Talking points

Eye-catcher of the day

While never really dangerous back in third, it was a promising run in defeat from I Started A Joke on his first try at three miles in the Grade 1 Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle. He had his first run back in September at Listowel, so this has been quite a long campaign for him, but he moved into the race well out wide and shaped like a horse who wasn’t out of place in this type of grade. He’s capable of winning plenty more races for a Charles Byrnes team having a terrific season.

Quote of the day

“If you didn’t get a big kick out of this, you wouldn’t be human. It doesn’t get much better than this. I only found out I was riding the horse this morning and it’s probably just as well that it happened like that, because I wouldn’t have slept for the last two days otherwise!” - Josh Halford savours his first Grade 1 winner.

Ride of the day

Given his mount was running for the first time in graded company against far more hardened rivals, J.J. Slevin did a lovely job of ekeing the best out of Le Frimeur. He appeared to get first run on Zanoosh, and finished out stronger than her. Hats off to all concerned.

Market mover of the day

It was difficult to nail down one out-and-out gamble, but the late money for Even Tho in the concluding mares’ bumper proved well placed (11/2 to 7/2). That said, there was support behind stablemate Glens Anthem (9/4 to 11/8) in the same event, so not all the cash was correct.

In-running carnage of the day

Runner-up Aguellid in the Adare Manor Opportunity Final Handicap Hurdle traded at 1/2 in-running (from an SP of 5/1). Elsewhere on the card, Zanoosh (SP 11/4) nearly hit 4/6 only to be outstayed by Le Frimeur.

Performance of the day

Yes, there are obvious question marks over what level Fact To File ran to in defeat, but it’s impossible to ignore just how dominant Gaelic Warrior was in the feature. To produce such a display at the end of a long campaign puts him in rare air indeed.

He has been awarded an outstanding Timeform rating of 180 for this 26-length demolition job, and is now the handicapping organisation’s highest-rated jumps horse in training.

Susannah Ricci’s titan was rated 174 after his dominant success in the Cheltenham Gold Cup but was judged to to have produced an even better performance at Punchestown. He has turned into the complete package this season.