Paddy Power Chase |
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| (Extended Handicap Chase) Leopardstown 15:00 Grade B, €200,000 guaranteed 3m 50y, 5yo+  |
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1 Meetingofthewaters 6/1
2
Panda Boy 8/1
3
Real Steel 28/1
4
James Du Berlais 12/1
27 ran NR: Chemical Energy, Ha D'or
Distances: 4½l, 4¾l, ¾l Time: 6m 35.40s (slow by 47.40s)
💧Meetingofthewaters runs away with the Paddy Power Chase
— irishracing.com (@irishracing) December 27, 2023
A huge performance from the six-year-old 👏pic.twitter.com/vo5CkFfhWU
Trained by Willie Mullins, Meetingofthewaters secured a comfortable 6-1 win in the 27-runner race, marking only his fourth start over fences and his first in handicap company.
Even before reaching the straight, Meetingofthewaters appeared to be a strong contender for the win. In the end, he crossed the finish line over four lengths ahead of Panda Boy, with last year's winner Real Steel securing third place in the highly competitive handicap.
Despite the rain-lashed and muddy conditions at Leopardstown, the sun emerged just in time for the race, providing a fitting backdrop for owner Paul Byrne, whose colors were worn by Meetingofthewaters for the first time. Byrne, known for selling the 2022 Grand National winner Noble Yeats and fostering the success of other Emmet Mullins-trained stars, has gained recognition for his ability to identify promising talents at a reasonable cost.
In collaboration with Emmet Mullins, Byrne has enjoyed considerable success. Patrick Mullins, a longtime friend who formerly owned Meetingofthewaters and won Wednesday's bumper on Joystick, played a crucial role in this well-executed plan.
Under the guidance of jockey Danny Mullins, Meetingofthewaters secured Willie Mullins a third Paddy Power victory on a card where the champion trainer rebounded from a rare St Stephen’s Day blank at Leopardstown.
In addition to Meetingofthewaters and Joystick, the Mullins team also triumphed in the Grade One Rewards Club Chase, with Dinoblue leading a clean sweep of the top three spots, all owned by JP McManus.
While Meetingofthewaters may not have Grade One aspirations in the near future, his success underscored Paul Byrne's talent for identifying and acquiring emerging horses for profitable outcomes.
Willie Mullins commented on the victory, acknowledging Byrne's knack for spotting horses in unconventional places and assembling deals effectively. Despite the unpredictability of races like the Paddy Power Chase, Mullins emphasized the value of taking a chance when the weights are favorable, particularly in a race of this nature.
The Paddy Power Steeplechase
Grade B, €200,000 guaranteed, 3m 50y, 5yo+
27 ran
Going: Soft
POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 Meetingofthewaters 6 10-7 W P Mullins Danny Mullins 6/1
2 4½ Panda Boy 7 11-3 Martin Brassil J J Slevin 8/1
3 4¾ Real Steel 10 10-10 E McNamara Conor McNamara 28/1
4 ¾ James Du Berlais 7 11-11 W P Mullins Daryl Jacob 12/1
5 1¼ Amirite 7 11-1 Henry De Bromhead Rachael Blackmore 13/2
6 1¼ Busselton 6 11-9 Joseph O'Brien Conor Stone-Walsh 33/1
7 16 Diol Ker 9 11-8 Gordon Elliott Kieren Buckley 40/1
8 3 Desertmore House 8 11-8 Martin Brassil Ricky Doyle 16/1
9 ½ Hollow Games 7 11-7 Gordon Elliott Kevin Sexton 22/1
10 ½ Adamantly Chosen 6 11-11 W P Mullins Paul Townend 11/1
11 9 Watch House Cross 6 11-3 Henry De Bromhead Darragh O'Keeffe 14/1
12 23 Life In The Park 6 11-1 Henry De Bromhead Mike O'Connor 25/1
FELL Idas Boy 9 11-12 Noel Meade Liam McKenna 28/1
FELL
Royal Thief 9 10-7 Gordon Elliott Baptiste Le Clerc 50/1
FELL Upping The Anti 7 11-0 Henry De Bromhead Ben Harvey 80/1
PU
Ontheropes 9 11-10 W P Mullins Sean O'Keeffe 66/1
PU
En Beton 9 11-2 W P Mullins Michael O'Sullivan 50/1
PU
Run Wild Fred 9 11-11 Gordon Elliott Keith Donoghue 28/1
PU
Embittered 9 11-10 10ex Gordon Elliott Carl Millar 66/1
PU
Punitive 9 10-8 Gordon Elliott Jody McGarvey 100/1
PU
Mister Fogpatches 9 10-8 P A Fahy Richard Condon 50/1
PU Enjoy D'Allen 9 11-0 Ciaran Murphy Sean Flanagan 40/1
PU
Flash De Touzaine 8 10-6 Liz Doyle P J O'Hanlon 33/1
PU
Macs Charm 8 11-5 C A Murphy Brian Hayes 50/1
PU Gars De Sceaux 7 10-9 Gordon Elliott Mark Walsh 11/1
UR
Fakir D'Alene 8 11-5 Gordon Elliott Danny Gilligan 11/1
UR
Jody Ted 7 10-11 Eoin Griffin Mark McDonagh 9/2F
NR 5 Chemical Energy 7 11-10 Gordon Elliott NON RUNNER
NR 13 Ha D'or 6 11-5 W P Mullins NON RUNNER
PREVIOUS WINNERS:
PADDY POWER HANDICAP STEEPLECHASE
| YEAR | WINNER | AGE | TRAINER | JOCKEY |
| 2022 | Real Steel | 9 | E McNamara | Conor McNamara |
| 2021 | Schoolboy Hours | 8 | Noel Meade | Sean Flanagan |
| 2020 | Castlebawn West | 7 | Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2019 | Roaring Bull | 6 | Gordon Elliott | Jack Kennedy |
| 2018 | Auvergnat | 8 | E Bolger | D J McInerney |
| 2017 | Anibale Fly | 7 | Tony Martin | D Meyler |
| 2016 | Noble Endeavor | 7 | Gordon Elliott | Davy Russell |
| 2015 | Minella Foru | 6 | Edward Harty | Barry Geraghty |
| 2014 | Living Next Door | 8 | Tony Martin | Denis O’Regan |
| 2013 | Rockyaboya | 9 | Willie Mullins | Ruby Walsh |
| 2012 | Colbert Station | 8 | Ted Walsh | AP McCoy |
| 2011 | Cross Appeal | 5 | Noel Meade | Paul Carberry |
| 2010 | Majestic Concorde | 7 | Dermot Weld | Mr Robbie McNamara |
| 2009 | Oscar Time | 8 | Martin Lynch | Robbie Power |
| 2008 | Wheresben | 9 | Seamus Fahey | Mr Jarlath Fahey |
| 2007 | Newbay Prop | 8 | Tony Martin | Ross Geraghty |
