Slate shines in Grade 1

BEFORE being sidelined following a fall at Leopardstown last Saturday, Robbie Power had enjoyed a Grade 1 victory at Kempton’s St Stephen’s Day meeting where he landed the Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase on the Colin Tizzard-trained Slate House.

The 2012 Presenting gelding, who was adding a third chase successes to two over hurdles (including one at Grade 2 level), was bred in Co Down by Aaron Metcalfe out of the Broadway Flyer mare Bay Pearl. He was consigned by Hillcrest Stables to the 2015 Derby Sale where he was purchased for €44,000 by Ian Ferguson.

The latter then trained the bay for Wilson Dennison in whose colours, on his second start, Slate House won a division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden at Tattersalls in November 2016.

The horse’s next engagement was at the 2017 Cheltenham Festival Sale where he was knocked down to Tom Malone for £260,000.