Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase (Grade 1)

THE Caldwell Construction-owned Mighty Potter (3/1) proved mighty impressive when winning this two and a half mile chase at Fairyhouse last Sunday, initiating a Grade 1 double for trainer Gordon Elliott and jockey Jack Kennedy who had narrowly lost out in the preceding Royal Bond Hurdle.

One of four French-bred winners on the eight-race card and one of two five-year-olds in the 10-runner field, Mighty Potter jumped well throughout and into the lead five from home.

He pecked on landing after the next two fences but jumped the two in the straight well and was never in danger of being caught by Gaillard Du Mesnil, one of five Willie Mullins-trained runners, who was four and a half lengths adrift at the post.

The runner-up finished 14 lengths clear of the third-placed Banbridge while the Elliott-trained favourite, Three Stripe Life, was pulled up at the 10th by Davy Russell after his saddle had slipped after he over-jumped two fences earlier and he was unable to recover his irons.

This was a sixth career success and a third Grade 1 victory for Mighty Potter whose previous top level wins had been in the Grade 1 Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown last Christmas and in the Bective Stud Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in April.

On Sunday, the Martaline gelding was racing for the second time over the larger obstacles having won his beginners’ chase at Down Royal early last month.

Wonderful ride

“That was brilliant and Jack gave him a wonderful ride,” said Elliott who was winning this Grade 1 contest for the seventh time.

“I’m delighted for Andrew and Gemma Brown (of Caldwell Construction) and Joey (Logan) who buys all the horses for them – it’s a big team effort. Jack schooled the horse last Monday and I was happy to see the smile on his face when he came back in; he didn’t need to say anything.

“This horse is still very immature but he’s a good one and I’d imagine he’ll stay at middle distance; we don’t need to rush him. We’ll enjoy today and see what happens next.

“He looked good there; the second is a second-season novice who was placed (third) in the Irish National (and in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) at Cheltenham) and they were well clear of the third. We have a good bunch of young horses this season.”

Marine Nationale fights tough /section>

Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle (Grade 1)

KILDARE interloper Barry Connell spoiled Gordon Elliott’s bid to initiate a Grade 1 treble at Fairyhouse on Sunday but he was still given a rousing reception by the mainly Meath crowd as he led his Michael O’Sullivan-ridden winner, Marine Nationale, back to the No 1 spot.

The winner of two summer bumpers and a maiden hurdle on good ground on his three previous career starts, the five-year-old French Navy gelding was meeting soft conditions for the first time here, a fact that concerned both trainer and rider who were bidding for a first Grade 1 success in their respective roles.

As on his hurdling debut at Punchestown in October, Marine Nationale (11/2)jumped well for most of the two-mile race.

However, coming with his bid before the last, he got right under that flight before catching the Elliott-trained Irish Point close home to score by a head with Ashroe Diamond, the best of the Willie Mullins-trained quartet, four lengths back in third.

The plan

“I thought our ground was gone as this was the plan!” said Connell. “He travelled well, jumped and settled but nearly threw it away with that bunny-hop at the last.

“That’s the first time he’s been off the bridle in his life and he had to be tough. I didn’t know what he’d do off the bridle as, sometimes, these bridle horses don’t find a whole lot.

“We ride him for speed. He’s actually a flat-bred horse, so we were always going to sit in behind the fancied ones and have a go. He’ll improve again from that and is a genuine Grade 1 horse now.

“I’d imagine we’ll skip Leopardstown at Christmas, as he had a hard race there, and instead go for the Dublin Racing Festival and then the Supreme.”

Connell’s yellow and blue colours were carried to victory in this race in 2013 when Danny Mullins guided the Philip Fenton-trained The Tullow Tank to victory. That Oscar gelding did head to the Leopardstown Christmas Festival where he won the Grade 1 Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle and Connell has had plenty of experience as an owner, and as a rider, at the top level.

Asked how this first Grade 1 training victory compared to his many previous successes, Connell replied: “It’s brilliant. I’ve ridden Cheltenham winners, I’ve owned Cheltenham winners, but this is a different league altogether.”