Ladbrokes Dublin Chase (Grade 1)

AS if the Champion Chase picture needed another shake-up, enter Gentleman De Mee.

The J.P. McManus-owned chaser was arguably the best novice chaser around last season given he took the scalp of Arkle winner Edwardstone at Aintree but his first three runs this term were hugely disappointing, unseating Mark Walsh when beaten at Naas, well held in fourth in the Tingle Creek and beaten significantly further behind stablemate Blue Lord here at Christmas.

However on Sunday, he turned the form of that latter effort around in no uncertain terms. Ridden by a red-hot Danny Mullins, deputising for the luckless Mark Walsh who had been injured earlier in the day, the Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old re-established himself in the two-mile chase division.

Rhythm

He vied for the lead with Dunvegan before finding a real rhythm at the fences down the back straight.

He was particularly good at the final two fences before the straight and it was clear from here he had the long odds-on Blue Lord in big trouble.

His quick jump at the last helped to seal a seven-length victory, prompting quotes that range between 5/1 and 9/1 for the Champion Chase next month.

“Things didn’t go right for Gentleman De Mee at Christmas but his work on Thursday was very good,” Willie Mullins said. “Possibly the drier ground here played to his strengths rather than Blue Lord.

“Blue Lord had a very hard race here at Christmas and he might have been feeling the effects from that but maybe the change of ground was the key.

“Danny was very brave (on the winner). He was asking him all the way down the back and the horse was loving it, responding to him.

“Every fence you could just see Danny seeing a stride. He is some super sub. He’s riding as our second jockey to Paul and he just keeps riding winners for me. It was a terrific performance.”

When asked about how the race changed his perspective on his Champion Chase contenders, the champion trainer was telling in his response.

“I haven’t thought about it but I’m not going beyond Energumene just yet. If they all get there, I’ll be delighted.”

It was a significant vote of confidence in Tony Bloom’s horse, who had last week disappointed in the Clarence House, but Gentleman De Mee is now a valid rival and deserves respect.

The impression he made when his form came to life last spring has been reactivated and he will have his supporters going forward.

Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle (Grade 1)

THERE was a big shock in this two-mile Grade 1 when, not for the first time this season, a Cheltenham Festival Grade 1 that had a market set in stone for so long completely got torn apart by a surprise eclipse of a Willie Mullins hotpot.

Facile Vega had been favourite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle for well over a year but he lost that tag and his unbeaten record when this contest went dramatically off script on the turn in to the straight. Il Etait Temps led three other rivals past the 4/9 shot, before posting a nine-and-a-half-length win over Inthepocket and Dark Raven.

The time analysis of the race will be dealt with more proficiently by Andy Bate on pages 8-10, but even watching the race live, it seemed like both Facile Vega and High Definition were going faster than ideal in front. The latter unseated JJ Slevin at the fourth hurdle but seemingly the damage had been done to the favourite by that stage.

Despite winning the contest with the 14/1 shot, Mullins cut a somewhat frustrated figure in the winners’ enclosure, firstly reflecting on Facile Vega’s defeat.

“They went a made pace in front and it cost the favourite I think, and Joseph’s horse obviously too, he wasn’t able to jump at that pace so he paid the penalty,” Mullins said. “I was worried when I saw the pace when they passed the winning post and went by the reservoir. I turned to David Casey and said these two are going to break each other’s hearts.

“When High Definition lost his rider I thought Paul might be able to get a breather in but he didn’t and that is what I was worried about here the last day. I think we’ll have to ride him like a racehorse rather than a machine the next day because that is what Paul did today, he rode him like a machine rather than a racehorse.”

The next day, at a press gathering at his Closutton base, Mullins reiterated his support for his stable jockey, assuring that while he was disappointed to be beaten, he wasn’t intending to condemn the rider’s ability and that it was just a decision on the day that went wrong.

Townend rode both the winners of the feature races on each day but he may well have left the track with mixed feelings on Sunday evening. In contrast, Danny Mullins was likely over the moon, having recorded his third Grade 1 of the weekend in this contest.

Il Etait Temps ran well in each of his three starts in juvenile hurdle Grade 1s last term. With no wins, he attained novice hurdler status this season and has clearly improved. He was only beaten four lengths by Facile Vega in the Future Champions Novice Hurdle over this course and distance at Christmas.

“I’m not taking away from the winner, he is a very good horse,” Willie said. “He just needs to get his jumping right, he made a mistake at the first today. I’ve always thought a lot of him. He got a cute ride from Danny today. Danny knew what was going to happen, he just popped him in behind, let those two take each other on and said let’s see if we can pick up the pieces. He had his fractions right.”

The winning rider added: “It’s been a brilliant weekend and I’m just very lucky to be riding such good horses.

“There was no fluke about his second to Facile Vega at Christmas and the writing was on the wall for the clever ones to see it. I knew Paul was in trouble by the second but it was soon enough to be in front.

“My jumping down the back put me on his tail and in fairness to him, he kept galloping well, it was a good performance.”

Rest of the card

LIZ Doyle’s gamble to enter Ballybawn Belter in the Grade B Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle paid off in spades when her mare came home for a two-length win over Historique Reconce.

Ridden by Simon Torrens, the J.P. McManus-owned five-year-old was always close up to the leaders and once taking it up in the straight, she stayed on really well for a two-length win.

She was racing from 2lbs out of the handicap but her trainer was happy with that as it could have been a lot more had there been a higher rated mare at the head of the weights.

“I was afraid Frank (Berry, racing manager) was going to kill me for entering her in the race,” Doyle revealed after the race. “I thought she’d just get away with it, running from out of the handicap.

“She won her bumper here and won today in similar fashion. Today’s trip was probably around two furlongs too short for her but the good gallop helped us. I said to Simon, ‘if you’re travelling well turning in, just kick and go, she’ll stay very well.’ She pinged the last and that was that.”

The much touted Gaelic Warrior landed the Grade B Festina Lente Charity Liffey Handicap Hurdle for Paul Townend and Willie Mullins.

Remarkably sent off at 10/11 in this 17-runner two-mile handicap hurdle, Susannah Ricci’s five-year-old travelled sweetly in behind the leader Effernock Fizz. He took it up smoothly in the straight and the only real worry was his jump at the last, way out to the right, but he had so much in hand, he still won comfortably.

His tendency to jump right cost him the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham last season but he is clearly a very talented sort and has to be considered for the Ballymore Novice Hurdle, his most likely target according to Mullins.

Fun

The final contest of the festival went to Willie Mullins again, his eighth win of the weekend, but this was more about his son Patrick, who bred, sold and rode Fun Fun Fun to win the Grade 2 Coolmore N.H Sires “Santiago” Irish EBF Mares I.N.H. Flat Race.

She was most impressive, considering how keenly she raced on her first start since October, yet was still able to sweep around the field turning for home and kick clear for a nine-length win, capping a very good weekend for her owners Isaac Souede and Simon Munir, whose Lily Du Berlais, winner of this race last year, came through for second.

“Willie had told the boys that I was going to ride the other mare (Fancy Girl) so when I told him on Friday morning I was going to ride Fun Fun Fun, he was giving me a funny look,” the winning rider said.

“She was just working well and how often do you get to ride one you’ve bred in a race like this, so it just worked out. Myself and my mother bought the dam in-foal with this one six years ago. We’ve got a Jukebox Jury, Doctor Dino and No Risk At All coming along. It’s exciting. My mother does a lot of the work to be honest - she’s very good.”