Racing – Gowran Park:War Of Attrition recorded a heartwarming success in the Grade Two Alo Duffin Memorial Galmoy Hurdle for Mouse Morris at Gowran Park this afternoon.
The 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero has spent plenty of time on the sidelines since his glory days and was sent off at 6-1 to gain his first success in over a year.
Sporting cheekpieces for the first time, the 11-year-old jumped impeccably throughout for Slippers Madden at the head of affairs. The veteran had all of his rivals in trouble turning for home and found plenty for pressure in the straight to beat Powerstation and Tony McCoy by four lengths.
A delighted Morris said: "I got great pleasure out of that - it was great to see and he did it well. There were no excuses for the others. They all had their chances. He had a real sparkle about him today and his ears were pricked the whole way.
"I haven't had that much pleasure since he won the Gold Cup. He's in the World Hurdle but the (Aintree) Grand National is the plan and he'll be retired after that."
Madden added: "He's a lovely horse to ride and the cheekpieces helped him to travel. He seemed to enjoy it in front - he jumped big at a few but he enjoyed it.
"He was always going to improve from his last run at Leopardstown. We were a bit worried about the slower ground but he's one of those horses you just enjoy riding."
Whinstone Boy stayed on best in the testing conditions to land the Tendrleen Thyestes Handicap Chase under Sean Flanagan.
The well-backed 5-1 chance was ridden prominently throughout the three-mile contest and was disputing the lead with Siegemaster turning for home.
A couple of mistakes meant the latter dropped away but Jimmy Mangan's Whinstone Boy galloped all the way to the line in the testing conditions to beat Hangover, who finished with a rattle, by a length and three-quarters.
Mangan knows what it takes to win the Grand National having saddled Monty's Pass to success in 2003, but Whinstone Boy is unlikely to follow in his hoofprints, despite earning 40-1 quotes for the Aintree spectacular.
"It's great to win this race as my father won it 29 years ago with Junes Friend, which I led up! It's a race I've always wanted to win," said Mangan.
"He beat Powerstation at Thurles and he went on to win well at Leopardstown so you had to fancy him on that. Soft ground is the big key to him.
"The three lads that own him are from Belfast and were involved with Monty's Pass. I would have been disappointed if he didn't get in here and I had the Galmoy Hurdle as a saver.
"The lads love Liverpool and he'll go for the Topham Chase. He'll get an entry for the Grand National but probably won't get in.
"I told Sean to make plenty of use with him with the light weight. This is my biggest day since Aintree."
Secant Star gained compensation for an unlucky defeat over Christmas with an impressive display in the Ballyhane Stud Maiden Hurdle.
The French import was well clear when falling at the final obstacle on his first start on Irish soil at Leopardstown and was sent off the 2-5 favourite to bounce back.
Sent straight to the head of affairs by Ruby Walsh, the result was scarcely in doubt as he had all of his rivals in trouble turning for home and eased clear to score by seven lengths from Capellanus.
William Hill cut the Willie Mullins inmate to 12-1 from 16-1 for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, while Victor Chandler were even more impressed and go 8-1 from 16-1.
Mullins said: “He’s fairly decent and we’ll up him in grade now. “I’ll look for another nice graded hurdle for him before too long. Leopardstown (February 7th) might just come too soon, although he could run there.
“He looked to do that with ease and is one to look forward to. He’s a fine big horse and is a chaser really.”
Carnbridge recorded his first success in well over three years in the Kilkenny Handicap Hurdle.
The 9-2 chance engaged in a thrilling duel with Take It Easee after jumping the final flight and in receipt of over a stone, Carnbridge took the spoils by a head for trainer Dick Donohoe and jockey Sean Flanagan.
Donohoe said: “It’s nice to get a winner here. In fairness to him he’s been consistent.
“It looked like he was going to be a good second going to the last but he rallied well. Sean gave him a great ride and really asked him at the last. He winged it and that was the winning of the race.
“We’ll run him again soon. He has been running regularly and licking his feed pot. He might turn out again towards the end of next week but today was his Derby.”
Aranleigh, meanwhile, is to sidestep the MCR Chase at Leopardstown on Saturday and wait for the Dr PJ Moriarty Chase there next month. Trainer Tony Mullins landed the latter prize in 2003 with Barrow Drive and is hoping Aranleigh can book his ticket for the RSA Chase to the Cheltenham Festival.
Following a long lay-off, the JP McManus-owned eight-year-old has won both his starts this season and is reported to be in good shape.
“At the moment we intend to go for the Grade One on February 7th instead to see if we have an RSA horse,” said the Gowran-based handler. “He’s been working well and did his latest piece of work this morning and that went well.
“His pedigree suggested two miles might be his best trip, but the jockeys who have ridden him say he’s better at two and a half miles plus. For the moment we don’t know if will get three miles one or not which will be the deciding factor with the RSA.”