FAKIR D’OUDAIRIES SEIZED the opportunity to go one better than last season and claim an incident-packed renewal of Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase at Thurles.
Joseph O’Brien’s gelding finished second behind Allaho last term and was the 7-4 favourite on his return to the track under JJ Slevin.
In the Grade Two he travelled prominently but tailed the strong-finishing Haut En Couleurs and French Dynamite turning into the home straight.
Fakir D’oudairies takes the Grade 2 Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase (Kinloch Brae) at @thurlesraces - but only after Haut En Couleurs falling at the final fence with victory seemingly at his mercy.
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 22, 2023
🏇 Haut En Couleurs and Bryan Cooper are up OK. pic.twitter.com/0fI14yTLlu
The former looked have the race under control – but a final-flight fall ended his hopes while French Dynamite made a serious mistake behind him.
Fakir D’oudairies then swept through to take up the lead and crossed the line six lengths ahead.
Chacun Pour Soi had moved with promise for a long way, before dropping away quite tamely.
“He got a little lost around the turn and was galloping down the straight but obviously the horse in front fell, although we were coming for a challenge anyway,” O’Brien said.
“I was very pleased with the performance and pleased with how he jumped and it sets him up nicely for the spring. He was giving away weight and I feel as he is getting older, it is taking a bit more work to get him there.
“He is a young horse and over his career has been fantastic and always runs his race. He tries and is a great horse to have in the yard. Today’s race was a good one, they went a good gallop and it was a deep field so I’m very pleased.
“He will potentially go back to Ascot for the Grade One he won last year (Ascot Chase) and then we’ll look at the Ryanair Chase and Aintree. I suppose all those options will be left open.”
Allegorie De Vassy’s winning streak continued as she cantered to victory in the Coolmore N.H. Sires Mogul Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase.
The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old has been victorious in three previous starts for the Clossuton handler, most recently taking the Grade Two Dawn Run Mares Novice Chase at Limerick by 19 lengths.
At the same level at Thurles she was the 1-8 favourite to oblige again – but gave onlookers a fright when pausing to take a look at the first fence and nearly unseating Paul Townend.
That was the only moment of doubt, however, as the bay then strolled home without seeing another rival to prevail by 19 lengths once again.
Mullins said: “Maybe it was my fault as I said to Paul to let her go from the start and she was too exuberant at the first – I don’t think he’ll be listening to me again!
Oh my word! 👀
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 22, 2023
Early drama at @thurlesraces as Paul Townend and hot favourite Allegorie De Vassy almost go their separate ways.
What a recovery! pic.twitter.com/DqP4eP83mC
“Paul thinks it was pure exuberance and he was letting her roll down to the fence rather than pulling her together and asking her. She went off right, but he gathered her together more after that.
“I think it was a one-off thing and she didn’t get a jump this week as our jumping area was frozen.
“She was just too fresh and exuberant, but settled into it nicely and confirmed what she showed at Limerick.
“What impressed me at Limerick was that she was able to jump so well out of the heavy ground – most horses can’t keep that up for two miles and four furlongs, but she did against good opposition.”
Paddy Power make Allegorie De Vassy the 13-8 favourite for the Mares’ Chase they sponsor at Cheltenham, with Coral going 6-4 for the Festival contest.
Mullins added: “I’m very pleased today and doubt she’ll run before Cheltenham although she will have a school somewhere, maybe after the Dublin Racing Festival or the week after that. At the moment the mares’ chase (at Cheltenham) is where she’ll go.”
