GORDON Elliott bagged the most valuable event of the day at Gowran Park on Saturday as Dunboyne made up for an abortive trip to Punchestown the previous week by claiming the €40,000 two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase.

This Stephen O’Connor-owned seven-year-old refused to race on his handicap debut in a similarly valuable event at Punchestown six days previously. However, he showed that to be a complete aberration as he lined up and jumped off without the slightest hesitation. The well supported 9/2 shot enjoyed the testing conditions and travelled well for Jack Kennedy and from the entrance to the straight Dunboyne looked to have most of his rivals covered. He brushed aside the effort of Street Value from the second last to eventually finish with 10 lengths to spare.

“The sun was in his eyes as the tape went back the last day and he just stood at the start,” said Elliott. “It was just one of those things. Today is probably the first time he’s really got soft ground in the last year or two and I think he’ll be back here for the Thyestes in January.

“I’m delighted for his owner Stephen O’Connor who has been with me from the start. The first horse I had, Mr Nosie, was for him and was sold as a point-to-pointer.”

Run down

Elliott and Jack Kennedy looked set for a double in the PRL Group Novice Hurdle after Imagine did everything right from the front.

However, he was run down in the closing stages by the very promising Inothewayurthinkin (2/1) who looks a horse of some potential for Gavin Cromwell. This J.P. McManus-owned son of Walk In The Park made a successful racecourse debut in a maiden hurdle at Cork last month and this latest success would suggest he will soon be making an impact at graded level.

“He’s still green enough but knew his job a bit better today and looks a nice one going forward. He showed a good attitude from the last and wanted to win,” reflected Gavin Cromwell. “He’s entered in the Grade 1 novice at Leopardstown over Christmas. He’ll probably stick to two miles for the moment but looks like a lad that will stay a bit further.”

WILLIE Mullins offered a portent of the coming weeks as he fielded a quality three-strong challenge for the Noreside Catering Irish EBF Beginners Chase which yielded a one-two-three for the champion trainer.

However, this two-and-a-half-mile event didn’t quite produce the result that the market had anticipated as Classic Getaway, the 8/1 outsider of the trainer’s three runners, carried the day.

The Cheveley Park Stud-owned gelding showed a useful level of form over hurdles last term but could make up into a vastly better chaser on this evidence.

He jumped very well for Danny Mullins and from two out he always looked to have his front running, Grade 1-winning stablemate Minella Cocooner covered. Classic Getaway asserted in the closing stages to carry the day by two and three quarter lengths while there was a further 27 lengths back to Whatdaewant in third.

“The ground (heavy) is perfect for us so I wanted to get the three of them out. It’s not ideal but we let them take each other on and have them ready for Christmas so we know where we are going now,” commented Mullins. “Minella Cocooner was a shade unlucky having to make all the running. The winner travelled the whole way and jumped well. He had the benefit of getting a lead but did come through and jumped well. He did everything right.”

Elsewhere Oliver McKiernan has a nice type on his hands in Kalanisi Star (2/1) who made a taking start to his season in the Proficient Engineering Irish EBF Maiden Hurdle over two miles.

This Kalanisi gelding dominated a point-to-point bumper on his racecourse debut at this track in March and he more than confirmed that promise under Philip Enright. In the straight Kalanisi Star had to contend with a stern challenge from the odds on Pink In The Park but he found plenty to contain her effort and raised his game in fine style on the run in to make sure of victory, eventually carrying the day by two and a quarter lengths.

“He’s a very relaxed horse,” reported McKiernan. “He just eats and sleeps, does his work and wastes no energy. I think he’ll come on from that run and will appreciate going further as well. I’m not sure where he goes next but if the ground is soft enough in Leopardstown he’ll probably go there.”

IT was a good day for jockey Richie Deegan who notched up a double which began aboard Liz Doyle’s Yabo in the M W Hire Group Beginners Chase over two and a half miles which was restricted to horses rated 102 or less over hurdles.

Willywampus tried to make all but his freewheeling exertions took their toll inside the final half mile and he was unable to match Yabo who had chased him throughout.

Yabo took charge at the second last and, on her first outing since April, the Power Thoroughbreds-owned mare asserted in good style to finish with 11 lengths to spare.

Deegan’s brace was completed by Eoin McCarthy’s Marelly in the Glanbia Novice Handicap Hurdle over two miles. The five-year-old looked right at home on much the softest ground that he has encountered.

Authority

The 8/1 shot readily stamped his authority on this race between the last two flights and gave the impression he had plenty left in reserve in the closing stages as he ran out a decidedly cosy two-and-a-quarter-length winner over A Mere Bagatelle.

The winning trainer now needs just one more winner to equal his previous best tally for a season (10) while he is already enjoying his strongest campaign in terms of prize money.

The first race of 2022 at Gowran went to jockey Charlie O’Dwyer and owner Dominic Jones and the same duo landed the final contest of the year at the track when the Gearoid O’Loughlin-owned Kopon took the 80-95 rated Entegro Handicap Hurdle over two and a half miles.

The seven-year-old’s first nine starts had failed to yield a placing but a few of her runs were not devoid of promise which saw her go off a reasonably well supported 14/1 shot in first time cheekpieces. On this occasion Kopon put it all together to defeat Ardera Ru by just under five lengths.