HERALD CHAMPION NOVICE HURDLE (GRADE 1)

RARE indeed is the start of Grade 1 the focal point of such attention but the moment before the tapes went up showed just why as the Cheltenham hero Labaik planted himself in a race which saw Cilaos Emery step out of the shadows cast by some higher profile stablemates.

After jumping off without incident at Cheltenham, Labaik’s connections were hoping to banish the memory of various previous refusals. The grey initially appeared content at the start as the runners prepared to jump off but when the seven contestants took a turn, Labaik’s errant streak resurfaced and he remained statue still as the race got underway.

After all this drama the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle second Melon set off in front but it wasn’t long before he was being pressed by Pingshou and this pair engaged in a lengthy duel for supremacy up front.

From before the second last, the battle between the leading duo ebbed and flowed but, turning for home, Cilaos Emery (8/1) began to bear down.

Pingshou was the first to crack and Melon dug in gamely to still lead over the last but he eventually had to give best to the oncoming Cilaos Emery and David Mullins. At the line the Luke McMahon-owned five-year-old, who made a winning start to his career in the bumper on this card last year, had a length to spare over Melon. Pingshou was third with Forge Meadow fourth.

“I think Davy Russell and Ruby took each other on down the backstraight and maybe did too much. They cracked and David’s horse was then able to come with a wet sail over the last,” said Mullins.

“I’m disappointed for Melon but Ruby had to do what he did as he would have been kicking himself if Pingshou had gone on to win. I am pleased for Cilaos Emery as I did think he was better than he had shown on his last few runs.

“It’s fantastic for Luke McMahon who owns the winner and is a great supporter of the yard. I think there’s more to come from both of ours and I’d say we will look at keeping them over hurdles next season,” added Mullins, who was winning the race for the third time in four years.

Of Labaik, Gordon Elliott later reflected: “It would have been great if they went first time but they didn’t and that’s Labaik. We know he has a massive engine, he showed that at Cheltenham, but he’d beak your heart at times.”