Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle (Grade 1)

IN his own unflappable and measured style, Envoi Allen retained his unbeaten record and made it back-to-back top-level triumphs which will see him head to Cheltenham in two months’ time as the star among this season’s crop of Irish novice hurdlers.

A third winner of this race for Gordon Elliott in the last four years, the Cheveley Park Stud-owned gelding faced an interesting test as he looked to make it seven wins on the spin. Odds of 1/4 might have suggested that Davy Russell’s mount faced a straightforward task on his first try at two and a half miles but he squared off against some interesting types in Longhouse Poet and Elixir D’Ainay.

Indeed the latter more than played his part in an intriguing spectacle which took place in front of a terrific and expectant crowd.

Favourite

From an early stage of race, Elixir D’Ainay set out his stall and went to the front with the favourite, content to get a lead in second. The front-runner produced a terrific display of jumping and would certainly have exposed any chinks in the favourite’s armour, but Envoi Allen produced his customary assured round of jumping which was interspersed with several clever jumps.

As the leaders turned for home, Elixir D’Ainay remained in front, but with apparently imperceptible effort Envoi Allen moved to the front and went several lengths clear after two out. As usual, Elliott’s charge didn’t do too much in front but he maintained a decent advantage to hit the line with three and a half lengths to spare.

Longhouse Poet was the same distance back in third with Conflated taking fourth.

Proper test

“That was good. It was a proper test and they went a good gallop and our horse jumped well. Davy said that he’s probably learnt more there than he’s ever done and one of the reasons we moved up to two and a half miles was to teach him something new as it wasn’t ideal to be making the running with him the whole time,” said Elliott.

“We will give him various entries at the Dublin Racing Festival but I will have to talk to Chris Richardson and Mr and Mrs Thompson. It wouldn’t shock me if he went straight to Cheltenham off this. He’s having a good blow afterwards which is encouraging.

“I’m going to put him in the Supreme, the Champion Hurdle and the Ballymore. If I was betting I would say that he will probably stay in novice company but we’ll keep our options open as you never know what can happen.

“The trip of the Ballymore would be fine for him and I’d have no problem coming back to two miles.”

It is 11 years since the winner of this race went on to land one of the novice races at Cheltenham, with that horse being Mikael D’Haguenet who progressed to take what is now the Ballymore.

Both the runner-up and the third are likely to head to the Dublin Racing Festival.

Martin Brassil indicated that Longhouse Poet will move up to two and three-quarter miles for that fixture.

More Cash for quality Mullins’ team

THE free-wheeling Cash Back signalled that he is ready to make his presence felt in quality company as he made it two wins from as many starts over fences in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Chase.

Danny Mullins, who was making it 30 winners for the season, sent his mount straight to the front in a quality edition of this two-mile affair where all six of the contestants lined up were last-time-out winners.

Cash Back (7/2) produced a free-flowing and assured display out in front and by the time he turned for home he had only Zero Ten to worry about. That rival was quickly brushed aside as the Watch This Space Syndicate-owned gelding recorded a resounding 12-length triumph.

The winner’s stablemate and favourite Tornado Flyer (found to be suffering from a respiratory infection) never looked to be travelling and pulled up before two out.

“That was a very good performance and he showed a lot of improvement from Navan. He has a good way of running and jumping and the Arkle at Leopardstown would look an obvious race for him,” commented Willie Mullins.

Champion

The champion trainer then struck with the promising Asterion Forlonge (15/8) who followed-up his successful racecourse debut in a Thurles bumper with an impressive success in the INH Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle.

The Marie Donnelly-owned grey more than looked the part under Paul Townend and produced a far better round of jumping than the favourite, Pencilfulloflead, whom he defeated by 10 lengths.

“That was a nice performance from a horse who I think wants to go way out in trip and we’ll look for a novice over two and a half miles for him,” reflected Mullins whose charge should waste no time making his mark at an appreciably higher level of competition.

The card concluded with a taking display from Noel Meade’s Thedevilscoachman (8/1) in the Rushe’s Supervalu (Pro/Am) Flat Race. As ever, the first four-year-old bumper of the year featured some well-touted contestants but none could match Meade’s charge who quickened up decisively for Eoin Walsh to take charge inside the last quarter of a mile. Shakespeare’s Word finished out nicely to lead the chase late-on but he was still a length and three-quarters adrift of the Joe Duke-owned son of Elusive Pimpernel at the line.

“We knew he was a nice horse although I was a bit surprised with how well he quickened up.

“I’d say he’ll probably go for a winners’ bumper,” said the trainer.

Punting woes as Good Thyne crashes out

THE day began with a reversal for odds-on punters when Good Thyne Tara crashed out at the third last to leave Caravation (6/5) to come home in splendid isolation in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase.

Good Thyne Tara moved to the front with five to jump and was going well in a slender lead when getting three out all wrong and this left the Brian Hayes-ridden Caravation to coast home. The William Flood-owned and bred mare was an easy nine-length winner over Goodnightngodbless.

“She had the rub of the green and the other mare was going well but I was happy with our mare and she jumped great. Ideally you’d like to go for a winners’ race before pitching her in at the deep end,” stated Philip Dempsey.

Edward O’Grady enjoyed a deserved change in fortune as Allardyce (2/1) struck in the Eastcoast Seafood & Gouldings Hardware Handicap Chase.

After eight of his 10 runners over the festive period reached the frame, the trainer certainly deserved to get among the winners and this gelding took advantage of the favourite Everlastingpromise’s last-fence blunder to strike the front late-on.

The Class of ’67 Racing Club-owned gelding scrambled home by three-quarters of a length from Dasmyhoss. This made it 27 winners for the season for jockey Philip Enright (who received a two-day whip ban) and he now lies within just three of the best seasonal tally of his career. The valuable Shamrock Handicap Chase at Gowran Park in March is the target for Allardyce.

Easier

Martin Brassil and his son Conor will seldom enjoy an easier winner than Abraham (14/1) who bolted up in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.

The Colm Herron-owned gelding looked like he had only joined in at the second last such was the ease with which he was travelling and he was hard held to defeat Mc Alpine by a length and a quarter.

“I was happy with his work. I’m told he wants quick ground so I was worried it might be a bit slow for him but I’d say he enjoyed the two-mile, three-furlong trip,” reported Brassil whose charge was formerly with Shay Barry.