Rockonliam
Rockonliam put up a good performance in the two-and-a-half-mile novices' handicap chase that opened proceedings at Cheltenham on Saturday. Settled nicely just behind the front rank and towards the outside early on by Darragh O'Keeffe, his jumping was good, he travelled well down the hill over the third last fence, and he engineered a gap for himself between De Temps En Temps and As Legends Have it on the run to the home turn. Spectacularsunrise fell at the final fence when he was still in front, but Rockonliam hadn't been asked for maximum effort at that point and, left in front on the run-in by his rival's departure, it looked like he idled. Either way, whether he idled or tired, he was caught on the run to the line by O'Moore Park, who has been well back in the field early on and who was only eighth and being squeezed along jumping the third last fence.
It was still a big run by Henry de Bromhead's horse. Two for two over fences going into this race, this was another step forward on the performance that he put up in winning at Wexford in August, racing off a handicap rating of 129, 11lb higher than the mark off which he won at Wexford. He is only six, and he has bundles of potential for progression. The rain that fell at Cheltenham on Saturday morning may not have been a positive for him, he could do even better on better ground and, winner over three miles and one furlong at Wexford, he should improve again for a step back up in trip.
Cheltenham, 24th October 2026
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