Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle |
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| Grade 1, Leopardstown 13:45 €100,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m, Class 1  |
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| Friday 27th December 2019 | |
1 Abacadabras 10/11F
2
Heaven Help Us 25/1
3
Embittered 5/1
4 ran NR: Easywork Distances: 8l, 12l, 20l
Time: 3m 55.70s (slow by 10.70s)
Abacadabras eventually grinds down a gutsy Heaven Help Us to win the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle at #Leopardstown pic.twitter.com/8Z5Qj1xavx
— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) December 27, 2019
Abacadabras justifies favouritism in the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle, showing huge potential for the Gordon Elliott yard.
The win pays a huge compliment to stablemate Envoi Allen who comprehensively beat Abacadabras in the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse four weeks ago.
Winning jockey Jack Kennedy told RTE after the race he"ran into a bit of a freak the last day" in reference to Envoi Allen.
The winning rider complimented his own horse adding that Abacadabras has "lots of gears" and was only doing the "bare minimum" to win his first Grade One.
Heaven Help Us finished second at a huge price, having won just a maiden hurdle at Cheltenham when last seen.
It's a significant feather in the cap of her trainer Paul Hennessy who is more readily associated with greyhound racing, having had Derby winners on both sides of the Irish sea in that sphere.
While the second favourite Blue Sari was very disappointing having finished in front of Abacadabras when the pair met in the Cheltenham Champion Bumper.
Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle
2m , Race Value: €100,000, Grade 1
4 ran
Going: Soft, Soft to heavy in places
1 Abacadabras 5 11-10 Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy 10/11F
2 8 Heaven Help Us 5 11-3 Paul Hennessy Sean Flanagan 25/1
3 12 Embittered 5 11-10 Joseph Patrick O'Brien J J Slevin 5/1
4 20 Blue Sari 4 11-7 W P Mullins Mark Walsh 6/4
NR 2 Easywork 5 11-10 Gordon Elliott NON RUNNER
