Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle |
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| Grade 1, Leopardstown 13:45 €85,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m, Class 1  |
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| Sunday 27th December 2015 | |
1 Long Dog 9/4F
2 Tombstone 3/1
3 Petit Mouchoir 10/1
NR: Three Stars (IRE)
9 ran Distances: ¾l, ¾l, 3½l
TIME 4m 8.40s (slow by 23.40s)
Long Dog led from start to finish to claim the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle
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The Willie Mullins-trained four-year-old was bidding for his sixth straight victory and his second at Grade One level, having seen off stablemate Bachasson in the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse last month.
The two stablemates locked horns once more, with Long Dog narrowly leading Bachasson for much of the two-mile journey, before the latter began to falter from the home turn.
Gordon Elliott's Tombstone and another Mullins inmate in Petit Mouchoir emerged as the biggest threats on the run to the final flight, but 9-4 favourite Long Dog dug deep to prevail by three-quarters of a length.
Tombstone was the same distance in front of Petit Mouchoir at the line.
Winning owner Rich Ricci said: "He's very brave and he clearly wants further - Ruby (Walsh) said he was flat out the whole way. The ground was a bit too heavy for him, but he won that very well.
"He'll definitely go up in trip, but I'm not sure whether he'll run between now and Cheltenham - he seems to take his races very well. I'd be happy to go straight to Cheltenham, but it's Willie's call.
"He's a grinder."
Mullins said: "His experience was a big help, and he'd no trouble staying or jumping. He could come back for the Deloitte, but he's had a busy time so we'll have to see. He's learning all the time and the only reason we ran him in the summer was because he missed last season."
Walsh said: "He's very tough. I never felt like I was travelling that well and it felt like I as going as fast as I wanted to be going, but he stuck at it really well.
"He took one or two chances, as I was having to throw him at a few hurdles just to hold my position. When I caught hold of him at the second-last he seemed to find another gear and from there home he stuck at it really, really well.
"He's won his last six - he started in Sligo and he's ended up in Leopardstown at Christmas, so that's brilliant. He's won over two-five, so he can go up in trip."
The Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle
2m , Race Value: €85,000, Grade 1
10 ran
Going: Heavy
| Pos | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Long Dog 9/4f | R Walsh 11-10 |
W P Mullins | 5 | |
| 2nd | ¾ | Tombstone (IRE) 3/1 | B J Cooper 11-10 |
G Elliott | 5 |
| 3rd | ¾ | Petit Mouchoir (FR) 10/1 | J Ricou 11-7 |
W P Mullins | 4 |
| 4th | 3½ | Bleu Et Rouge (FR) 18/1 | M P Walsh 11-7 |
W P Mullins | 4 |
| 5th | 2¼ | Falcon Crest (IRE) 7/1 | B J Geraghty 11-10 |
C Roche | 5 |
| 6th | ½ | Tully East (IRE) 33/1 | A P Heskin 11-10 |
A Fleming | 5 |
| 7th | 2¼ | Baily Cloud (IRE) 66/1 | M A Enright 11-10 |
M F Morris | 5 |
| 8th | nk | Bachasson (FR) 9/2 | Mr P W Mullins 11-7 |
W P Mullins | 4 |
| 9th | 19 | Woodland Opera (IRE) 6/1 | R M Power 11-10 |
Mrs J Harrington | 5 |
| NR | Three Stars (IRE) 14/1 | J J Burke 11-10 |
H de Bromhead | 5 |
