JNwine.com Champion

Chase (Grade 1)

ROAD To Riches opened up a path to the Gold Cup with a dominant front-running display in the Grade 1 JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal.

Noel Meade’s seven-year-old powered home in the Galway Plate at the end of July and continued his ascent up the jumping ranks with a resolute galloping and jumping performance over three miles on yielding (soft in places) ground.

Paul Carberry, in the Gigginstown House Stud colours, made all and asked his mount for more before the second last. He responded in coming home clear by 11 lengths from Rocky Creek, having been well-backed from 13/2 to 9/2 at the track.

A delighted Meade, who won this valuable race for the first time, said: “That’s terrific. Everything went a dream. They left him alone. A couple of great jumps up the back stretched them. This was always the plan.

“He was a bit undercooked going to Gowran. He’s still slightly heavy today - 5 or 6kgs over from Galway. I could see him getting tired in Gowran.

“He’s a good horse. I’ll probably leave him now until Christmas. We’ll go to the Lexus if it’s not too heavy. I’d love to go to the Gold Cup, but there are more things to be done. He’s not going to have his next run in the Gold Cup.

“We changed his training regime and diet completely from Punchestown on and it has made a big difference. He has changed.”

Carberry added: “He got his own way which was a big help. His jumping made a big difference. He’s very game and kept galloping to the line. He jumped the last two well and wasn’t stopping.”

Tammys Hill was later reported to have scoped dirty and cut a leg.