William Hill Champion Chase (Grade 1)
THE end of the season often produces new storylines, as was the case in the William Hill Champion Chase, in which the often-brilliant Majborough failed to produce his best form, while reigning champion Marine National, though gallant in defeat, ran flat, according to Barry Connell.
In the end, it was a game attitude and firepower on the flat that won the race, as Willie Mullins’ Queen Mother Champion Chase victor Il Etait Temps overcame some messy jumping to run out a commanding winner under Paul Townend.
An early blunder enforced a patient ride aboard the initially prominent grey, who then held enough reserves to loom alongside the front-running Marine Nationale, in first-time cheekpieces, in the straight
The grey soon led and after sloppy jumps over the final two fences, kept on well under hands and heels to win by five lengths. Marine Nationale finished 23 lengths clear of the third horse, Energumene, who was making the final start of an accomplished career.
On the Hollywood Racing and Barnane Stud-owned winner, Mullins commented: “He’s a hell of a horse. Looking at him, he doesn’t exactly scream big chaser to you – he’s not a big horse, but he’s a strong horse.”
Mullins went on to say that he believed the winner’s early blunder was a blessing in disguise. “It took him out of the race and Paul just sat him in behind, which meant he had something in reserve,” he explained.
Impressive CV
Il Etait Temps has won seven of his last eight starts, the defeat coming when the Jukebox Jury gelding suffered a bad fall at the second last in the Clarence House Chase. “Very few horses can do what he did – get a fall like that at Ascot and come back and win at Cheltenham,” Mullins reflected.
Mullins also paid testament to six-time Grade 1 winner Energumene, who retired with over €1.4million in earnings.
“He retires nice and sound,” said Mullins. “He gave us all such a great day out in Fairyhouse the last day – he rolled back the years. It’s too sunny for him today but he still put up a great show. It was great to see him finishing third.”
The five runners arrived down at the start 10 minutes before the race, which saw a number dismounted and walked by their riders. Following the race, the Raceday Stewards interviewed IHRB Clerk of the Course, Brendan Sheridan, concerning the early arrival to post.
Sheridan stated that he had mistaken the time, adding that it was human error and apologised for any inconvenience caused. The stewards were satisfied that no further action was warranted.
Back-to-back
Willie Mullins completed the first leg of a treble on the opening day of the Festival with another horse securing consecutive big race wins. Kalix Delabarriere was raised 9lb for winning a valuable listed handicap hurdle at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival and defied that in style in the Listed Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle.
Once again ridden by Sean Cleary-Farrell, the Slaneyville Syndicate-owned six-year-old was delivered at the final flight and stayed on strongly to lead on the run-in, keeping on to score by four lengths at odds of 10/1.
“Fantastic for Sean Cleary-Farrell and the owners to win a big handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse and come back to do that, in that sort of style,” Mullins said.
“We might have to up him in class. He disappointed me two years ago – I thought he would make a really good bumper horse, but it has taken us another 18 months to get him right. He looks a really nice chaser. He is a lovely, big type and has that ‘kick’ at the end of his races.”
Favourite sire
Delamotte (7/2 joint-favourite) gave Closutton the perfect end to the day when running out a three-length winner of the Willie Coonan Memorial INH Flat Race.
By Galiway, like Kalix Delabarriere, the €85,000 yearling offered some redemption for Patrick Mullins, following his second from a wide passage on Altesse Du Luy in the Goffs Defender Bumper.
“He’s a nice horse that had been working well,” assistant trainer David Casey said of the Edward Ware-owned four-year-old. “He looked a bit green, I thought, turning in and he stayed on well in the straight.”
PRL Champion Novice Hurdle (Grade 1)
MARINE Nationale may have failed to retain his Champion Chase crown, but Barry Connell’s only other runner on the card, Eachtotheirown, overcame odds of 16/1 in the PRL Champion Novice Hurdle.
Sean Flanagan rode the seven-year-old to make all in a first-time hood and was foot-perfect except for an awkward jump at the first flight. Jack Kennedy made a move on El Cairos (2/1 favourite) approaching the turn for home, but began to fade before the last, leaving Eachtotheirown to score by four and a quarter lengths.
Tuesday marked a third win from five starts over hurdles, but the Westerner gelding had disappointed on his two previous attempts at graded level.
“We’re absolutely thrilled,” said Connell, who also owns the winner with Tim O’Driscoll. “We thought he had a great chance in Cheltenham – we thought he’d be placed – but it didn’t happen for him; they went no gallop.
“He’s a typical Westerner; he’s quite exuberant. We said today we’d pop him out and he settled lovely. The only worrying moment was the first and, in fact, he did the same in Thurles. He has a lot of power behind and he just landed a bit stiffly.” Connell expects Eachtotheirown to be a better horse over fences, he added. “He jumps hurdles like a chaser. The Arkle is to the fore of our minds.”
A visibly elated Tim O’Driscoll commented: “I’m shaking. I’m generally kind of calm but I was a bit of a lunatic up there; I made a holy show of myself, but I don’t care. All credit goes to Barry and the lads in the yard. This is amazing. The disappointments are there, you take them but having a fella like this (Barry) – I think he has three runners this week, all three in Grade 1s, from a small string.”
Following a stewards’ enquiry, Danny Gilligan was suspended for four racedays after being found to have ridden carelessly aboard the fifth-placed Koktail Brut, an incident which saw the third horse, Le Labo, run short of room and clip heels.
Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase (Grade 1)
GORDON Elliott and Jack Kennedy’s best chance in Tuesday’s Grade 1s, El Cairos, may have disappointed, but the pair didn’t leave empty-handed, combined to land the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase with Western Fold (18/1).
The Weldspec and Dee l’Estrange-owned seven-year-old completed a four-timer last year, led by wins in the Galway Plate and a Grade 2 at Punchestown, before placing in two Grade 1s.
He didn’t fire at Cheltenham and was unseated at Fairyhouse next time out, but everything went his way on Tuesday.
Settled towards the back of the field, the Westerner gelding quickened as the field tightened turning for home and was ridden on the stands’ side to challenge at the second last.
Leaping into the lead at the final fence, Western Fold ran on gamely to score by three and three-quarter lengths from Fleur In The Park, who had provided Andy Slattery and Cian Quirke with their first Grade 1 in the WillowWarm Gold Cup earlier this month.
Kitzbuhel (4/5 favourite) pulled up before the last fence and was found to be post-race normal by the IHRB vet.
Very proud
“We just weren’t getting the rub of the green today, but we’ve got a Grade 1 winner now, so happy days,” Elliott said after the race.
Reflecting on a terrific season, the trainer said: “We’ve had a great year. I’m very proud to be leading Willie Mullins down to the last week of the season, it’s unbelievable. We know where we are and what we have to do going forward and we’ll keep trying.”
On Western Fold, Elliott added: “He’ll have a little break now. Initially we thought we’d go for the American Grand National.
“It’s a Grade 1, so it’s nothing to be sneezed at. I’m not saying we won’t go there, but we’ll enjoy today and see.”
Adding to the special nature of Western Fold’s Grade 1 win was the fact that the Westerner gelding was bought by Elliott with long-time friend Bobby O’Ryan.
“Delighted for Bobby,” Elliott said. “He’s bought us a lot of good horses over the years.”
Abbeyglen another smart horse for Brassil and Mulryan
THE phrase ‘money talks’ rang true in the €100,000 Goffs Defender Bumper, as the market leaders – both bought for six-figure sums at the Goffs Arkle Sale – filled the first two places.
Supporters of Martin Brassil’s 11/2 shot Abbeyglen never had cause for concern, as he led from two furlongs out and drew clear to score by five and a half lengths. Willie Mullins’ 9/2 favourite Altesse Du Luy came from a wide passage to complete a 1-2 for No Risk At All.
“We were minding him as he is a big leggy horse and he fulfilled what we were hoping,” Brassil said of the Sean and Bernardine Mulryan-owned winner, who is a half-brother to Grade 1 hurdler Grand Sancy.
“He shows a bit at home and we were happy to let him take his chance. He will get a break now as we want to let him mature a bit so he can withstand the rigours of jumping. He is a very exciting horse with a lovely pedigree.”
Success story
Fountain House’s story is very different, as a family-owned horse, trained by a man who focuses on breakers and pre-trainers, all of which made his win in the Kildare Hunt Club Cross Country Chase extra sweet.
Sent off 9/4 favourite, Ian McCarthy’s charge came into the race following three straight wins and his passage through the race went just as smoothly.
Rob James’ mount was last off the bridle and kept on well to score by all of 39 lengths in the colours of the trainer’s wife, Nicola McCarthy.
After a vocal reception led by the trainer’s father, Ian commented: “I didn’t think we’d do it that easy. He’s a proper horse, we’ve had great fun along the way with him and hopefully, after we get him home, we might see him later in the week.
“Eoin Mahon, his regular rider, was unfortunately injured today, but it was him who got me to buy him. He hasn’t looked back since we got him.”
Fountain House was bought from Brian McCarthy (no relation) and has now won 12 of his 18 starts for new connections, including last year’s Bishopscourt Cup.
Gentle giant
Powerful’s name proved self-explanatory as Jessica Harrington’s 9/1 shot dwarfed his rivals on the run-in to the Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Final Handicap Hurdle, staying on resolutely under Simon Torrens to win by half a length.
British raiders filled the next four places, led by Olly Murphy’s Daylatedollarshort, who finished a neck in front of the Henrietta Knight-trained Moab.
“He had a lot of weight on his back,” Harrington said of the Camelot gelding, who is owned by J.P. McManus and was bred by Noreen McManus. “He’s a very big horse, but he’s a gentle giant. He’s a five-year-old – will he go chasing next year? I don’t know yet.
“It’s beautiful ground here and he absolutely loved it. We’re on the board now, which is great, because I don’t have many National Hunt horses now. It’s great to get one.”
Dealers of the day
Barry Connell deserves plenty of credit for his Grade 1 win and second with Eachtotheirown and Marine Nationale respectively, but credit too to Gerry Hogan and Sam Curling. The agent purchased both as unraced recommendations from the point-to-point handler.
Performance of the day
With many of the top Grade 1 contenders fading at the end of the season, the feature events weren’t without their surprises, so I’ve decided to elect Kalix Delabarriere.
To win back-to-back listed handicap hurdles, defy a 9lb rise and win by four lengths, going away, takes some doing. The fact that Willie Mullins sees him as an even better chaser makes this six-year-old even more exciting.
Eyecatcher of the day
Pretty Fortunate had just five horses behind her turning for home in the concluding bumper but ran on well under hands and heels in the straight to finish seventh, beaten six and a half lengths.
She might not be a world beater, but Nicky Henderson’s mare is sure to win races and add to her paddock value, as a half-sister to Regent’s Stroll.
Quote of the day
“I’m generally kind of calm but I was a bit of a lunatic up there; I made a holy show of myself, but I don’t care,” - Tim O’Driscoll, co-owner of Eachtotheirown