RACING:APT APPROACH booked his place in Willie Mullins' team for Cheltenham with a game victory in the Matty Ryan Memorial Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles yesterday.
The Ryanair Chase and the Gold Cup are the festival options for the nine-year-old, who survived a bad mistake at the third-last to capture this Grade Two prize.
Ruby Walsh set out to make all the running on the 9 to 10 shot, but his error at a crucial stage looked a costly one. He lost the lead and dropped back to third place at the fence before the turn for home.
However, he quickly recovered and was soon vying for supremacy with Follow The Plan, who took this race last year.
Apt Approach drew clear on the run-in to score by four and a quarter lengths to complete a hat-trick with Roberto Goldback third.
“He must be a fair horse to win after making a mistake like that, and he’s certainly improving,” said Mullins. “It’s very hard to find a race for him and he’s too high now for handicaps, so he’ll either go for the Ryanair Chase or the Gold Cup. Maybe the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park next month could be an option before Cheltenham.”
Reflecting on the mistake, Walsh said: “I gave him a chance to get his wind back and get galloping again. He’d have been a good winner without it, but he was good enough to win making that mistake.”
Davy Russell strengthened his grip on the lead in the Irish jump jockeys’ title race with a double on Knockfierna and Folsom Blue.
Trainer Charles Byrnes sang Russell’s praises after he had got Knockfierna home in the Coolmore National Hunt Sires EBF Mares Novice Chase.
Russell rode the seven-year-old with supreme confidence despite her having run out at the second last when holding every chance at Limerick on her previous start.
Byrnes said: “Davy gets on really well with her, and him being on board made up for the 6lb she was giving away.
“She has been a revelation and will go to Limerick on March 18th for a similar race.”
Russell had earlier steered Folsom Blue (9 to 2) to a comfortable win in the INH Stallion Owners EBF Novice Hurdle in tremendous style.
Successful over two miles at Limerick three weeks ago, the Conor O’Dwyer-trained five-year-old found the extra six furlongs and the testing conditions to his liking.
He cruised past Star Neuville before the second-last flight and pulled clear to win by nine-and-a-half lengths.
O’Dwyer said: “I wasn’t sure whether to go novice hurdling or handicapping with him after Limerick. He’s a bit small but I wouldn’t swap him, and he jumps well and stays well.”
