JOHN DURKAN
MEMORIAL
PUNCHESTOWN
CHASE (Grade 1)
DJAKADAM’s quest to finally land chasing’s holy grail could hardly have gotten off to a better start as he made it back-to-back wins in the John Durkan Memorial Chase.
As was the case 12 months ago, the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up was making his reappearance in this two and a half miles Grade 1 and he turned in yet another commendable display.
On form and ratings he towered above his four rivals but lying in wait was rising star Sub Lieutenant and this looked an interesting early test for Djakadam.
The 4/5 favourite duly came through this assignment with a contained performance that saw him overcome former stablemate Outlander.
Greater tests will lie in wait over the coming months but, given that he should progress for both this run and a longer trip, the seven-year-old will once again be at the forefront of the staying division this term.
The centrepiece of a memorable afternoon for both Willie Mullins and Susannah Ricci, the Ruby Walsh-ridden gelding was quite happy to take a lead from Sub Lieutenant for much of the race.
He did endure a scare with a mistake at the seventh but he deftly made light of that error and it was all looking a little ominous for his rivals when a prodigious leap carried him to the front at the fifth last.
Sub Lieutenant remained a threat as the straight loomed but he had to give best after two out at which point Outlander launched a menacing effort on the outer.
Outlander looked to pull off a major shock when reaching for the final fence with a quick jump but Djakadam was just too strong and he went to the line in good style to score by a length and a quarter. Sub Lieutenant was the same distance back in third with a long break back to Alelchi Inois and the disappointing Black Hercules.
“It’s great to see that he’s learning, he found a leg when he made that mistake over on the far side,” said Mullins.
“We’ll probably try and do what we did last year and I’d be happy that he was able to do that first time out. He’s coming along well. As to where he goes for his next run I’m not sure yet. He’s only about to turn eight so I’m hoping that he’s only coming into his own now.
Outlander, a Grade 1 winner last season and an unlucky loser in the Clonmel Oil Chase last time, posted a cracking effort to take second place and Gordon Elliott was more than pleased with the efforts of his charge.
“It was a very good run. This was a step up in class from his first two runs this season and he’s acquitted himself well.
“We’ve plenty of options with him and we’ll just see how he comes out of this before making any decision about where he goes next,” observed Elliott.
Also pleased was Henry de Bromhead who felt Sub Lieutenant ran a career best race in third. Next month’s Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles could be on his agenda.
REST OF THE CARD
A TREMENDOUS afternoon for the Willie Mullins-Susannah Ricci alliance began with a smooth front running triumph for Turcagua in the two and a half miles maiden hurdle.
A winner of a Navan bumper two years previously, the grey was returned a well-backed evens favourite to build on an encouraging debut behind Monalee here last month.
Champagne Classic was the only threat to Ruby Walsh’s mount from the turn-in and, once he was brushed aside, victory was assured for the imposing son of Turgeon. Turcagua finished with nine and a half lengths to spare.
“He did it well and this trip is no problem to him. We’ll either stay at this trip or move him up further and we’ll up him in grade next time,” declared the champion trainer.
On his first run for 13 months American Tom made it a treble for Mullins, Walsh and Susannah Ricci in the Alan Lillingston Memorial Beginners Chase.
The five-year-old’s three career outings have spanned two years while this display would suggest that he is quite a talent in the making. The evens favourite produced a free-flowing display from the front and, although he was inclined to hang out to his left, he responded well in between the last two fences when strongly pressed by Gangster.
The latter was almost on terms at the last but American Tom pressed on again to pull a length and a half clear.
“That was good. He was hanging out to his left a little but it was only his third run and I’m hoping that’s down to being green,” said Mullins. “Maybe we’ll try going left-handed with him next time and we’ll look for a nice novice chase for him somewhere.”
Come To Me made it six winners on the day for Mullins with a taking debut triumph in the Old House Kill (Pro/Am) Flat Race. The son of Spanish Moon (7/2) was among a host of interesting newcomers to line up here and Patrick Mullins exuded the utmost confidence in his mount as Burren Life loomed up to challenge off the last bend. Come To Me asserted in good style over the last furlong and a half to finish almost five lengths clear of Burren Life.
“He’s a half-brother to Sweet My Lord and he looks one to look forward to,” commented Mullins, who trains the winner for the Palmerston Racing Partnership. “It looked a reasonable bumper and we’ll look for a winner’s bumper with him in the New Year.”
Sunni May, whose bumper form last season bore the closest inspection, made it two wins from as many starts over timber in the rated novice hurdle.
This two miles contest looked a decidedly tricky event beforehand but Sunni May was much the best and looks like one that could hold his own in smart company. Robbie Power opened up a good lead on the Favourites Racing Syndicate-owned gelding on the run to the last flight and the 2/1 favourite made an impressive recovery from an untidy jump at that flight. He picked up again on the run-in for a resounding five and a half lengths triumph over Kalopsia.
“He had some very good form last season and he’s fulfilling that potential,” stated Mrs Harrington. “Robbie felt that he’d be better going left-handed and he’ll probably run at Christmas as we could get nice ground then and I’m not sure he’d want heavy ground.”
The vastly experienced Dawerann, who didn’t enjoy the smoothest of runs through the race when fourth at Clonmel three days previously, notched up his first win for Gordon Elliott in the two and a half miles handicap hurdle.
Cian Collins got the seven-year-old to the front well before the last and Dawerann stuck to his task well to finish two and a quarter lengths clear of Our Boy Boru. The winner carries the colours of the Gordon Elliott Racing Club.
“The trip suited, it was a bit short for him in Clonmel the other day,” remarked Elliott. “He’ll hopefully win again for us and there’s plenty of routes we can go with him, he has the option of going back chasing or switching to the flat.”
Mary Louise Hallahan sent out her first winner since March as Kansas City Chief (14/1) turned in an especially willing effort to carry the day in the extended three miles handicap chase.
In first-time cheekpieces Kansas City Chief made almost all the running for Denis O’Regan and he kept finding more in the closing stages to repel various challenges. The sternest test of all was posed by Space Cadet but that one could do no more from the last and went down by two and three parts of a length.
ACTING STEWARDS
Mrs J.O. Onions, J. McGrath, N. McCaffrey, C. O’Reilly, P.W. Murtagh
HORSE TO FOLLOW
GANGSTER (H. de Bromhead): A smart novice hurdler last season, he got his chasing career off to a bright start by chasing home American Tom in the beginners’ chase. This first run since April coupled with the first experience over fences should see him progress from this effort and he won’t be long in making his mark over fences.