THE former Grade 1-winning hurdler Bapaume headed a treble for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend with a jumping display of real quality in the Kildare Post & Kildare Now Beginners Chase.

This two-mile, three-furlong affair played host to a pair of subsequent Cheltenham Festival winners in A Plus Tard and Duc Des Genievres 12 months ago and this year’s scorer has realistic pretentions to holding his own at a much higher.

Although ultimately well beaten on his chasing debut, the Susannah Ricci-owned gelding jumped brilliantly that day and it was a similar story here.

The angle of the sun meant that the two fences in the straight were omitted and this certainly wouldn’t have done Bapaume any favours as he produced another display that would have befitted the most seasoned of chasers.

Enjoyed

Even so the 5/4 favourite had matters well in hand by the time he turned for home and he enjoyed a straightforward five-and-a-half-length triumph over Spyglass Hill.

“He’s electric to jump, he’s not the biggest but he has loads of scope. It was a long way up the straight without the two fences but he has done it well,” remarked Townend.

Earlier, the Susannah Ricci-owned Tiger Tap Tap took advantage of a marked drop in class and a step up to two miles, three furlongs in the four-year-old maiden hurdle.

Easier

This Jukebox Jury gelding had taken his chance at graded level on his last three starts, including when ninth in last season’s Triumph Hurdle, but this was much easier.

The evens favourite eased into the lead passing what would have been the second last and then stuck to his task to defeat the dual bumper winner Home By The Lee by a length and a half.

“He’d a hard race on his first run last season and it probably took him a while to get over it. It’s good he’s gotten his head in front and hopefully there’s a bit more to come from him. He could be one to go back on the flat at some stage too,” reported Townend.

Owing to the low lying sun the two hurdles in the straight were omitted in all four of the day’s hurdle races and this meant the runners had to negotiate just four obstacles in the Clinton Higgins Chartered Accountants Mares Maiden Hurdle.

The classy bumper mare Yukon Lil (4/7) was the overwhelming favourite and the Mullins-trained mare record a smooth dozen-length triumph.

The daughter of Flemensfirth is owned by Sue Magnier and she should more than hold her own in some smart mares’ contests over the coming months.

O’Donnell in the right place

THE aptly named Rightplacerightime (7/2), who is owned and trained by Kevin O’Donnell, landed in front on the line to claim a narrow success in the Des Hipwell Naas Member Maiden Hurdle for horses who had never previously been placed.

From the family of the O’Donnell-trained Aine Dubh, who was placed at two Aintree Festivals and belied odds of 100/1 to run a huge race in the 2004 Coral Cup, this Kalanisi four-year-old was building on a fine fifth to Embittered here last month.

Rightplacerightime had to be brave to come though on the inside of Capilano Bridge, who tightened him up late-on, but this €5,000 store purchase was not found wanting when it mattered most.

Chance

This was a chance winner for Barry John Foley who stepped in for the under-the-weather Liam Quinlan.

Foley, who is largely based in America these days, was riding his first winner in Ireland since March 2018.

“He had a very good run the last day and he was very tough at the finish.

“It’s family we know well and possibly he will head to Leopardstown over Christmas,” reported O’Donnell.

Ricky Doyle, who rode the runner-up, was given a four-day careless riding ban.

Just as they did 12 months ago, Patrick Corbett and the Tom Foley-trained veteran All About Alfie (16/1) landed the 80-95 rated handicap hurdle over just short of two and a half miles.

The brave Tom Donohue-owned 11-year-old battled on tenaciously from early in the straight to hold off Eagle Roque and the 66/1 chance Olive D’Haguenet.

This was a seventh career success for Foley’s charge who was wearing blinkers for the first time.

Patrick Corbett was hit with a six-day whip ban for his efforts.

Eagle Roque’s rider Bryan Cooper was given a one-day whip suspension.

The Long Mile gets home at last

IT took him quite some time to get on top but the strongly supported The Long Mile justified 13/8 faouritism in the 0-109 rated handicap chase over two miles.

On his handicap chase debut, the Philip Dempsey inmate made a couple of mistakes and for the duration of the straight it looked as though he was struggling to subdue Conright Boy.

To his credit though, the Mark Walsh-ridden and J.P. McManus-owned five-year-old asserted as the line loomed to prevail by three-quarters of a length.

After his father dominated the rest of the card, Patrick Mullins also got among the winners courtesy of Lady Temperance (10/1) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Flat Race.

The daughter of Getaway, who is trained by Margaret Mullins for owner-breeder Daniel Furini, led over a furlong from home before a one-and-three-quarter-length success over Fairyhill Run.

“She’s a good, genuine sort and was a little green still so she should improve. She could go for another bumper,” remarked the trainer.

King refuses to submit to dope test

JOCKEY Alan King was referred on to the IHRB after the stewards received a report from doping control officer Nick Tarrant that the jockey failed to submit to a dope test after being notified verbally and in writing according to the provisions of Rule 7.

Tarrant reported that he did subsequently make contact with the rider who had long left the racecourse.