Paddy Power Chase

IN a madcap finish that one might associate with some of the more exacting stamina tests in the calendar, Roaring Bull somehow pulled victory out of the fire in one of the hottest handicap chases of the year.

By his own standards Gordon Elliott fielded quite a small team for this prize as he was responsible for four of the 27 runners. However, on a memorable day for the trainer, jockey Jack Kennedy and the ever prolific Gigginstown House Stud, a resurgent Roaring Bull bagged a victory that looked rather improbable in terms of form and where the Milan gelding found himself on the run to the last.

In a Paddy Power that was more attritional than usual, there was no shortage of carnage over the last mile but Roaring Bull was able to avoid all this having been kept towards the outside at all stages.

Even though he could only manage 10th in the Troytown on his most recent start, Elliott’s charge was backed from 25/1 into 16/1 on track and he worked his way into the thick of the action with two to jump.

Laboured

Off the final turn, Roaring Bull looked well held as a brave Plan Of Attack was fighting on splendidly to hold off Chef Des Obeaux, who was among seven runners for Willie Mullins. Indeed Roaring Bull was a laboured sixth coming to the last where the 2018 third Fitzhenry, one of seven runners for J.P. McManus, looked set to swamp all his rivals with a sweeping charge on the outer.

As the line loomed, Fitzhenry had the measure of Plan Of Attack but from somewhere – the unlikeliness of this success discernible from incredulous tone of commentator Jerry Hannon – Roaring Bull found a potent finishing kick that carried him into the lead in the dying strides.

He bested the gambled-on favourite by half a length with Plan Of Attack a further length and three-quarters away. Poker Party was fourth on his first outing since winning the Kerry National with Chef Des Obeaux a fine fifth. Just 12 of the runners completed.

“I feel sorry for Paul Nolan (trainer of Fitzhenry) who is a very good friend of mine. I was watching the race out on the track with Paul and I was cheering his horse on because I thought I was gone,” said Elliott.

“Next thing with about 50 yards to go I saw my lad flying and I sort of bit my tongue and said nothing. It’s great for everyone in the yard but I’m a bit gutted for Paul.

“This horse has plenty of ability and he did actually run quite well in the Troytown but he just did too much in first-time blinkers. He’s quirky and has his own way of doing things but I always felt there could be a big handicap chase in him.

“We’ll look at all the big staying handicaps with him in the spring and we’ll aim towards either the English or Irish Grand Nationals.”

A Plus Tard prevails in titanic struggle

Paddy’s Rewards Club Loyalty’s Dead Live For Rewards Chase (Grade 1)

A WONDROUS festive period for Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore yielded another Grade 1 success as the Cheltenham Festival hero A Plus Tard produced the performance of his life to lower the colours of Chacun Pour Soi in a titanic finish.

After carrying all before him in two starts last season, Chacun Pour Soi was an 8/15 chance to extend his unbeaten record since coming to Ireland.

However, in the Cheveley Park Stud-owned A Plus Tard the favourite came up against a doughty and unyielding rival whose victory has given his connections pause for thought.

The Ryanair Chase had been the foremost target for the winner but a lack of opportunities over that sort of trip on a left-handed track necessitated Henry de Bromhead bringing him back to two miles.

This switch to a shorter distance could prove providential as A Plus Tard produced a display which signalled that he would be right at home at championship level over two miles.

Favourite

In a race that had been won by 16/1 shots in four of the previous five years, the winner was returned a well-backed 4/1 shot and after the field left two out behind them it was clear that he was going to give the favourite a real test.

Chacun Pour Soi, who jumped to the front with a prodigious leap at the third last, responded well to his rival’s challenge. It was only after the last that he started to give best and he eventually went down by three and three-quarter lengths.

The 33/1 shot Ordinary World ran a huge race to take third for the winning trainer with the dual winner Simply Ned taking fourth.

Comeback

“You never expect to win a race like this but you are always hopeful and we knew this horse had come on plenty for his comeback,” said the trainer. “Also Rachael was brilliant on him. I know I keep saying it but she keeps riding winners, she’s always in the right place at the right time and she’s wants these winners as much as we do.

“I will probably enter this horse in the Queen Mother now although I’m probably still leaning towards the Ryanair. We’ll enjoy today and then see what everyone wants to do.

“I think that performance endorses the view that he is a better horse going left-handed and we’ll try to stay left-handed with him so he could well be back here in February for the two-mile chase.”

Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle (Grade 1)

FOR the first time in his career Gordon Elliott landed this Grade 1 prize as the classy Abacadabras overcame one relatively minor scare to cement his position as one of the elite Irish novices of the season.

The Gigginstown House Stud-owned five-year-old lost nothing in defeat against Envoi Allen last time and that effort made him the one to beat in a race that attracted a disappointing four-runner turnout.

Of his three rivals, the Jack Kennedy-ridden 10/11 chance faced an interesting rival in Blue Sari who gave the aforementioned Envoi Allen a real fright at Cheltenham last March.

However, the stiffest opposition actually came from the 25/1 outsider of the field Heaven Help Us. The patiently ridden Abacadabras made a clumsy error three out but he was almost immediately back on an even keel and by the time he cruised up to join Heaven Help Us on the run to the last, Blue Sari was already bidding a retreat.

The market leader wasn’t as fluent as he can be at the last but even so he had matters firmly under control and he kept on well to score by eight lengths. There was a further dozen lengths back to Embittered with Blue Sari last.

Pressure

“It’s great to get a Grade 1 here at Christmas and I suppose there’s always a bit of pressure when you run these horses,” stated Elliott. “He’s one with lots of pace and he doesn’t do a whole lot in front. Jack said he wasn’t doing a stroke and I remember he was the same when he won his bumper first time out.”

“I know he made that mistake but it was more the hurdle flicking back up than anything else. He doesn’t bend his knee much so better ground would suit and I’d imagine he will come back here for the two-miler in February and hopefully we will then head on for the Supreme,” added the trainer.

JUST over two years since his last success, the dual Champion Hurdle second Melon regained the winning thread in the Paddy Power-sponsored beginners’ chase over an extended two miles.

In a race where the jumping of his opponents went to pieces, Melon looked very assured up front for Paul Townend until disaster almost struck when the 5/4 favourite clouted the last.

To his considerable credit, Melon gathered himself for another effort and he fought back splendidly to repel the 16/1 outsider Gallant John Joe.

Just four of the eight runners completed and among those who failed to finish was City Island who made a terrible mistake at the second last when lying in fourth and was then pulled up.

“I was happy with how he jumped apart from that mistake at the last and what I was most happy about was how he battled back after making that mistake,” reflected Willie Mullins who trains the winner for Marie Donnelly.

“We’ll try and get more experiences into our novices before March so we’ll look for another suitable race for him in a few weeks’ time.”

Progressed

The champion trainer than added to his hail as Appreciate It progressed from a third in a Fairyhouse bumper a month previously to take the Paddy Power Games One For The Road Flat Race.

The Jeremy gelding, who was third to Envoi Allen in a point-to-point, relished every yard of this two-and-a-half-mile trip to justify 11/10 favouritism. The Margaret Masterson-owned five-year-old made all the running for Patrick Mullins and left his rivals toiling shortly after turning in to win by half a dozen lengths.

“It was a very good performance and Patrick felt he’d come on a lot for his first run,” commented Mullins. “He’s a real chaser in the making but I think he is good enough to go down the Cheltenham bumper route.

“I was impressed with the turn of foot he showed there over the last furlong and a half.”

Smart Leagan Gaeilge turns on the tap

BRENDAN Duke won with a smart-looking juvenile hurdler in Clemencia at Cork early last month but he could have an ever better prospect on his hands in Leagan Gaeilge (33/1) who made a winning start over flights in the Paddy Power-sponsored three-year-old maiden hurdle.

A useful dual winner and placed at premier handicap level on the flat for Jim Bolger, this Jackie Bolger-owned daughter of Vocalised showed a fine aptitude for this discipline.

Success

Sean Flanagan produced her to lead approaching the last before a three-quarter-length success over Theatre Of War who came from out of the clouds to secure second.

“We’ve had a turbulent year and haven’t had the ammunition but Jim told me that she could be a star over hurdles when he sent her to me and he could very well be right,” stated a delighted Duke.

“She hasn’t done a huge amount of schooling and she will improve a lot from this and hopefully she will be back here in February for the Grade 1 at the Dublin Racing Festival.”

Excellent

An excellent Christmas for Joseph O’Brien yielded yet another winner as The Moyglass Flyer won the Paddy Power-sponsored two-mile handicap hurdle.

On just the third outing of his career, the J.P. McManus-owned son of Galileo was returned a heavily backed 4/1 favourite and, as auditions for big handicap hurdles go, this was quite a taking one.

The Moyglass Flyer had to work hard for this length-and-a-half victory over the 33/1 chance Daybreak Boy but the suspicion is that he may well have had plenty left in reserve. To win such a competitive 25-runner affair on just his third start speaks volumes about his competitive abilities.

Attendance

2019: 16,727

2018: 16,514

Tote

2019: €241,459

2018: €264,224

Bookmakers

2019: €1,049,464

2018: €1,069,760

JONATHAN Moore picked up a two-day whip ban on Theatre Of War in the three-year-old maiden hurdle.

Derek O’Connor was given a one-day whip ban after finishing second on Freedom To Dream in the bumper.

Stopped

Blue Sari was reported to have stopped quickly by Mark Walsh after finishing at the rear of the field in the Future Champions Novice Hurdle. He was also found to be blowing hard post race.