CORK’S flagship Sunday meeting survived frosty conditions as Champion Chaser Energumene returned to action by winning the featured Grade 2 Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase.
The Willie Mullins-trained, Tony Bloom-owned gelding’s previous appearance was a win in Punchestown’s Champion Chase in April. He reappeared against three inferior rivals and started 1/9 favourite under champion jockey Paul Townend.
The eight-year-old made all and had no difficulty defeating Epson Du Houx by 15 lengths, with Mullins later reporting: “Paul thought he was idling in front - he was probably in front on his own and there was nothing to make him race. He loves jumping, has a great appetite for it and you are lucky when you have a horse like that.
“We won’t make any plans, he is in at Christmas, at the Dublin Racing Festival and the Ascot race is there but we won’t make any decision until we see how he comes out of this.”
Mullins and Townend had earlier won the opening Bar One Racing Maiden Hurdle with French-import Blood Destiny (4/5 favourite), for the Roaringwater Syndicate.
The son of No Risk At All made all and easily defeated Sir Allen by five lengths.
Confidence
Afterwards Mullins said: “Paul had lots of confidence in him and when he left him stride on, he jumped those hurdles well and the experience he got in France helped. He does that nicely in the juvenile division and will make a chaser in time.
“I’m sure he’s entered for the graded hurdle at Christmas (Leopardstown) and whether or not it is too close to Christmas or not, so we might wait. The syndicate involves the family of the late Archie O’Leary, who had Florida Pearl. His son Anthony was supposed to be here but his flight was cancelled although Peter (O’Leary, grandson) is here. The syndicate carries the same colours as Florida Pearl but with a different cap.”
Impervious steps up in style
BRAVE Inca’s trainer Colm Murphy enjoyed Grade 2 success in the O’Flynn Group Irish EBF (Mares) Novice Chase as his Impervious (13/8) followed up a Wexford win in October, to score again under jockey Brian Hayes.
The daughter of Shantou jumped to the front at the final fence, defeating 5/4 favourite Dinoblue by three lengths.
Murphy commented: “We’d have been disappointed if she wasn’t ding-dong there and was have had a nice clean run with her this year. Settling her is the biggest worry with her but she settled really well again today.
“She was a bit careful jumping early-on but warmed up to it and her pedigree is all jumping. We’ll see how she comes out of this and there are plenty of nice options for her.
“I have a lot of nice horses for Paul McKeon (owner) who unfortunately couldn’t make it today. Unfortunately she is for sale if the right offer comes in as this is my business plan with Paul but without a doubt to stay in the yard.”
Trainer Henry De Bromhead and stable jockey Rachael Blackmore combined for doubles and completed their feat in the Grade 3 Singletons Supervalu Stayers Novice Hurdle with Robcour’s Hiddenvalley Lake (9/2).
Hiddenvalley Lake quickened smartly with two slick leaps over the final two flights, beating Cool Survivor by eight lengths.
De Bromhead said: “He did it very nicely and Rachael was brilliant on him. I thought he was struggling turning in and then he picked up really well - I’d say he quickened after the second-last.
“I’m delighted for the Achesons especially Rob (son) who was very persuasive about buying him. Some members of the team didn’t want him but Rob put his foot down, so fair play to him.
“You need to stay running around here and we’ll pencil in the Albert Bartlett (at Cheltenham). He could run at Clonmel in a graded hurdle in February.”
Good impression
Half an hour earlier, De Bromhead and Blackmore were successful with Arctic Bresil (11/8), which created a good impression in winning the Bar One Racing Maiden Hurdle, by five and a half lengths from Mercurey.
De Bromhead later said: “I’m delighted with that and he is a horse who had shown plenty of promise and Sean Doyle (point to point handler) recommended him. I’m delighted for his owner Peter Davies who is a great supporter of ours.
“He’s normally fast asleep at home so it surprised me he was keen. Paul (Townend, on Mercurey) and Rachael were taking each other on a bit, Rachael opted to do what she did and it worked out thankfully.
“I don’t think we need to rush and there is the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Hurdle at Punchestown in the middle of January and that might be the race for him.”
THERE was a local winner of the Bar One Racing Handicap Hurdle with the Eugene O’Sullivan trained Meetingofthewater (7/1), gaining a nose and short-head win over runner-up Benz and third-placed Krabat.
Ridden by the trainer’s nephew Michael O’Sullivan, the gelding squeezing through along the inside rail to edge ahead at the line, scoring for unrelated owner Alurie O’Sullivan.
The winning trainer said: “I don’t what went wrong at Clonmel the last day when we fancied him but he just didn’t act on it. He was back up in trip today, he ran well here before and he stays. He won his point-to-point at Boulta 12 months ago today.
“He gave him a great ride and got up the inside. He is a nice horse going forward and while I was going to run him in a 0-109 ladies’ hurdle at Limerick over Christmas, that plan is gone out the gate.”
The concluding Finbarr Quaid Electrical Novice Handicap Hurdle provided the biggest-priced winner of the day with Nephin Beg scoring at 33/1 for trainer Sean Doyle and jockey Jordan Gainford.
Lovely first run
Doyle said: “He had a lovely first run, I fancied him in a maiden hurdle at Wexford the last day but when the horses came around him, he backed out of it. I said to Jordan today to buck him out, keep him happy and he did exactly what we thought he could do.
“We are over the moon as Martin Doyle, a far-off relation of mine, wanted a horse for a while, I told him to hold on as we’d pick him out something and bought this horse fairly cheap as a store.
“Hopefully he will improve and is by Ocovango so will stay all day. He could appear in Limerick over Christmas.”