THERE was a feelgood factor about Empire Of Dirt’s victory in the Leopardstown Chase on Sunday. The Gigginstown House horse had been threatening to win a big race like this for a while, and it is remarkable to think that Sunday’s victory was just his
second over fences.

If the ball had hopped a little differently, the Gigginstown House horse could have had a clutch of races in the bag before Sunday. He probably would have won a handicap chase at Thurles in January last year, had the tricky second last fence not caught him out, and he would surely have gone close in the Troytown Chase at Navan last November had he not come down at the third last fence.