Finian’s Rainbow
Finian’s Rainbow is an eight-year-old Bay Gelding from Ireland. The horse is one of the favourites for the Arkle at Cheltenham this year and comes from the stables of well-respected trainer Nicky Henderson.
The horse was bred from Tiraaz (USA) and Trinity Gale (IRE). Finian’s Rainbow has been trained to run middle distance races over fences and has a career winning percentage of 75 per cent to date.
Finian’s Rainbow’s Debut
Finian’s Rainbow’s debut came on March 23 2009 over 16 furlongs at Kempton. The horse was a 6/5 shot in a field of ten and was jockeyed by the thoroughly experienced Barry Geraghty.
Finian’s Rainbow’s debut showed the horse racing world that Nicky Henderson had produced another star in the making. Finian’s Rainbow kept pace with the leader for the entire race before strolling to the front and staying on from three furlongs out.
Finian’s Rainbow’s History
Finian’s Rainbow’s history developed from there and the horse backed up a debut win with another at Newbury over the same distance at the end of November in the same year.
A third place finish followed at Newbury at the end of 2009. However, Henderson and Geraghty had taken the decision to throw the horse in at the deep end in a Grade 1 contest.
Finian’s Rainbow’s history improved in 2010 with wins at Newbury and Ascot and a fifth placed finish at the Cheltenham Betting Festival in another Grade 1 race.
Form of Finian’s Rainbow
The form of Finian’s Rainbow in 2011 has been fantastic. A win over 17 furlongs at Newbury in January was backed up by a win over 16 furlongs at Warwick in mid-February.
On both occasions Finian’s Rainbow didn’t look troubled by small fields of horses. The horse simply kept pace with the leaders before developing a gap from the rest of the field as the jockey upped the ante towards the end of the race.
Finian’s Rainbow Strengths
The list of Finian’s Rainbow strengths is enormous because Nicky Henderson has spent a long time developing and training a talented horse. The top Finian’s Rainbow strength has to be the horse’s stamina.
On the majority of wins that this horse has had so far in a short career, Finian’s Rainbow has ended the race and looked as though there has been much more in the tank. This could suggest that the horse is destined for longer races in the near future but 16-21 furlongs has been the limit so far.
The list of Finian’s Rainbow strengths is also topped by the fact the horse (and jockey) don’t seem to panic if the start of a race doesn’t go as planned. The horse has enough pace to push after a bad start.
Finian’s Rainbow Weaknesses
The list of Finian’s Rainbow weaknesses has to be topped by the fact the horse tends to struggle in Grade 1 contests. Finian’s Rainbow has been in the running towards the end of both Grade 1 races that the horse has taken part in so far but the running has always been a little bit tough.