HOT-favourite Kempes had to make do with minor honours as See U Bob caused an upset in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase at Thurles yesterday. The former was a Grade Two winner over hurdles for Willie Mullins last season and was sent off at 1 to 3 to open his account over fences.
Ruby Walsh’s mount travelled strongly for much of the two-mile contest, but had the stuffing knocked out of him with a bad mistake down the back straight.
He slowly crept back into it, but Paul Nolan’s See U Bob (4 to 1) led into the final fence and got away from it the quicker, galloping to the line to score by two and a half lengths.
Nolan said: “See U Bob always made a nice shape over a fence and is a decent horse when he’s on song. However, he had two ways of running over hurdles – he either won or ran horrendously. Hopefully he can now step up in grade.”
Nolan was narrowly denied a double in the Grade Three Beamish Stout Phil Sweeney Memorial Chase as his mare Moskova chased home 8 to 1 chance Tally Em Up. The former was sent off at evens and despite being pushed along a long way from home by Walsh, she was not far off the leaders turning for home.
Tally Em Up held the advantage going to the final obstacle and although Walsh was in determined mood on the market leader, Philip Rothwell’s charge found plenty for Davy Russell to take top honours.
Rothwell said: “We ran Tally Em Up in the hope of gaining black type and it was great to win. She probably needed the run at Cork.”
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