RACING GOWRAN PARK REPORT:PREISTS LEAP secured back-to-back successes for joint-owner and trainer Tom O'Leary in the Ellen Construction Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park yesterday.
Victorious at odds of 20 to 1 last year, he was sent off the same price again and took up a watching brief under jockey Philip Enright as Eric’s Charm and Chelsea Harbour did most of the donkey work up front.
Eric’s Charm began to feel the pace on the run for home and as he dropped out Chelsea Harbour took it up but they were queuing up to challenge in behind.
Only Preists Leap found the necessary extra in very testing conditions, though, ploughing away for Enright to take full advantage of Chelsea Harbour’s mistake at the last.
Preists Leap kept going to score by four lengths from Chelsea Harbour with Arbor Supreme third.
William Hill cut the runner-up from 33 to 1 to 25s for the John Smith’s Grand National, a race in which he finished ninth last year.
Enright said: “He even travelled better than he did last year. The deeper the ground the better for him.”
O’Leary added: “I was hoping more than anything else (for today). We have always had it in mind to come back for this race.
“John O’Donohue (co-owner) said when we won last year he would like to come back and win it three times as you then get to keep the trophy.
“He will go for the Aintree Grand National providing there’s cut in the ground and he will probably have another run before that.”
Earlier Henry de Bromhead gained some consolation for Sizing Europe’s latest setback as An Cathaoir Mor got up in the last stride of the Kilkenny Handicap Hurdle.
De Bromhead’s stable star misses the Irish Champion Hurdle and while An Cathaoir Mor is not of that calibre, his 7 to 1 success surely lifted his trainer’s spirits a little.
Farringdon looked a likely winner jumping the last only for David Casey to deliver An Cathaoir Mor with a final flourish to get on top by a head.
Novice Alpha Ridge put up an excellent front-running performance to see off his more experienced rivals in the Alo Duffin Memorial Galmoy Hurdle.
A Grade Three winner earlier in the season, Paul Nolan’s seven-year-old was sent to the head of affairs from the off by Davy Russell, setting a sensible pace before starting to turn it up a notch in the final mile. Favourite Shakervilz looked set to make a battle of it but a bad mistake cost him as Russell had saved a little aboard the 7 to 1 shot. Alpha Ridge stayed on gamely to the line to hold Whatuthink by a length, with Shakervilz back in third.
Nolan said: “I didn’t like him at Navan on his previous run as he was a bit flat. But he was nice and fresh for this – although I thought it might have been a bit too good a race for him.
“There didn’t seem any excuses for the rest of them as he went a nice, consistent gallop on terrible ground.”
Ready To Rocknroll showed plenty of guts to bag the opening Ballyhane Stud Maiden Hurdle in a three-way finish.
Jim Gorman’s charge was left clear in front when Aitchiface crashed out at the second-last, but Moonlight Sapphire was doing her best to make a race of it up the inside.
Ready To Rocknroll looked to have mastered her challenge approaching the line, only for Art Sleuth to come flying down the outside under Ruby Walsh.
The 11 to 4 winner stuck to his guns, though, and prevailed by short head from Moonlight Sapphire, with Art Sleuth back in third.
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