SUSANNAH Ricci’s superstar Douvan extended his unbeaten sequence to 12 victories with yet another masterful display of superiority on his seasonal reappearance in the Grade 2 Hilly Way Chase at last Sunday’s Kerry Group-sponsored Cork fixture.
With stable jockey Ruby Walsh on duty at Punchestown, a meeting that the Willie Mullins yard dominated with four winners, super-sub Paul Townend had the plum mount on this 1/6 favourite at his local track and he returned with a broad smile on his face.
Douvan, who is blessed with both good looks and an abundance of natural talent, looked sharp for his return to action and went straight into the lead. Apart from a blemish three from home, he turned in a near faultless round of jumping to eclipse the 2012 winner Days Hotel by 22 lengths.
Bookmakers reacted by shortening his price for next year’s Champion Chase into 4/9 favourite and the crowd of almost 3,000 people saluted the six-year-old with applause from the time he jumped the second last and again as he made his way into the parade ring.
Townend, who has a great strike rate in the race, was riding the French-bred for the third time and enthused: “He was awesome. He was a bit gassy early on, but it was his first run of the season and he did everything right. He was in front a long time and the mistake (at the third last) probably opened his eyes and he ‘winged’ the next.
“I’m very fortunate to be getting the ride when Ruby couldn’t be here and want to thank Willie and Mr Ricci for giving it to me.”
The trainer’s assistant David Casey was equally blown away, commenting: “It must be an exciting feeling to ride him and I was very impressed with what he did. He was just ‘buzzy’ when he went down to the first and was obviously fresh and well.”
“It’s a great race to come and win and we’ve had great luck in it. Today was his first step out of novice company and all the options are open, because he’s in all those big races. ”
ANOTHER WIN
Mullins and Townend doubled up half an hour later with success for yet another crack chaser Listen Dear in the Grade 3 Kerry Group EBF Mares Novice Chase. Owned by the Supreme Horse Racing Club, the daughter of Robin Des Champs never put a foot wrong in justifying 4/7 favouritism by a decisive eight-length margin.
Casey remarked: “I was very impressed with her, and so was Paul. She’s not overly big and just does her own thing and likes to get on with it. She jumped like a buck and is in all those mares’ races, so hopefully it’s onwards and upwards for her.
“Her races before were on goodish ground, so winning today on soft to heavy opens up options for her.”
Noel Meade and Sean Flanagan combined to take the Grade 3 Kerry Group Stayers Novice Hurdle with last month’s Clonmel winner Rathnure Rebel, who came out on top for Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud by a comfortable 11 lengths from the odds-on market leader Monbeg Notorious, who ran in snatches.
Successful between the flags for Richard Rath, Rathnure Rebel has improved with every run and Flanagan shares that opinion, saying “We always said he wanted three miles and heavy ground and he travelled and jumped better today than he’s ever done.
“He came to us with a massive reputation and I’d imagine Noel will step him up to a Grade 2 or even a Grade 1, maybe at Christmas.”
SMOOTH RUNNINGS
Gordon Elliott’s good run of success shows no sign of abating and the Co Meath handler supplied the first two home for Gigginstown in the Galtee 3-Y-0 Maiden Hurdle when Jack Kennedy’s mount Dinaria Des Obeaux opened up from two out on her Irish debut to cause a 6/1 upset at the expense of her stable-mate Tout Est Permis in winning by an unchallenged 29 lengths.
The favourite Tree Of Knowledge ran no sort of race and faded from four out to finish 17th. He was subsequently reported to have lost a shoe in running.
Elliott’s assistant Ollie Murphy commented: “She arrived from France and just went about her work at home nicely, without setting the world alight, so it was a bit of a surprise.
“She has a good attitude and jumped and travelled away to win as she liked. She looked very good today, but I don’t know what she beat.
“She’ll definitely come on from the run and there’s a bit more improvement in her. We’ll get her home and make a plan then but, being a filly, Leopardstown will probably come a bit soon for her. She’s certainly one to look forward to.”
Margaret Flynn’s previous course winner, Dr Mikey, with Barry John Foley in the saddle, earned his place on this star-studded card with an all-the-way win for the Santry Power Walsh Syndicate in the Charleville Cheese Maiden Hurdle.
Sent to post the 7/4 joint favourite with the runner-up Woods Well, the seven-year-old Dr Massini gelding came down to the last, still on the bridle and coasted home six lengths clear of his market rival.
Stradbally-based Flynn has her sights set on making the trip to Cheltenham with Dr Mikey. She revealed: “He’s very hot and didn’t switch off the last day, but he had a companion in the lorry with him today and we got permission to go down to the start early, so he didn’t have a hard race.”
The Co Waterford trainer added “He’s going to be absolutely brilliant when he goes chasing and I know I’ve never had a horse like him. He’s the best I’m ever going to get and we’re hoping to go to Cheltenham with him, so I suppose he’ll have to win a novice before then.”
Knockraha Pylon (5/1) came up trumps for local handler Adrian Maguire and the executors of the late Michael O’Donoghue from the village of the same name when providing Paul Townend with his third success of the afternoon in the Low Low Handicap.
Maguire said of his one and a quarter length winner: “I want to thank Robbie Power for looking after her at Limerick when her chance was gone, which left me with a mare to go to war with and Paul gave her a super ride. It’s great for the O’Donoghue family, who are great supporters of mine.”
Stable-companion Knockraha Boss was bidding to give the Mallow trainer a quick double in the Kerrymaid Novice Handicap Hurdle, only to give best to the 7/4 favourite Logical Song, from the Margaret Mullins yard, by three and a half lengths.
Mullins, who was represented by her son Anthony, trains Logical Song for his Italian-based owner/breeder Daniel Furini. The seven-year-old brought up a third career four-timer for Townend, who remarked: “Danny (Mullins) was sweet on him and he travelled well and stuck it out well.”
ACTING STEWARDS
R.E. Rohan, Ms K Horgan, P. McLernon, B. Murphy, L. Walsh
HORSE TO FOLLOW
DINARIA DES OBEAUX (G. Elliott): She looked a smart recruit when skating up on her Irish debut and should have plenty more to offer.