SPACE TRUCKER showed he was right on course to tackle the Smurfit Champion Hurdle on Tuesday week when defying top weight in the Brannockstown Handicap Hurdle at Leopardstown yesterday.
Sent to the front early in the home straight, the 9 to 2 chance delighted both jockey John Shortt and trainer Jessica Harrington with his comeback after a midwinter break.
Rested after handicap successes at Cheltenham and Newcastle last November, Space Trucker was asked to shoulder 12st here as Mrs Harrington believed the six-year-old needed the race to leave him cherry ripe for Cheltenham.
"Ideally it's not the way to ride him, but John was swinging out of the horse two out and did the sensible thing by letting him stride on. We'll head off now next Sunday and hope for the best," smiled the trainer.
"Better ground at Cheltenham will be a help, and even though they say they are watering the track from today I believe it will be very suitable for Space Trucker. I had done a fair bit of work with him and he looks stronger than ever."
Space Trucker's lead going to the final flight was being whittled down by the eventual runner-up Sentosa Star, but he blundered at the last before regaining his momentum to finish within two lengths of the winner at the line.
Sentosa Star, in receipt of 27lb and very fit after a couple of runs on the Flat in Switzerland last month, possibly owed his proximity at the finish to the fact that the winner was understandably tiring on the climb to the post.
"I went wide for the better ground on Space Trucker after walking the track before racing," said Shortt.
"The horse gave a very good performance, although he had a bit of a blow after landing over the last and I only rode him out hands and heels after that. But he feels stronger than ever and we're off to Cheltenham now."
Stylish Allure, a dual Flat winner last season, made a winning transition to hurdling for Dermot Weld when landing the Ballsbridge Hurdle under a confident ride from David Evans.
The trainer immediately nominated the Elite Racing Triumph Hurdle on Thursday week as his next engagement adding: "He was only gelded before Christmas and David rode exactly to instructions. You will see a nice piece of improvement in him after that and he loves fast ground."
Arthur Moore saddled Pat Hartigan to land a tidy gamble in the Lansdowne Maiden Hurdle for owner J P McManus and the winning pair combined to take the Kilternan Handicap Chase with Grand National-bound Wylde Hide who made virtually all for Paul Carberry.
Favourite backers were unlucky not to collect in the opening Stepaside Novice Chase when Folly Road, who came from well off the pace to lead fractionally at the last, came to grief after landing awkwardly.
Lord Muff, who led for most of the way, threw his winning chance away when blundering badly at the same obstacle, leaving Lucky Bust and Trevor Horgan to come home and land the spoils for trainer Bill Harney.
Another Grouse is to be aimed for the Jameson Irish Grand National on Easter Monday following his battling success in the Kerry Handicap Hurdle in atrocious conditions at Listowel on Saturday.
However, the 10-year-old, having his first run since the end of August, is to continue his preparation for the Fairyhouse feature over hurdles.
Winning rider Tommy Treacy had earlier landed the Tarbert Handicap Hurdle in convincing fashion on the Paddy Mullins-trained Ecliptic Moon. Conor O'Dwyer, side-lined from tomorrow until the beginning of the Cheltenham Festival through suspension, was back among the winners when landing the Ballybunion EBF Beginners Chase on the Jimmy Mangan-trained V'Soske Gale.
