Racing Post Novice Chase |
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| Grade 1, Leopardstown €100,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m 1f, Class 1  |
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1 Saint Roi 3/1
2 Visionarian 25/1
3 Fil Dor 8/11F
5 ran Distances: 2¼l, 7½l, 12l
Time: 4m 17.70s (slow by 11.70s)
Saint Roi cut for Arkle @CheltenhamRaces after victory in the @RacingPost Novice Chase @LeopardstownRC for Mark Walsh and @WillieMullinsNH pic.twitter.com/G7FxIIiTDJ https://t.co/Bvwj1kIglU via @RacingBetter
— RacingBetter (@RacingBetter) December 28, 2022
Fourth in the Irish Champion Hurdle, the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Punchestown Champion Hurdle last season, the JP McManus-owned Saint Roi had found the reopposing Fil Dor four lengths too strong on his chasing debut at Navan last month.
The pair again dominated the betting, with Fil Dor the 8-11 favourite to confirm his superiority and Saint Roi a 3-1 shot for Willie Mullins and Mark Walsh.
Visionarian gave a bold sight in front for much of the Grade One contest, with a couple of jumping mistakes late in the back straight putting Fil Dor on the back foot.
Walsh, meanwhile, bided his time aboard Saint Roi before producing him to challenge for the lead approaching the final fence.
Visionarian, the 25-1 rank outsider, did his best to make a race of it, but Saint Roi’s class kicked in on the level and he proved two and a quarter lengths too strong in the end.
QuinnBet cut the winner to 14-1 from 25-1 for the Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham in March.
Mullins, saddling his third winner on the card, said: “I thought he ran very well against a horse that had already had a run in Navan. If he’d won we’d be coming here anyway so rather than running in another beginners chase, I thought let him have a crack at a good prize.
“He jumps well enough and he’d schooled very well in the meantime. We decided to change the tactics. JP (McManus) was wondering would he be better waited with and Mark agreed. He’s a nice prospect for the rest of the season.
“He’s not the biggest horse in the world but he jumps very efficiently. He’s also a lot more sensible over a fence than a hurdle.
“He had a hurdle rating good enough to run in championship races but was probably not a champion hurdler himself.”
Racing Post Novice Steeplechase
2m 1f, Race Value: €100,000 guaranteed, Grade 1
5 ran
Going: Yielding
POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 Saint Roi 7 11-12 W P Mullins Mark Walsh 3/1
2 2¼ Visionarian 7 11-12 Peter Fahey Keith Donoghue 25/1
3 7½ Fil Dor 4 11-6 Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy 8/11F
4 12 Hollow Games 6 11-12 Gordon Elliott Denis O'Regan 9/2
5 12 Midnight Run 8 11-12 Joseph O'Brien Mr T Hamilton 14/1
