IN what looked by far the strongest event of its kind run in Ireland this season, Minella Melody staked a strong claim for Cheltenham glory in the Grade 3 Eco Friendly Cups Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle.

A second successive winner of this race for Henry de Bromhead, Rachael Blackmore and owner Kenny Alexander after the triumph of Honeysuckle 12 months ago, this six-year-old daughter of Flemensfirth produced her most complete performance to date. She faced a stiff assignment against a trio of last-time-out winners for Willie Mullins but she rose to the challenge at hand in fine style.

After having to work somewhat for victory in a listed hurdle at Punchestown in December, Minella Melody was allowed to go off at 100/30, but as the runners filed into the straight she looked to have all bar Colreevy covered.

The outcome still hung in the balance at the last but Minella Melody produced a quicker jump than Colreevy and then moved into a clear lead which saw her prevail by two and a half lengths. The Tramore winner Dolcita ran a fine race to lie just a further half-length away.

“I thought that she toughed it out very well under a penalty and she seems to be a mare that only does what she has to,” said de Bromhead. “She’s possibly more of a staying type but we’ll have to look at the mares’ novice hurdle at Cheltenham and might put her in the Ballymore as well.”

The last two winners of this race to line up in the mares’ novice hurdle at Cheltenham were both successful (Limini and Laurina) and there must be every chance that Minella Melody will become the fourth consecutive winner of this race to go on and win at Grade 1 level.

Winning return

Luke Dempsey picked up the extended three-mile handicap chase on Persian Wind (16/1) in just his third ride back since two months out with a fractured ankle. The Robert Honner-owned gelding relished this trip and held the late charge of Ask And Answer by three-quarters of a length. The rider’s father, Philip, trains the five-time winner.

An industrious season for Oliver McKiernan continued as Aarons Day (11/8) took advantage of his easiest task to date in the two-and-a-half-mile maiden hurdle for horses who had never placed. After showing good ability in maidens won by Longhouse Poet and Cobbler’s Way, Aarons Day confirmed that promise to record a nine-length win. Barry Browne was on board the Keep The Faith Syndicate-owned son of Doyen.

ALLAHO got the afternoon underway with a display of style and authority in the two-mile, five- furlong beginners’ chase. A leading staying novice hurdler from last season, the Cheveley Park Stud-owned gelding was all the better for his debut second over fences at Leopardstown at Christmas.

At times the 2/5 favourite jumped brilliantly from the front and he maintained an impressive tempo over the last half mile to finish 21 lengths clear of Milan Native.

“He looked like he jumped great. Paul just thought he was getting a bit tired the last day which is why he jumped left,” reflected Willie Mullins. “I’d imagine he will go to Cheltenham. I’ll speak to Paul about whether that will be for the RSA or the Marsh Novice Chase (formerly JLT)”

This race got off to an eventful start as Atlantic Shore consented to jump off with the field just seconds after being withdrawn for refusing to line up and this necessitated a false start.

The champion trainer later supplied the evens favourite, Jon Snow, for the two-mile maiden hurdle but he had to settle for the runner-up spot behind Jessica Harrington’s Exit Poll (9/2). The Mark Walsh-ridden son of Elusive Pimpernel, who had Allaho and Fury Road behind him when he won a Leopardstown bumper last season, stepped forward appreciably on the form of his first two efforts over hurdles.

The Sean and Bernardine Mulryan-owned Exit Poll looked to be holding Jon Snow nearing the last and he saw off that rival by two lengths.

He didn’t win a race until last March but the 11-year-old Highest Benefit (6/1) is on quite a roll at the moment and he made it four victories from his last six starts in the 80-109 rated Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle over three miles.

The Willie Austin-owned, trained and bred gelding responded to Trevor Ryan to get the front after the last before a three-quarter-length triumph over the dead-heaters Moyode Gold and Goulane Jessie.

This was the rider’s 12th success of the season.