SOLNESS REPEATED HIS victory of 12 months ago in the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase when seeing off a truly gallant Marine Nationale in a thrilling race at Leopardstown.
Only half a length separated them at the line in the Grade One feature, but the Barry Connell-trained Marine Nationale and Sean Flanagan had worked wonders mid-race to keep their partnership intact after a dreadful blunder.
It was to their credit they arrived almost upsides Solness (8-1), with Majborough just behind, at the final fence, but it was Joseph O’Brien’s Solness, with Sam Ewing replacing the stood down J J Slevin, who prevailed for the second year in a row.
What a finish!
Solness takes the Paddy's Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown
“He’s very good here in Leopardstown,” said O’Brien, who went close to back-to-back King George VI Chase wins at Kempton Park yesterday with Banbridge.
“I don’t know what it is, we tend to keep him wide looking for the better ground and he likes being in lots of space and it seems to work.
“My heart goes out to J J who was stood down with concussion after the last race. He’s done all the hard work on the horse, but Sam gave him a fantastic ride.
“The horse is as tough as nails, and it was a great race. It was a great run from Marine Nationale after making that mistake early.
“He’ll come back here for the Dublin Racing Festival. The track suits him as he likes to be ridden aggressively and the drier ground here.”
Later, Skylight Hustle was a rather fortunate winner of the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown after Talk The Talk fell at the final flight.
Gordon Elliott’s Skylight Hustle had himself moved stylishly into contention, but he looked booked for second when Joseph O’Brien’s Talk The Talk quickened impressively and was half a length up jumping the last.
Just as Ewing was poised to be beneficiary of two Grade Ones on the card stepping in for the concussed J J Slevin, Talk The Talk landed too steeply and was unable to keep his balance, handing the race to the 3-1 favourite by five lengths from Carrigmoornaspruce.
Skylight Hustle takes advantage of a fall for Talk The Talk to continue a great Leopardstown Christmas Festival for Gordon Elliott with a win in the the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle
“He travelled like a dream the whole way and jumped like a buck,” said Elliott.
“I thought looking at it live that we were beat, but when I looked at the re-run, I wasn’t sure (with) the way my lad galloped from the last to the line.
“Jack said when he came in ‘I can’t guarantee I would have won but I definitely wasn’t beat’. He said he really liked the way he went from the last to the line.
“It happened to us yesterday (when El Cairos fell when in front at the last) but that’s why it’s called jump racing.
“He’s a good horse and I think he’ll stay further as well.
“I’d imagine he’ll come back here for the Dublin Racing Festival.”
Jockey Sam Ewing. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
On another day dominated by Gordon Elliott, Ewing also won on his Hardy Stuff (20-1) in the three-year-old maiden hurdle, partnered Solness to victory in the feature and then with outsider Favori De Champdou, was the surprise winner of the Paddy Power Chase.
Favori De Champdou made just about all but was headed approaching the last, only to battle back gamely and hold off stablemate Search For Glory.
“I’m buzzing, to win one of the biggest handicaps at Leopardstown and a Grade One, it almost couldn’t be better,” said Ewing.
“Talk The Talk actually jumped the last very well and is a very exciting prospect, I was confident I’d have won.”
Elliott has well and truly been the man to follow in recent weeks and said of Favori De Champdou: “I can’t believe the way things are going. Sam was good on him and got it easy in front and James (Smith) was good on the second horse, so I’m delighted,” said Elliott.
“Maybe the cross-country the last day helped to sweeten him up a bit. It’s great prize-money and they are the races you want to win.
“Jack (Kennedy) is first jockey, but Sam, Danny (Gilligan) and all the boys are there at home. They have to wait their turn but it just goes to show when you keep your head down and keep working you get your chances.”
Hardy Stuff (20-1) came from the clouds to ensure Ole Ole finished second for a third successive race, after which Elliott said: “We fancied him in one of those academy hurdles early on and he ran out at the first bend.
“He could be one for the Fred Winter at Cheltenham.”
Elliott and Kennedy, who were on the mark with Skylight Hustle, then won the National Maternity Hospital Foundation Handicap Hurdle with Bowensonfire (3-1 favourite).
“Jack is riding out of his skin and deserves every bit of luck he is getting. He’s had more knocks than most but he’s coming back stronger and stronger,” said Elliott.
“The ride he gave that horse was unbelievable. I was slagging him coming in that it took him enough goes to figure out how to ride him! He’s a tricky horse but he said he got bumped at the first and ended up a bit wide and it may have suited.”
When asked about leading the trainers’ championship, he said: “I know I have no chance! There was a time I used to go to bed every night thinking about it, but I don’t anymore.
“I’m lucky and unlucky to be training at the same time as a man called Willie Mullins. I’m just enjoying it and worrying about my own horses and myself rather than worrying about anyone else and I think it’s working.”
Kargese got off the mark over fences at the second attempt in the Paddy Power From The Horses Mouth Podcast Beginners Chase but the race was marred by the fatal fall of James’s Gate.
Martin Brassil’s James’s Gate was returning after a year off the track and was the only serious rival to Willie Mullins’ County Hurdle winner when falling at the second-last.
That left Kargese (10-11 favourite) to come home alone.
“She was a lot sharper today, jumped better and finished out her race. I think there is more improvement in her, so looking forward to the rest of the season,” said Mullins.
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Solness denies Marine Nationale in Leopardstown thriller
SOLNESS REPEATED HIS victory of 12 months ago in the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase when seeing off a truly gallant Marine Nationale in a thrilling race at Leopardstown.
Only half a length separated them at the line in the Grade One feature, but the Barry Connell-trained Marine Nationale and Sean Flanagan had worked wonders mid-race to keep their partnership intact after a dreadful blunder.
It was to their credit they arrived almost upsides Solness (8-1), with Majborough just behind, at the final fence, but it was Joseph O’Brien’s Solness, with Sam Ewing replacing the stood down J J Slevin, who prevailed for the second year in a row.
“He’s very good here in Leopardstown,” said O’Brien, who went close to back-to-back King George VI Chase wins at Kempton Park yesterday with Banbridge.
“I don’t know what it is, we tend to keep him wide looking for the better ground and he likes being in lots of space and it seems to work.
“My heart goes out to J J who was stood down with concussion after the last race. He’s done all the hard work on the horse, but Sam gave him a fantastic ride.
“The horse is as tough as nails, and it was a great race. It was a great run from Marine Nationale after making that mistake early.
“He’ll come back here for the Dublin Racing Festival. The track suits him as he likes to be ridden aggressively and the drier ground here.”
Later, Skylight Hustle was a rather fortunate winner of the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown after Talk The Talk fell at the final flight.
Gordon Elliott’s Skylight Hustle had himself moved stylishly into contention, but he looked booked for second when Joseph O’Brien’s Talk The Talk quickened impressively and was half a length up jumping the last.
Just as Ewing was poised to be beneficiary of two Grade Ones on the card stepping in for the concussed J J Slevin, Talk The Talk landed too steeply and was unable to keep his balance, handing the race to the 3-1 favourite by five lengths from Carrigmoornaspruce.
“He travelled like a dream the whole way and jumped like a buck,” said Elliott.
“I thought looking at it live that we were beat, but when I looked at the re-run, I wasn’t sure (with) the way my lad galloped from the last to the line.
“Jack said when he came in ‘I can’t guarantee I would have won but I definitely wasn’t beat’. He said he really liked the way he went from the last to the line.
“It happened to us yesterday (when El Cairos fell when in front at the last) but that’s why it’s called jump racing.
“He’s a good horse and I think he’ll stay further as well.
“I’d imagine he’ll come back here for the Dublin Racing Festival.”
On another day dominated by Gordon Elliott, Ewing also won on his Hardy Stuff (20-1) in the three-year-old maiden hurdle, partnered Solness to victory in the feature and then with outsider Favori De Champdou, was the surprise winner of the Paddy Power Chase.
Favori De Champdou made just about all but was headed approaching the last, only to battle back gamely and hold off stablemate Search For Glory.
“I’m buzzing, to win one of the biggest handicaps at Leopardstown and a Grade One, it almost couldn’t be better,” said Ewing.
“Talk The Talk actually jumped the last very well and is a very exciting prospect, I was confident I’d have won.”
Elliott has well and truly been the man to follow in recent weeks and said of Favori De Champdou: “I can’t believe the way things are going. Sam was good on him and got it easy in front and James (Smith) was good on the second horse, so I’m delighted,” said Elliott.
“Maybe the cross-country the last day helped to sweeten him up a bit. It’s great prize-money and they are the races you want to win.
“Jack (Kennedy) is first jockey, but Sam, Danny (Gilligan) and all the boys are there at home. They have to wait their turn but it just goes to show when you keep your head down and keep working you get your chances.”
Hardy Stuff (20-1) came from the clouds to ensure Ole Ole finished second for a third successive race, after which Elliott said: “We fancied him in one of those academy hurdles early on and he ran out at the first bend.
“He could be one for the Fred Winter at Cheltenham.”
Elliott and Kennedy, who were on the mark with Skylight Hustle, then won the National Maternity Hospital Foundation Handicap Hurdle with Bowensonfire (3-1 favourite).
“Jack is riding out of his skin and deserves every bit of luck he is getting. He’s had more knocks than most but he’s coming back stronger and stronger,” said Elliott.
“The ride he gave that horse was unbelievable. I was slagging him coming in that it took him enough goes to figure out how to ride him! He’s a tricky horse but he said he got bumped at the first and ended up a bit wide and it may have suited.”
When asked about leading the trainers’ championship, he said: “I know I have no chance! There was a time I used to go to bed every night thinking about it, but I don’t anymore.
“I’m lucky and unlucky to be training at the same time as a man called Willie Mullins. I’m just enjoying it and worrying about my own horses and myself rather than worrying about anyone else and I think it’s working.”
Kargese got off the mark over fences at the second attempt in the Paddy Power From The Horses Mouth Podcast Beginners Chase but the race was marred by the fatal fall of James’s Gate.
Martin Brassil’s James’s Gate was returning after a year off the track and was the only serious rival to Willie Mullins’ County Hurdle winner when falling at the second-last.
That left Kargese (10-11 favourite) to come home alone.
“She was a lot sharper today, jumped better and finished out her race. I think there is more improvement in her, so looking forward to the rest of the season,” said Mullins.
“Jumping two more fences would be a help to her.”
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Joseph O'Brien Leopardstown Racing