AS BELATED birthday presents go, a 50 to 1 winner takes some beating and there was no beating Benefficient for owner Aidan Shiels when he secured Grade One honours at Leopardstown.
Despite starting the complete outsider of the Deloitte Novice Hurdle field yesterday, Benefficient dominated throughout and made all the running to beat favourite Sous Les Cieux.
He was a first top-flight success for conditional champion jockey Bryan Cooper and just a second for trainer Tony Martin whose delight for Shiels was obvious amid riotous scenes in the winner’s enclosure afterwards.
“That was magic. Aidan is as good a guy as you could ever hope to meet and was 50 yesterday. It was some party!” said Martin. “I’m delighted for him as he’s a great lad. He always showed he was a good horse. Ruby rode him in a schooling bumper at the Curragh and said he was a proper horse. He disappointed the last day but he’s just a big baby and that can happen. I’d say he will probably go for the Neptune at Cheltenham now.”
Cooper said: “Tony told me he would run a big race. I got a few lengths on them at the start and he kept on well. Ruby told me a lot about him before and I have to thank him for that.”
There won’t be any 50 to 1 available at Cheltenham though as Benefficient was installed a general 16 to 1 shot for the Neptune.
The Dr PJ Moriarty Chase went much more to script with the favourite Last Instalment making all the running under Davy Russell to beat Call The Police and Lambro.
“They were stacking up behind him but when Davy got serious he answered every call and that’s the sign of a good horse. I would imagine the RSA will be the race for him but if the ground came up too quick I doubt he would go,” said Philip Fenton.
“The good thing is he won without getting too much hardship. The last thing you want is for them to have a grueller before Cheltenham,” he added about a horse who is now a general 7 to 1 third favourite for the RSA.
It is 22 years since Rare Holiday provided Dermot Weld with his sole Cheltenham festival success to date in the Triumph Hurdle and Hisaabaat has been cut to 16 to 1 to repeat that victory next month after breaking his duck in style yesterday.
Runner-up in his three previous starts over flights, the maiden secured that elusive success in the Grade One Spring Juvenile Hurdle under an excellent Andrew Lynch ride.
“I felt Andrew would suit him as he’s riding with great confidence and Hisaabaat sometimes lacks a bit of confidence in his own ability. Andrew gave him a perfect ride,” said Weld.
“He is what I call a made hurdler. But he is progressive, consistent and will go to the Triumph with a realistic chance,” he added. “Unaccompanied won this before finishing second in the Triumph last year.”
Cheltenham is also the plan for Salsify who secured a family success in the Raymond Smith Hunters Chase under jockey Colman Sweeney.
“If he’s okay after this he’ll run in the Foxhunters. The ground made some difference to him today. I’d say he’s a spring horse,” said trainer Rodger Sweeney.
After Catleen landed the mares hurdle, Willie Mullins completed a treble with Pique Sous who is as low as 10 to 1 for the Cheltenham bumper following an impressive defeat of Dancers Dilemma yesterday. “Any Leopardstown winner is at least entitled to an entry so we’ll see,” said Mullins. “He needs nice ground and you’ll see plenty of him in the spring.”
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