SIR Des Champs was the star attraction at Thurles on Thursday and did not disappoint on his comeback from a 691-day absence when taking the Listed Boomerang Animal Bedding and Boomerang Horse & Country Store Chase by a comfortable margin.
Sidelined since finishing fourth to Bobs Worth in the Lexus Chase almost two years ago the Willie Mullins-trained 11/10 favourite raced in fourth behind the clear leader Rubi Light for the first mile.
Staying on stoutly from the second last, Bryan Cooper’s mount whittled away Rubi Light’s advantage to take it up before the final fence and, in receipt of 7lb, was two and three-quarters of a length up on his rival at the line.
The nine-year-old is a three-time Grade 1 winner over fences for Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud and his trainer said: “At least he’s on the way back. I didn’t train him for this race but just ran him when I saw the conditions.
“He was getting all the allowances and had his trip and his ground. He loves racing like that and takes a mile and a half or two to warm up - I think he gives more of himself in the second half of a race. He’s in everything but will probably go for the Lexus.”
Ruby Walsh set up a double for the stable and a brace for himself courtesy of the Supreme Horse Racing Club’s Myska who was victorious first time over obstacles in the two-mile, six and a half furlong Thurles Mares Maiden Hurdle.
The 4/7 favourite was pulling double on the run to the last and her rider only had to let out an inch of rein for her to oblige by a facile one and three-quarters of a length from the long-time leader Princess Lir. Sadly Little Trixie took a fatal fall at the penultimate flight.
The winner clearly has an engine because she barely jumped a hurdle and Mullins was in full agreement, saying: “That probably wasn’t her ideal trip and she pulled too hard and was very novicey. She needed every bit of the experience that she had today and I hope there’s lots of improvement in her over a shorter trip. We’ll find a novice hurdle for her now, preferably a mares.”
The champion jockey then teamed up with Pat Fahy for success aboard 6/1 shot Micras in the Horse & Jockey 80-05 Handicap Hurdle. Never too far away George Moore’s four-year-old had to withstand interference from the turn-in and in the closing stages before getting the better of the well-supported market leader Lake Field by half a length.
The result stood after a stewards’ inquiry but Fahy remarked: “She had to work hard for it, I suppose but battled away after getting a few bumps. She’ll stay handicapping and we’ll keep upgrading her in handicaps and see how far she goes.”
There was early drama in the www.thurlesraces.ie Beginners Chase when the 9/10 favourite Moyle Park blundered badly at the first and was pulled up injured shortly afterwards.
STRAIGHTFORWARD TASK
His departure left the front-running chasing debutant Ttebbob with a straightforward task in beating All Hell Let Loose by six lengths under Robbie Power.
Unfortunately the 3/1 winner’s Dublin owner David Bobbett was an absentee but his wife Ann and son Shane were on hand.
The six-year-old’s trainer Jessica Harrington was understandably upbeat afterwards, commenting: “I’ve been looking forward to that for a while and schooled him around Punchestown on Monday on his own.
“My only worry was that something would take him on over the first couple but Robbie was able to take him back after the third last and get another breather into him between the last two. He’ll probably go to Navan on December 6th for that Grade 3 and run at Christmas after that. We’ll know more then but I’d say we’ll probably go two miles or two and a half with him rather than bottoming him out over further.”
Gigginstown House were doubly-represented in the INH Stallion Owners EBF Rated Novice Hurdle but it was the Jack Kennedy-ridden 7/2 chance Roman Gold who came out on top by six lengths rather than the favourite Just Cause who had to settle for the runner-up spot.
The winner is a lovely big horse and trainer Gordon Elliott commented: “He was getting all the allowances today with Jack’s claim. I was just worried about him getting the trip but Jack gave him a nice ride and the plan is to go jumping fences straight away.”
There was plenty of money for Long House Island in the Liscahill Novice Handicap Hurdle and the Turtle Island gelding was backed from 11/2 in the morning down to 2/1 favourite.
Ridden and trained by Denis Hogan for his Birdhill owner John ‘J.D.’ Duggan he held the late challenge of Repeater by a head.
The winner appeared to lean in on the second in the closing stages but following a stewards enquiry no alteration was made to the result.
Hogan stated: “He missed a year and a half through injury and was having his first run for me when fifth in a good handicap at Naas. He obviously improved from it but can be a bit hot and John O’Meara who rides him out at home is the key to him.”
In the absence of the long odds-on favourite Fulham Road who failed to line out for the Thurles INH Flat Race due to lameness, the spoils went to the John Joe Walsh-trained Presentingoscar who gave his Ballinhassig owner-breeder Christy Buckley his second winner in the past fortnight by four and a quarter lengths from Robbina.
“He seemed to love the ground and won easy,” said the trainer of the William Cronin-ridden 7/1 winner. “He’ll probably run around Christmas time in a hurdle race or a bumper and I’d say he’ll make a nice chaser.”
ACTING STEWARDS
T. Rudd, Mrs F. Ward, P. Curling, M.F. O’Donoghue
HORSE TO FOLLOW
BEN BUTTON (P.J. Rothwell): Showed that his second placing in a Grade 3 hurdle at Cork on his reappearance was no fluke when chasing home Roman Gold in the novice hurdle. Should be up to winning before long.