Harry Derham Targets Grade 1 Glory with Strong Punchestown Team

• Harry Derham sends a strong multi-runner team to Punchestown Festival
• Le Frimeur and Norn Iron among leading hopes in competitive contests
• Trainer confident several runners can outperform market expectations

OLBG-sponsored National Hunt trainer Harry Derham discusses upcoming plans for Punchestown in latest interview

Harry Derham is setting his sights on top-level success at the Punchestown Festival, with the OLBG-sponsored trainer preparing a strong team of runners across the week. 

Speaking to OLBG.com presenter and brand ambassador Ella McNeill, Derham shared insights on each of his contenders, highlighting optimism across the yard as he looks to build on previous festival success.

Washington (3.40 Tuesday)

“He won first time out, and then we ran him a little bit and he sort of lost his way a bit. His form is much, much better when he's fresh. So this has been the plan for quite some time. We wanted to come here off a long layoff because his performances off a long layoff are really, really good. I am under no illusion it's a competitive race, but I do not think he's a 50/1 shot, the ground will suit and he's on a nice racing weight.

He's 10 years old, but I don't think that he's lost that ability. In October (when he won at Chepstow) he showed that when fresh he's still a pretty decent horse. He will need a near enough career best to get involved but I don't think that he's a no-hoper at all. I think he can go there and run really well. The drier the ground for him, the better. He's in really good shape.”

Le Frimeur (4.15 Wednesday)

“We left the decision to regular jockey JJ Slevin and he felt it was a bit of a no-brainer going three miles and I was dead happy with that. I think he stays very well. In his last race he took a little while to get going and then JJ said at the line he was well on top. My one big concern with him is his lack of experience but we obviously have to play the cards we're dealt, because he got an injury in the autumn. So he does lack experience for a Grade One, but I think he has quite significant potential. He has had a really good prep for this race. He didn't go into Newbury last time fully fit, but he's very fit now. He's come on for that run a lot, looks in great shape. We'll find out a lot about him. Ultimately we see him as a horse to go chasing. I think he's got an each-way chance. As I say, my one concern is his lack of experience. But that's just a fact, and we're just going to have to get on with it, and hopefully he can run a nice race.”

Escapeandevade (4.50 Thursday)

“He has had a really good season - just a tough, consistent, really likeable horse, always runs his race.

 I don't see any reason why Punchestown won't suit him. Obviously, he's pretty much in the grip of the handicapper, but he's been pretty solid. Can I see him winning? No. But can I see him running a big race and giving his owners a great thrill? Yeah. So he's just going to go there, take his chance. He's in particularly good form, and I think a big galloping track where he can just jump off and go a gallop and find a nice rhythm - I think will suit well.”

Norn Iron (5.25 Friday)

“This has been the plan for quite some time with him. Glad that he gets in. He's going to have not much weight on his back, which is obviously a positive. I think it's pretty clear that the step up in trip over fences has really, really helped him and if he jumps like he has the last twice then that is sure to be a big advantage in a race like this. The race will obviously be super competitive, but I don't think he's done improving. He's had a really good prep for this race, looks fantastic. I don't think we're worried about ground, he's quite versatile. It's just a case of whether he's going to be good enough, which we don't know. His first win at Sandown, the form of that has worked out well. The second win probably wasn't a great race, but he couldn't have done it any better than he did. So as I say, it's been the plan. He looks great. Had a really good prep. Everything is in his favour, other than the unknown of is he up to that class? But we're at the right end of the handicap to try and find out.”

Spirou (Not guaranteed to get a run - 7.10 Friday)

“His win at Newbury was a really nice surprise, we obviously just wanted him to have a race after his long absence. I felt he would need two runs to get to this race, Newbury, and then I thought he could have gone to Chepstow on Grand National Day and then ended up here. When he won and only went up two lbs to 119, I didn't want to run him again to go out of the 0–120 bracket. Very hard to know how good he is really, because obviously he's had very little racing. Newbury was very impressive, but it was a muddling race. They didn't go that fast. The one thing I'm very sure of is that he's dramatically improved from Newbury. I was saying to his owners the other day, I've really been taken with him since Newbury. We didn't ask him much at all before Newbury, and we've been able to get some good work into him since then. He's come through that really well. Paul is saying to me that his work has improved. The Irish handicapper will have to reassess him but I'd imagine him where he is, I guess. He's a complete sort of unknown quantity and a little bit like Le Frimeur going into the race. I know it's not a really high-class race being a 0–120, but it'll be very competitive. Has he got the experience for a race like that or not? I don't know, but I do think that he won't spend the rest of his life in 0–120s. So I'm really looking forward to him running.”

One Horse Town (4.55 Saturday)

“Obviously we'll have a mountain to climb, but he's had a really good season, and we said we'd end up at Punchestown if we could. He had two weeks off after Cheltenham, just to freshen up a little bit. We're under no illusions it'll be extremely tough, but we'll go and have a good go, and then he'll have a long break. He's been absolutely mega and I actually think Punchestown will suit him well, nice galloping track and he'll love a little bit of room. I think in the Triumph Hurdle, the start was obviously pretty bunched and he got crowded out of it and then sort of just stayed where he was, really. He's a very, very tough horse and he's done extremely well. The Triumph Hurdle was the only time he's not been in the first three all season, he's had eight runs and just been fantastic. We always thought in the autumn that the sort of proper four-year-olds would come out and catch up with him, and they probably have. But yeah, despite the massive price that he'll be, I do think he'll run a bit better than he did at Cheltenham. We're going over with some nice horses, but you need them. Last year, Mondoui'boy, who I thought was a really decent bumper horse, went and ran in the bumper, finished sixth. At the time we were disappointed, you look back at it, King Rascal Grey finished second, and the Irish National winner won. So that tells you the type of horse you need for these races. But yeah, I'm looking forward to it.”