O’Brien points to Greatwood return for Dysart Enos

Fergal O’Brien’s highly promising is due to start her campaign in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham in November.

The daughter of Malinas was unbeaten in three bumper runs, culminating in Grade Two success at Aintree as she came home nine lengths ahead of Jeremy Scott’s Golden Ace.

A perfect start to her hurdling career followed last season, with three decisive victories in competitive novice events leading to her status as a key contender in the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

A minor injury scuppered those plans and it was her old rival Golden Ace who won in the Festival contest and then further proved her promise by scoring next time out when stepped up in trip at Listed level at the same track.

Meanwhile Dysart Enos was ultimately unable to get back on a racecourse last term, with her intended trip to Aintree for the Top Novices’ Hurdle called off due to the testing ground.

A summer break followed instead, and O’Brien is pleased with how the mare has fared throughout the pre-season ahead of her return to action.

“She’s fine, she’s working very well. I’ve been very pleased with her since she came back in and we’re hopefully planning to start in the Greatwood,” he said.

“That said, I did plan to run her in the Mares’ Hurdle last year and that didn’t work out!

“The Greatwood is what we’re aiming for anyway, fingers crossed that’s where we’ll be going.

“She’s had a great summer and we’re all very happy with her.

“We’ve looked no further than the Greatwood for now, we’ll go there and see where we end up after that.

“Whether that will be going up in trip, staying against mares and fillies or whatever, we’ll just have to see – one race at a time.”