National Hunt horses can arrive in the UK and Ireland from a variety of difference sources and locations. However, I can't think of another horse who has gone from running in a Grade 2 hurdle at Merano in Italy in June to a Novice hurdle at Ludlow in October, but that's exactly what Kate Madrik is going to do when she makes her debut for Alison Thorpe later on today (2:45). She has had a busy year and this will be her 8th career start in just over 14-months, but she has also won 2 races already and whilst today is unlikely to be her day, she has shown a lot of the attributes needed to win more races for her new connections once she goes into handicaps.
Here's a brief summary of her career so far:
4YO Filly
Beaumec de Houelle x Caline des Bordes (Nickname)
2nd Foal. Dam a 6-race maiden (Peak OR 106). Half-sister to Listed Placed Hurdler/Chaser Sultan Pierji.
Form: 5-FU4P114 , €18,291 career earnings.
New Connections: Alison Thorpe, Steve & Jackie Fleetham
Notes: A 4-year-old Filly by Beaumec de Houelle, she struggled on her 3-year-old debut when beaten a distance in a Juvenile hurdle at Lion D’Angers in August 2023. That form worked out quite well, but she was never a factor and wasn’t seen again until February 2024.
Having unseated when already beaten at Machecoul and then fallen at Toulouse a month later she was sent over fences earlier than might have been expected, but in this sphere she excelled. Finishing 4th on her Chase debut at Loudeac in April, she went on to win twice over the larger obstacles in Claiming company at Angouleme and Saint-Brieuc. The Saint-Brieuc win in particular stands out as she showed excellent battling qualities to get back up having been headed after the last by the runner-up Love Too.
She beat horses with ratings of 51-kg (102) and 55.5-kg (110) so the form does need to be given some context, but having been claimed by Toby Jones for €10,000 at Saint-Brieuc, she was sent for an ambitious trip to the G2 Premio Criterium di Primavera at Merano in Italy. She struggled to settle in a race of that depth and was ultimately beaten 33-lengths, but her jumping did stand up to the test and she leaves France with a rating of 54-kg (equivalent to 108).
She remains a novice over hurdles, although her future would look more likely to be over fences again once she has acclimatized. She is a “midweek” horse, but she has shown a willing attitude and in time should be capable of winning more races in Class 4 and 5 handicaps.
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