Oak Park
It was unfortunate to see him come down at Punchestown and it was too early to know how he might have fared. He's been in good form since, but Aspire Tower is going to be very hard to beat.

John McConnell, trainer of Never Do Nothing
The drier and windier the better because we don't want soft ground. He's a decent horse but it's a big step up for him. A lot of the opposition have had more than one run so it's a lot to expect from him but we like him a lot.

Gavin Cromwell, trainer of Wolf Prince
It's hard to see him turning the form around with Aspire Tower but there's not a lot between the next two or three in the market. He won very well at Fairyhouse last time and seems to be taking his racing very well. He's in great nick at home and is bouncing coming into this.

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