THE THOROUGHBRED brain has bemused generations but Klairon Davis proved at Punchestown yesterday that when it is, to use the current sporting buzz-word, focused, there are few more thrilling sights than a two mile chaser in full flight.
Klairon Davis may be a former champion over the minimum distance but even his greatest law has bad to acknowledge that the occasional maggot has tended to worm its way in and cause jumping brainstorms that have left jockey Fran Woods chewing grass un-comfortably often. However, when KIairon Davis is concentrating right he is something to behold and in the BMW Handicap Chase yesterday he was very right.
"I think that's the best jumping, performance of his career, smiled trainer Arthur Moore afterwards with the satisfaction of seeing his favoured pupil finally deliver after a frustrating season.
There may have been concerns about the ground but Klairon Davis seemed blissfully unaware of them as under a positive ride from Woods, he charged into the lead at the third fence. More than once, Woods must have felt some trepidation as his partner met some of the following obstacles on a wrong stride but where before Klairon Davis might have decided to demolish the barrier to progress, now he adjusted his stride and sailed over.
By the second last, the opposition were showing more distress signals than the sinking Bismarck and Klairon Davis sailed by the post eight lengths clear to win the £31,200 prize for the second year running.
It brought his career prize money total to £312,161. If Klairon Davis had been on his best jumping behaviour more regularly, that commendable total might have been even more but Moore rightly concentrated on the positive.
"He was very clever, at the last ditch in particular, and jumped them off their feet," he said and next season Klairon Davis will be to regain the Queen Mother Champion Chase title off the current bolder Martha's Son.
"On the ground that day we were beaten by a champion but we'll take him on any day on soft ground. It'll take a good one to lower his colours next season. We'll probably aim him at the Tingle Creek at Sandown first," Moore said.
The front running Midnight Legend was a well backed favourite for the Country Pride Champion Novice Hurdle and under a confident Richard Johnson never looked likely to be pegged back by either What's The Verdict or Gazalani in the straight, eventually running out a two and a half length winner.
"I had cold feet today because this was the first time he hasn't run on a flat track. I wasn't sure what orders to give Richard Johnson, changed them three times and then he went away and did his own thing. I thought a six-year-old full horse wouldn't like it in front so full credit to Richard," said trainer David Nicholson.
Richard Dunwoody had a more straight forward front running task on the dourly staying Linton Rocks in the Bradstock Insurance Novice Chase but when Headbanger loomed up to challenge at the last his backers could hardly have been confident. However Linton Rocks' stamina then came into full play and he strode clear to allow his Lambourn trainer Tim Thomson Jones emulate his father Harry by saddling a Punchestown winner.
"I've never had a horse good enough to come here before but it's similar to my Cheltenham festival winner, Pukka Major, who was my first runner there. I'll concentrate on festivals from now on" said Thomson Jones.
Dorset trainer Bob Buckler missed out on his own first Punchestown winner when Miss Diskin went down by the minimum margin to the favourite Triptodicks in the Ballymore Handicap Chase.
