RATHVINDEN’S warm-up for the Grand National was close to flawless as he returned to the fray with an assured and polished success in the Grade 3 BetVictor Bobbyjo Chase which served notice of his credentials as a leading contender for the Liverpool spectacular.
A fourth consecutive winner of this race for Willie Mullins, the sparingly campaigned 11-year-old was having his first run for 10 months and looked to be on excellent terms with himself.
The winner of last season’s National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham was returned the 100/30 third favourite under Paul Townend and looked quite comfortable at all stages.
The Thyestes Chase runner-up Alpha Des Obeaux looked to make this extended three-mile contest a good test from the front and, in truth, he had only Rathvinden to worry about when the favourite Magic Of Light crashed out at the 11th fence. A game Alpha Des Obeaux remained in front facing up to the last two fences but the Ronnie Bartlett-owned winner was travelling much better at this stage.
Paul Townend eventually allowed his mount to move on before the last and Rathvinden finished out well to prevail by three and a half lengths which took his tally to nine wins from just 19 career starts.
“That was a nice first run of the season and I imagine he will go to the Grand National, that’s the usual route that we take from here. I felt he was really firing at home coming into this,” said Willie Mullins, whose charge is a clear second favourite behind Tiger Roll for the National.
“Whether he has another run before then I’m not sure. He’s had his troubles in the past but now he’s good and sound and well. We’ll just see how he takes this before deciding on another run before Aintree.”
GRADE 3 SUCCESS
At a meeting that provided him with his first training success a year ago Padraig Roche bagged the biggest victory of his career to date courtesy of Way Back Home in the Grade 3 Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle. Robbie Power made all the running on the Peter Comerford-owned son of Power who has progressed nicely with each run over timber and produced his best effort yet.
Way Back Home (2/1) was much quicker away from the second last than the evens favourite Authorizo, who was looking to close in at the time, and once he cleared the last victory was assured. The promising Morosini came though to finish a three-and-a-half-length second with Authorizo a further length and a half away in third.
“That was great. He seems to be improving and he’s surprised me. Robbbie said that he goes a nice gallop and keeps going. It’s great to get a Grade 3 with him and I’m delighted for the owners who have been very patient,” remarked Roche.
“He won’t be going to Cheltenham and we’ll look at maybe going to Punchestown with him.”
The Mullins-trained Eight And Bob (11/4) looked a horse that could be turning a corner when winning here last month and he certainly reinforced that impression in the Tommy Carberry Handicap Hurdle.
The Willie Mullins inmate had to contend with a 9lb rise in the weights and was dropping back from three miles to two and a half but he made light of both factors.
The strong-travelling six-year-old eased to the front for Paul Townend after two out and when the chasing Halsafari blundered at the last the outcome was assured. At the line the Act D Wagg Syndicate-owned gelding had seven lengths to spare.
“He’s starting to get the hang of this game having looked as though he mightn’t be in love with it when he started out. He’s improving and anything beyond two miles suits him well,” commented Mullins.
Gordon Elliott ended the day with a double and his brace began in rather dramatic fashion as Graineyhill (12/1) profited from some last fence carnage to take the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase.
The trainer supplied the odds-on favourite Dakota Moirette, but following a rather mixed round of jumping the market leader fell at the last when upsides Aint Dunne Yet. The latter was most unfortunate as he got tangled up in the faller which caused him to part company with Sean Flanagan and this presented the most unlikely of victories to the Keith Donoghue-ridden Graineyhill.
“I suppose you could say that we were lucky and unlucky with what happened. It’s nice for Keith and Tommy (Kenny) who owns the horse,” observed Elliott.
The double was completed in much more straightforward style as the 2/5 favourite Fury Road landed the Ian Smith Memorial (Pro/Am) Flat Race. The son of Stowaway didn’t quite meet expectations at Leopardstown at Christmas when fifth to Exit Poll but he took full advantage of a good opportunity.
The Gigginstown House Stud-owned Fury Road was going nicely for Lisa O’Neill when he picked up the running early in the straight and he responded well to the effort of The Rubinator to surge clear late on for a seven-length triumph.
“I think he’s quite a smart horse and he’s one with a good future when he goes jumping. He’ll stay well in time but we’ll leave hurdling for next season and he might be back here for a winner’s bumper at Easter,” stated the trainer.
WILLING DISPLAY
The Cheltenham entrant Chavi Artist (11/4) got off the mark with a tremendously willing display in the Connolly’s Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle.
A second winner for Tom Mullins in this well endowed series, the Rory Larkin-owned gelding came here off placed runs behind The Big Dog and City Island and coped well with the drop back to two miles.
The strong-travelling odds-on favourite Tens Or Better loomed up menacingly at the second last, but hard as she tried she could never quite take the measure of the pace setter who answered David Mullins’ every call from the last to the line to score by a head.
“I sold him to Rory just before his last run. Ideally he wants two and a half or even three miles and he might go to the Albert Bartlett as he’s improving all the time,” reflected Mullins. “The final of this series is a €75,000 race at Punchestown so another option would be to keep him for that.”
Beeper’s Ruby notched up her second success of the season as she sprang a 14/1 surprise in the BetVictor Handicap Hurdle to lead home a one-three for trainer Dermot McLoughlin.
The Sean Gallagher-owned daughter of Scorpion was left in front when Chosen Hour, who was travelling sweetly in the lead, exited at the second. In the closing stages Beeper’s Ruby maintained a handy lead for Conor Maxwell to defeat Cappuccino Man by a length and a quarter.
“She’s grand mare. I thought she wanted more juice in the ground but she handled that well. She travelled well though the race and quickened up well for Conor,” declared McLoughlin.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
MOROSINI (J. Harrington): He finished second on his sole flat outing in France and showed lots of promise on his Irish debut to finish second to Way Back Home in the Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle. He could make a very smart novice if connections opt to keep him under wraps until the new season begins.
ACTING STEWARDS
L. Reynolds, P. Molony,
C.C. Cunningham,
T.L. Crawford,
P.D. Matthews