GORDON Elliott claimed Leopardstown’s Lexus Chase with Outlander on Wednesday. He also added Limerick’s showpiece the Irish Independent Hurdle to his Christmas haul, winning with Missy Tata, who was completing a double at the Munster venue for the Grand National and Gold Cup winning trainer.
The 2/5 favourite was partnered by her owner, Simon Munir’s retained English-based rider Darryl Jacob and made all to beat her only two opponents, Cap D’Aubois by six and a half lengths and another four and a half lengths back to Swamp Fox in last.
Elliott was at Leopardstown and following Missy Tata’s listed success, the trainer’s assistant Olly Murphy stated: “She is a good mare and I don’t think two miles is her ideal trip so we decided ride her nice and positive. Her Gold Cup is going to be the two-mile, four-furlong mares’ hurdle at Cheltenham. She is improving the whole time but I doubt we’ll see the real article until she goes jumping fences.
“She is straightforward and stays going well and will have one more run or will go straight to Cheltenham. She is one to look forward to.”
SMOOTH WIN
Earlier at Limerick, Elliott’s Stone Hard, under Keith Donoghue, easily won the D Pack Packaging Celebrating 10 Years In Business Beginners Chase. The well-backed 7/4 second-favourite carried Outlander’s Gigginstown House Stud colours and, following the race, assistant Murphy commented: “We actually had him as a youngster and he was a horse we always thought a lot of. He obviously went to Willie’s (Mullins) and came back to us and today wasn’t a surprise as his work at home was very good.
“He’ll have to step up now but couldn’t have been more impressive today. He is a horse we think a lot of and might be starting to fill into himself now and is a big shell of a horse. He’s a horse we like.”
Mullins himself is in the midst of a miraculous Christmas spell and began by winning the day’s opening race, the Woodlands House Hotel Adare Maiden Hurdle, with Coquin Mans, which proved to be the first of five wins on the day for the champion trainer.
Coquin Mans was partnered to victory by Paul Townend and, despite the George Creighton owned gelding starting a 1/3 favourite, was made work hard for a head and three-quarter-length win over Surf Instructor and Indian Monsoon.
Mullins was also at Leopardstown and following the race Townend said: “He was green the whole way around in everything he did and he can only improve in every way. Ability got him through I thought, and he has to improve. He handled the ground - it’s hard work and I don’t think any horse appreciates it.”
Trainer Steve Mahon trained two winners at the venue and began with Smokey Joe Joe (10/1), who landed the Cube Veterans Handicap Chase under jockey Luke Dempsey.
The Tom Quinn-owned rising 11-year-old was winning his sixth career race and his second for Mahon who later commented: “I knew he’d handle the ground and he was entered here (Tim Duggan Memorial Chase) yesterday and I was on the verge of declaring him but then I felt it was a good race and this was a veterans’ race. He’s a grand horse and we got him for nothing three years and on three legs; thanks to swimming, it keeps him sound. We’ll look for something similar next.”
Co Galway-based Mahon later doubled his tally in the concluding Greenmount Equine Hospital INH Bumper with Ballyluskey (8/1), who was steered to victory by the very able Barry O’Neill.
“I bought him off Thomond O’Mara and only had him 12 days before he ran at Galway. He pulled too hard at Thurles and today we decided to run him from the front. He jumps fences really well and I’d like to go chasing with him next. He is owned by Mike Burke, who owns a restaurant (the Pier Head) in Kinvarra.”
SMART PERFORMER
Trainer Henry De Bromhead was on the mark in Kempton yesterday with Special Tiara in a Grade 2 chase and added another winner at Limerick with Island Remede (5/1), under Dylan Robinson, in the Frontline Security Maiden Hurdle. Previously a smart performer on the flat, Island Remede showed the benefit of his three previous hurdle efforts when beating Gunnery Sergeant by half a length.
De Bromhead was at Leopardstown and following Island Remede’s win, his representative and amateur jockey David Roche stated: “She was a good mare on the flat and her hurdle form has been getting better recently. The softer ground seems to be helping her and she seems better on it. The winning owner, David Egan, is from Kildare, and he’s a friend of Henry’s.”
The Parkway Shopping Centre Handicap Hurdle was won by 22/1 shot Barrys Jack, which credited Pat Coffey with his first winner at the venue with the trainer combining with winning jockey John Fitzpatrick successfully for the first time.
Following the race, Coffey commented: “He failed to win until now but is a good horse, jumps brilliantly and seemed to handle the ground better than any of them. I ran two horses earlier this week and they were a disgrace!
“It’s fantastic, it’s my first winner here and I’m based nearby in Nenagh. He’ll be sold if somebody will buy him off me. I’ve also had two or three point-to-point winners in the autumn and this is my second Irish winner although I had a double in England years ago. John (Fitzpatrick) comes in two days a week schooling and he gave it a great ride.”
ATTENDANCE: 8,939
(2015 not available)
ACTING STEWARDS:
P. McLernon, D. Gavin, J. McGuire, C. O’Mahony, H. Hynes.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
GUNNERY SERGEANT (N. Meade): He is already Grade 1-placed over hurdles and, having finished second today, he looks sure to win his maiden hurdle in the coming weeks.