BLOOD DESTINY WAS cut to second-favourite behind stablemate Lossiemouth for the JCB Triumph Hurdle following an all-the-way win in the Race Displays Hurdle at Fairyhouse.
The Willie Mullins-trained juvenile was an easy winner on his Irish debut at Cork but was facing much sterner opposition on this occasion.
Nevertheless, Blood Destiny was still sent off the 8-13 favourite and as soon as Paul Townend bounced him into an early lead the result was never in any doubt.
Heading down the back straight Blood Destiny held an advantage of 10 lengths although by the second-last the chasing pack, headed by Nusret, had closed right up.
However, as soon as Townend took a look behind him and shook the reins Blood Destiny quickened away to win by 18 lengths from Common Practice, who caught Nusret from second.
Davy Russell, having his first ride back since returning to the saddle, could only finish fifth on Jazzy Matty.
“He has obviously improved again from Cork. He just has a lovely way of going about it,” said Townend.
When asked if he could compare him to Lossiemouth he added: “The two of them are good. It’s hard to compare juveniles, the amount he has improved from Cork and where she is, she’s doing things right.
“It’s nice to have the two of them.”
Betfair make Blood Destiny a 5-1 chance behind Lossiemouth, their 6-5 favourite.
At Kempton, Pic D’Orhy stamped his class on the Silviniaco Conti Chase to give Paul Nicholls a third win in the Grade Two in four years and set up a potential clash with Shishkin next time out.
Fresh from success in the Peterborough Chase, Pic D’Orhy (6-4 favourite) looked the one to beat and so it proved, as bar one mistake before the turn into the home straight he never looked in any danger.
Coral cut the winner into 14-1 from 25s for the Ryanair Chase and on this form he would seem well worth his place in the field.
Later on the card, West Balboa just pipped Red Risk in a thrilling finish to the Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle – capping a memorable afternoon for trainer Dan Skelton and providing Bridget Andrews with one of the most valuable winners of her career.
Andrews — whose husband is Skelton’s brother, Harry — cruised into contention on 12-1 shot West Balboa as one by one the field thinned out.
West Balboa held a slight advantage on the run to the final flight but met it all wrong, seemingly handing the initiative to Red Risk, as Up For Parol weakened.
To the mare’s credit, though, she battled back gamely and while a photograph was needed to separate the pair, there was a short head in it.
