ALLAHO MADE LIGHT work of the Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase at Thurles with a straightforward success under Paul Townend.
The 4-11 favourite for the Grade Two contest after his John Durkan Memorial win in December, Willie Mullins’ gelding demonstrated his class when crossing the line 12-lengths ahead of Joseph O’Brien’s Fakir D’oudairies.
Already at the head of the market for the defence of his Ryanair Chase title at the Cheltenham Festival, the victory strengthened that position and the eight-year-old is now generally priced at 5-4 for that event.
“It took a good while for him to get warmed up and he was sticky over the first few fences, where I thought he might have needed some company,” Mullins said.
“He didn’t jump really well until the fourth or fifth fence, but flew the last and Paul said he was flying at the finish.
“He is a big horse – we’ve had some huge horses over the years; Douvan, Monkfish and him.
“Some of those big horses can’t adjust at fences, but he can and danced in front of a couple of fences and does it very easily.
“If he’s not right, he isn’t afraid of taking a few quick steps to get out over them.”
🐴 Allaho
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 23, 2022
🏆 Grade 1 Ryanair Chase
🏆 Grade 1 John Durkan Chase
🥇 2x Grade 2 Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase
⭐ Star chaser for @CPStudOfficial
Back-to-back victories in this Grade 2 contest for the eight-year-old, who wins under @PTownend for @WillieMullinsNH at @thurlesraces 👏 pic.twitter.com/9qq5BOnwaK
He added: “We were very happy with him at home and that is it until the Ryanair – more than likely that is the race for him.”
Meanwhile, Gerri Colombe remains unbeaten after a smart victory in the BetVictor W.T. O’Grady Memorial Irish EBF Novice Hurdle.
The Gordon Elliott-trained gelding won two bumpers before triumphing on his hurdling debut at Down Royal over Christmas, an eight-and-a-half-length success that left him well-fancied for this latest assignment.
Starting as the 4-9 favourite under Jack Kennedy, he crossed the line a length and a quarter ahead of his nearest rival.
“He won in spite of the track and we were very worried about running him, but there is a lack of races,” said Elliott, whose six-year-old was cut to 10-1 from 12-1 by Betfair for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
“I didn’t think he had enough experience to go for a Grade One (at the Dublin Racing Festival) and Clonmel could have been a real slog. Jack said it was safe but as good as he wanted it.
“Jack was happy and said he was doing what he needed to do and he was the same in his bumpers.
“He half came off it with a circuit to go, but with a slap down the shoulder he goes again. I thought it was a good performance.
“He’ll go straight to Cheltenham, probably for the Albert Bartlett as he wants the maximum trip.”
Kennedy then secured a double on the card as Ballyshannon Rose (7-2) bounced back from a final-flight fall in the Florida Pearl to take the Grade Two Coolmore N.H. Sires Mogul Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase.
The nine-year-old ran prominently and held off a late challenge from Jeremys Flame to prevail by half a length for trainer Paul Fahey, who has the Irish Grand National in mind for her come springtime.
