The Cross Country race at Prestbury Park offers a unique spectacle with a range of testing obstacles and after gaining valuable experience earlier in the year, Josies Orders looks more than capable of passing his biggest test to date.
Having endured a rather mixed hurdling career for Jonjo O’Neill, Josies Orders was sent to Enda Bolger, where he has quickly flourished over the unique cross country fences.
He unseated on his first start over the bigger obstacles but that was quickly put in the past, as he scored comfortably on his next start at Punchestown.
This was enough for his first season over the fences and he was put away for a break before reappearing in a handicap hurdle as a freshener before he reverted back to fences. He ran well in defeat, travelling strongly before keeping on well without troubling the leaders back in eighth.
He showed the benefit of the run on his next start as he landed somewhat of a gamble, moving clear in the latter stages under a calm Nina Carberry ride to breeze past Any Currency, in receipt of a large amount of weight.
The next time the pair met, it was off level-weights, so it was a real test, yet Josies Orders improved plenty to power clear in impressive fashion. He appeared to take the fences very well and after a pipe-opener over hurdles in February, he should be fully tuned-up come Wednesday.
Bolger dominated the race after its inception in 2005, winning four of the first five renewals, so he will be out to get back on the board after failing to regain the race since 2009.
JP McManus, Bolger and Nina Carberry are the trio to keep onside in the unique tests, so now with a real talented animal in Josies Orders, they look almost impossible to oppose.
The current 5/2 looks more than fair and he can continue to bolster his already rapidly growing reputation.
Odds subject to change.
