ENERGUMENE was cut by bookmakers for the Grade 1 Cheltenham Champion Chase following his high-class effort in winning Cork’s Grade 2 Kerry Group Hilly Way Chase on Sunday, forming part of a notable treble by jockey Sean O’Keeffe for champion trainer Willie Mullins.

A dual Grade 1-winning novice chaser, Energumene missed March’s Cheltenham Festival due a muscle injury and here, on seasonal reappearance, defied top weight when making most against four seasoned chasers.

Energumene (1/3 favourite, for owner Tony Bloom) was joined at times by Notebook but having shaken him him off at the third last, stayed on strongly to comfortably beat Daly Tiger by eight and a half lengths.

Mullins’ assistant David Casey later reported: “Sean said they went very quick early and was happy when he went to the front but the other horse (Notebook) took him on down the back straight and they ended up racing. Other than that, he’d have been very impressive and his class told in the straight and he won easily.

“He was giving away a penalty and he (O’Keeffe) thinks he’ll improve loads. In fairness, Notebook is a Grade 1 horse, he has had a run and finished last.”

Paddy Power subsequently cut Energumene to 3/1, from 7/2, for Cheltenham’s Champion Chase in March.

Concertista stays

Thirty-five minutes earlier Mullins and O’Keeffe won the Grade 2 O’Flynn Group Irish EBF (Mares) Novice Chase with Cheltenham winner and chase debutante Concertista (13/8) for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

Winner of Cheltenham’s 2020 Mares’ Novice Hurdle, Concertisa jumped to the front at the last and stayed on well to beat Jeremys Flame by half a length.

Afterwards Casey reported: “She is not an exuberant jumper and is quick at her fences. Sean was happy enough with her and was confident the whole way that if he kept her jumping together she’d win.

“I think she’ll improve loads from the run and hopefully will progress through the year. We’ll keep an eye on all those mares’ race for the time being.”

Dynamic Dinamo

Team Mullins and O’Keeffe were earlier successful with the 8/13 favourite Dysart Dinamo, for owner/breeder Eleanor Manning, the easy 19-length winner of the Follow Us On Instagram Maiden Hurdle (Division II). Casey said: “We think he’s a fair horse. Sean said he did everything right, he jumped well, but was just having a little look around in front.

“He’s not exuberant at home, but he does his job, and does it well. He has a huge engine and when he goes jumping fences, he’ll be very good.”

WILLIE Mullins and Sean O’Keeffe did suffer one significant reversal on the day as in the opening division of the aforementioned maiden hurdle, star bumper horse Kilcruit was overturned on jumps debut at odds of 1/14 favourite by Largy Debut.

Runner-up in the Cheltenham Bumper before winning Punchestown’s equivalent last season, Kilcruit chased leader Largy Debut (6/1), jumping well. However Kilcruit tired rounding the final bend, made mistakes at the final three hurdles and in the end failed by 10 lengths to Largy Debut.

It was jockey Keith Donoghue’s first winner for Henry de Bromhead and the trainer’s assistant Davey Roche later reported: “He had been working really well coming here. Keith gave him a great spin around and it’s great to get a nice horse for Chris (Jones, owner).

“It was probably an ideal race for Kilcruit getting a lead of us but our fellow jumps and travels. We left it to Keith going out and to be positive away on him and see how you get on.”

That race also marked the end of a record-breaking nine-race winning spell for trainer Gordon Elliott, whose Sharp Focus was well held in third.

Iberique recovers

Gordon Elliot, who had seven consecutive winners at Navan on Saturday, also won opening races at Cork and Punchestown. At Cork, Iberique Du Seuil landed the Racing Again 8th January 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle.

Ridden by Denis O’Regan for owners Bective Stud, the French-bred gelding made a final flight mistake but held the challenges of Vera Vinto and Swining London on the run-in.

O’Regan later commented: “I tried to use his experience and was probably in front a bit early. He had a sloppy jump at the last but he battled back well.”

Max rolling

Lucky Max (11/8 favourite) is another on a roll and the Sean Doyle-trained gelding completed a hat-trick of recent wins in the Fermoy Handicap Hurdle, under jockey Jack Foley.

Previously successful at Clonmel and at Cork last month, the German-bred gelding quickened in the closing stages to beat R’Evelyn Pleasure by two and three-quarters lengths.

Graham Breen representing Doyle said: “We can’t believe the improvement. We’ll look for something at Leopardstown over Christmas and hopefully the handicapper won’t give him too much. He’ll also jump a fence in time.”

Nell’s to the Well again

LOCAL trainer Sean O’Brien claimed a notable blacktype win in the Grade 3 Singletons Supervalu Stayers’ Novice Hurdle with mare Nell’s Well, which scored a 25/1 upset under jockey Mark McDonagh.

The daughter of Gold Well was stepping up in company for the three-mile contest and while held up in the early stages, improved to lead at the second last and in the end scored readily by eight lengths from 6/5 favourite Churchstonewarrior.

Delighted

A delighted O’Brien later stated: “Nearly every year there’s a small entry for this race and the man that owns her (Pat Casey), has no interest in selling her and wanted to have a runner.

“I said to Mark (McDonagh) going out, to ride her to get home and try to pick up the pieces and did I expect that - no. The race fell apart, and she just kept galloping, and her jumping was unbelievable.

“I thought he gave her a peach of a ride and it was Mark’s first graded winner.”

Keep dancing

The concluding River Blackwater Novice Handicap Hurdle produced another 25/1 winner, with Thedancingfarrier, who scored for trainer Paul Kiely and jockey Mikey Hamill.

Kiley reported: “It is nice to get him off the mark on the track and he has three point-to-points won. He was bred at home and will be there forever more now.

Farrier

“That’s my third racecourse winner and my father owns him and my brother Tom is a farrier and shoes him.

“It is a family run thing and the horse gets his name from Tom, who is known to throw a few moves.”