THE feature race on the opening day of the Winter Festival in Fairyhouse was the EasyFix Equine Handicap Chase and it also proved to be the pick of the performances on the clock with Dunvegan (138) maintaining his unbeaten record at Fairyhouse under a finely judged front-running ride by Bryan Cooper.

The cliché of jumping from fence-to-fence could not have applied more as the grey produced a series of flying leaps to assert his authority on the race.

The overall race time when adjusted for distance was 20 lengths faster than the best of the two-mile-five-furlong races won by Lord Lariat (122).

Pat Fahy’s gelding backed up the impressive time figures with a faster closing sectional as he stopped the clock at 94.7 seconds compared to Lord Lariat’s 95.1 seconds.

The other point to note about the race was how well Grange Walk (137) ran in finishing second as he had previously been beaten 36 lengths behind River D’Atel.

Bryan Cooper had also made all the running in the opening chase aboard Lieutenant Command (110+) albeit at a much slower pace.

Noel Meade’s novice was faster through the closing stages as he posted 93.1 seconds from the fifth last fence, although the official race time was a further 17 lengths slower than Lord Lariat.

The best of the races over the smaller obstacles saw Gordon Elliott complete a double when Chemical Energy (130) confirmed the promise he had previously shown when chasing home My Mate Mozzie. The overall race time was 1.1 seconds faster than Broomfields Jeremy’s handicap hurdle win, although I also have that race as worthy of following.

The margin when comparing the final circuit grew to three seconds, or 15 lengths, between the two races but Broomfields Jeremy (130) (89.0) edged the closing split time with Chemical Energy (89.5) 0.5 seconds slower.

To complete the picture for the winners Gringo D’Aubrelle (105+) and Grangee (95+) clocked 91.1 and 90.9 respectively.