Dinoblue was a straightforward winner when defending her title in the BBA Ireland Limited Opera Hat Mares’ Chase at Naas.
The Willie Mullins-trained chestnut was one of three entries in the race for owner JP McManus, with only Gavin Cromwell’s 80-1 outsider Je T’Ai Porte not carrying the green and gold silks.
Dinoblue, highly consistent in these mares’ events, was ridden as usual by Mark Walsh and the 1-8 favourite provided him with a stress-free victory as she came home 11 lengths ahead of Bioluminesence.
Frank Berry, racing manager to McManus, said: “She’s a great bit of stuff, she turns up every day. You could set your clock by her.
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“She jumped great and she handles that ground very well. You couldn’t ask for better.
“It was a nice prep, a nice bit of work and you couldn’t be happier. Mark was delighted with her.”
When asked about her heading back to Cheltenham, Berry added: “That’ll be Willie’s plan, I’m sure.”
Paddy Power left her unchanged at 7-4 for the Mares’ Chase which she won last season.
Earlier in the day, Highland Crystal retained her unbeaten record with a neat victory in the SR Ventilation Supporting Kill GAA Rated Hurdle.
Gordon Elliott’s four-year-old came into the race an 11-8 chance having won both of her starts this season, most recently taking a Listed contest at Newbury by over six lengths.
She had travelled to Doncaster last month for an outing but got loose on the way to post and had to be withdrawn.
Better behaved on this occasion for Jack Kennedy, she was made to work hard for success as Saratoga loomed large on the run in, but the chestnut was tough to rally and prevail by three-quarters of a length.
“She’s tough. She gave herself a little nick and Jack said she was leaning a little bit right the whole way up the straight,” said Elliott.
“She’s gutsy, he said it wasn’t really ideal being in front either as she was looking around the whole way. She picked up and galloped.
“The [race] conditions weren’t really right for her here.”
This event has an established history of producing the Fred Winter winner, with the victor of the 2019, 2020 and 2022 renewals going on to win at Cheltenham – a path that could await Highland Crystal.
“She’s probably more of a Fred Winter filly really but we’ll see what mark she gets,” said Elliott.
“She could maybe be a filly that we keep for Fairyhouse over two-and-a-half miles, it might suit her better.
“She’s black-type now and she’s won three races so she’s very gutsy.”
Haiti Couleurs made all the running to win the William Hill Denman Chase at Newbury and set up a potential tilt at the Gold Cup in the process.
Rebecca Curtis’s pride and joy has graduated out of handicaps, winning the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham last season which he followed up with a win in the Irish National.
This season he began with a victory over hurdles but then disappointed in the Betfair Chase which put plans on the back burner, however, he bounced back in style to win the Welsh National.
Sean Bowen set out to make it a real test in the very soft ground but his usual sure-footed jumping was not as slick as in the past, meaning he was getting into the bottom of his fences.
L’Homme Presse and Leave Of Absence both closed up approaching the third last but that was when Haiti Couleurs’ stamina kicked in and he displayed a nice turn of foot in the ground to go and win by seven lengths.
Paddy Power cut the winner to 7-1 from 10-1 for the Gold Cup, with Curtis delighted to see her pre-race nerves turn into excitement for the Cheltenham Festival blue riband.
She said: “There were lots of expectations today and he’s gone and shown he must have some sort of chance in the Gold Cup. L’Homme Presse is a really good yardstick and although I’m not saying he’s gone and beaten a Gold Cup field, he’s done really well.
“I was really nervous and I’m just glad it is out the way. He likes to be ridden positively and we weren’t going to change that and just keep it simple.
“I was confident he was more than a handicapper and it’s not like he’s been beaten in a handicap and you know where their mark is. He’s practically unbeaten in handicaps and we still don’t probably know where his ceiling is.
“He’ll enjoy the Gold Cup trip and he loves going up and down hills and undulating tracks. It was Sean in fact who said how much he loves going fast down hill and he has great balance.”
