RACING:APT APPROACH saw off the challenge of Tranquil Sea to win the Holden Plant Rentals Chase at Tramore yesterday for Willie Mullins.
With Ruby Walsh in action at Cheltenham and Paul Townend riding at Fairyhouse, it was left to David Casey to steer the nine-year-old to a Listed success.
A promising performer in his younger days, he has had a multitude of problems which have restricted him to just 14 starts. He was always travelling well towards the head of affairs with Roi Du Mee and Tranquil Sea.
Roi Du Mee lost all chance with a bad mistake half a mile out and despite looking threatening turning in, Tranquil Sea found little.
Apt Approach (5 to 1) was driven out to come home five and a half lengths clear.
Casey had only ridden Apt Approach once before when they appeared to have a valuable race at the Punchestown Festival sewn up before falling at the last.
Casey quipped: “That makes up for the Punchestown Festival!” Mullins’ representative Gary Davis added: “David went out to win it from the word go and gave him a good, positive ride. He jumped well, got through the very bad ground, found plenty and did it very well.”
Ruby Walsh hopes Mikael d’Haguenet can return to the form he showed as a novice hurdler after he won his second race of the season at Punchestown on Saturday.
Willie Mullins’ charge appeared destined for great things when winning the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2009 and then followed up at Punchestown.
Injury kept him off the track for the best part of 18 months, yet on his return he was about to win first time out over fences in Grade One company when he stumbled after the last.
He followed up on Saturday, and Walsh said: “He’s getting back to what he was. That race yesterday only had four runners but the Shark’s (John Hanlon) horse (Western Leader) went a serious gallop and never stopped.
“Mikael took it off him turning in and idled a bit but I liked the way he picked up from the last. He’s getting back to where he was, he’s going in the right direction. He was an incredible horse as a novice hurdler and I hope he can come back to that.”
Walsh believes Long Run deserves to be favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Despite Walsh getting the better of Long Run in both the Betfair Chase at Haydock and the King George at Kempton on Kauto Star this season, he feels the younger horse still has plenty going for him.
“Kauto is not getting any younger and Long Run beat us comprehensively in the Gold Cup last year,” Walsh said. “I’m looking forward to it and I hope we all get there,” he added.
