JURY Duty led home a one-two-three for Gordon Elliott in the BarOneRacing.com Steeplechase at Down Royal and booked his ticket for the Grand National.
The market favoured his stablemate Mala Beach, who was sent off the even-money favourite, and he was left at the head of affairs after front-running Baie Des Iles crashed out at the third last.
Jury Duty (3/1) took over at the last, however, and drew six and a half lengths clear at the line with Keith Donoghue in the plate. Don Poli could make no impression in third, some 28 lengths further adrift.
Assistant trainer Ian Amond said of the Sideways Syndicate-owned winner: “It was a nice surprise as Mala Beach looked the obvious one.
“He has had a nice break since America [landed the American Grand National in October] and we were hoping he would come and run a good race and put him right for the National.
“It’s a bonus he has gone and won so his next stop now is Aintree. Then he will go back to America, there’s a race in May for him. They will probably all go to Aintree.”
STRONG RACE
Fresh from landing the Gold Cup with Al Boum Photo at Cheltenham the day before, Willie Mullins and Paul Townend teamed up with Roll Again in the opening Racing TV Maiden Hurdle.
The five-year-old French-bred moved into the lead approaching the straight and was pushed out to score by three and three-quarter lengths at 11/4 for owners Mrs Paul Shanahan and Mrs John Magnier.
Townend said: “It wasn’t a strong race and he galloped and he jumped away. He stumbled at the third last was the only thing.”
On Cheltenham, he commented: “It’s starting to sink in a bit now. We watched the video a few times but no celebrations yet as we had to come here today.”
Biddy The Boss (6/1) continued Gavin Cromwell’s golden week with a decisive victory in the North Down Marquees Rated Novice Chase.
The six-year-old mare outgunned 15/8 favourite Crossed My Mind after the last by four and a half lengths for jockey Sean Flanagan.
Ger Fox represented Cromwell and said: “I rode her the last day in Fairyhouse and she wasn’t right and burst very badly. We gave her a bit of a break and time off and got her back. She was just healthy and fit today, she was bouncing.
“What I loved about her today was she was game and stuck it out. She never missed a beat jumping – she was quick and smart. She has done it well.
“She will (make a chaser), she has the scope and she stays two-mile-two (furlongs) to three-miles-two (furlongs).”
On Champion Hurdle winner Espoir D’Allen, he added: “He came home Wednesday and you wouldn’t even think he had a race.
“We had a winner in Dundalk last night (Ciao) so Gavin is on a crest of a wave and the whole yard is absolutely booming. It’s a great team effort by everyone so we’ll just keep going.”
The testing conditions worked the oracle for Raymond Sutton’s Ballymadun in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.
Paddy O’Hanlon’s mount cleared away from his 18 rivals to score by five and a half lengths to land plenty of bets (10/1 - 7/1).
Trainer Dermot McLoughlin said: “We have been waiting for this horse for soft ground. At the top of the hill four out he had everything covered so it went to plan.”
The White Volcano foiled a gamble on 6/4 favourite The Goose Man in the French Village Novice Handicap Hurdle.
Conor Maxwell’s charge held a narrow advantage from the ‘jolly’ coming to the final fence and the seven-year-old gelding kept on best to win by a length and a quarter at 8/1.
Handler John Woods said: “We were expecting a good run on that ground. Conor gave him a lovely ride and he was very confident on him.”
Maxwell sported the colours of owner Philip White.
WELL-RELATED
The Exacta and Trifecta weren’t won in the Remus Uomo Mares Flat Race as 33/1 newcomer Fag An Bealach stormed home by 15 lengths from Zhenya, also at 33/1. Pont Aval (11/8f) was nine and a half lengths away in third.
Billy Gleeson steered Fag An Bealach into the lead a furlong and a half down and she readily moved clear in the final furlong.
Arthur Moore said: “We had her as forward as we could for the race. She didn’t show anything special but what she did do was keep trying in finishes.
“She has a proper pedigree – she’s by Stowaway, who is getting heaps of winners, and the dam (Market Niche) is by Old Vic and is a half-sister to Niche Market so it is a top-class family.
“It gives me enormous pleasure because the winner is part owned by Tim Murray who was my first owner – it is getting on for 50 years! And Marcus Beresford has been with us a long time and had Pass The Hat and it’s great to repay their faith and Athene Keatinge’s. They came back wanting to have one last go and it looks like they could have a lot of fun.
“She is not going to run over hurdles until next season so we’ll look at a winners’ bumper at Fairyhouse and places like that.”
Burning Ambition looks set for a Liverpool raid after taking the honours in the Remus Uomo Hunters Chase.
The 10/11 favourite came in by a length and a half for handler Pierce Power, and jockey Rob James said: “He was the class horse in the race. He loves the ground and jumped well.
“He just wasn’t himself the last day but he was back to himself today.
“He had plenty in hand and I wasn’t hard on him, I only pushed him to the line as he was idling away to the line.
“Onwards and upwards, the plans are to go to Aintree, hopefully, with a bit of luck.”
Suspension
NEIL Gault was hit with a three-day suspension in relation to use of the whip on sixth-placed Lisnagreggan.
HORSE TO FOLLOW:
ZHENYA (S.R.B. Crawford): Ran well for a long way on testing conditions before ultimately proving no match for an impressive newcomer.
ACTING STEWARDS:
R.S. Martin, C.P. Magnier, P.G. Stewart,
C.L. Hall-Thompson,
M.F. O’Donoghue