TEAHUPOO stormed into the Champion Hurdle reckoning as Gordon Elliott’s metronomic charge made it five wins from six starts in Ireland with a career-best effort in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle which provided Robbie Power with a welcome change of fortune.

Not since 2005 has this Grade 3 contest been won by a subsequent Champion Hurdle winner – Hardy Eustace – but Teahupoo signalled that he might give Honeysuckle something to think about at Cheltenham in March.

Test

A multiple graded winner before this, the Robcour-owned gelding was taking on his elders for the first time and faced an interesting test against old rival Quilixios, Saldier and the ultra-reliable Darasso.

For Power this was his first winner back since returning from a terrible fall at Tramore in October which resulted in the jockey suffering a broken hip, nose, cheekbone and a torn tendon in his arm.

After racing close to the pace from halfway, the 13/8 favourite was operating on a different level to his rivals in the straight as he stormed home to dish out an 11-length beating to Darasso, with Quilixios the same distance away in third.

“That was a good performance and he goes for the Champion Hurdle. The plan was to come here and see where we were and he’s entitled to go after that,” said Elliott. “He’s a deceiving horse and wouldn’t show too much at home but he’s good and Robbie said he’d want better ground than this too.”

Lifebuoy sails home

A busy start to the year for That’s Lifebuoy (8/1) was no barrier to success in the BoyleSports-sponsored Carey’s Cottage Cup Novice Handicap Chase over two miles. On her sixth start of 2022, the daughter of Fame And Glory was given a well-judged waiting ride by Liam Quinlan who produced her to pounce after the last and defeat Hollybank King by five lengths.

The teak-tough winner was taking advantage of a marked drop in grade after finishing fourth to the high-class Elimay at Naas the previous week. John Ryan’s charge was due to turn out again at Thurles on Thursday for owner Catherine Walsh.

The winning rider was hit with a nine-day whip ban for his efforts.

A BREAK from the rigours of Grade 1 company enabled Melon to secure a well-deserved success in the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase as the 10-year-old recorded his first victory since December 2019.

The four-time Cheltenham Festival runner-up looked to have been found a gilt-edged opportunity on what was his first outing outside of Grade 1 company since he recorded his most recent success.

The Marie Donnelly-owned Grand National entrant and 2/5 favourite enjoyed himself out in front for Paul Townend and produced some superb jumps over the course of this two-and-a-half-mile race before to a smooth six-length success over Sizing Pottsie.

“He did a fantastic bit of work during the week so we decided to come here and it’s great to see him back to winning ways,” stated Willie Mullins. “Paul said he really enjoyed himself out in front. He’s in everything at Cheltenham.”

Sari success

The Mullins-trained former Cheltenham bumper second Blue Sari ended a slightly longer spell without a victory in the Holden Plant Rentals Beginners Chase. A runner-up to Farouk D’Alene on his chasing debut before then taking on Galopin Des Champs over Christmas, the J.P. McManus-owned 6/4 shot dominated this race in company with chief market rival Grand Paradis.

The pair exchanged the lead on several occasions but Blue Sari and Paul Townend were much too strong in the straight and pulled away to score by 13 lengths after surviving a minor last fence scare.

“I think he might stay at home and we could look at the two-and-a-half-mile Grade 1 novice at Fairyhouse over Easter with another run before then,” declared Mullins.

The champion trainer also supplied the odds-on favourite Walk In The Brise in the Ronan Lawlor Memorial Irish EBF Mares (Pro/Am) Flat Race but she had to settle for second behind the Ken Budds-trained newcomer Bombay Sapphire.

The Barry O’Connor-owned and -bred daughter of Shirocco was returned at 28/1 but did not go ignored in the betting having been as big as 50/1 earlier in the day. The winner showed a terrific attitude for Darragh Allen as she fought on bravely throughout the last quarter of a mile to hold off the market leader by half a length.

“She’s always worked well and we could never get to the end of her. You would always think there was a bit more and today she showed that there was plenty. She’s a really nice mare,” commented Budds.

THE progressive Macs Charm put Colm Murphy within touching distance of a double figure tally for the season as he shrugged off an 8lb rise for scoring at Navan last month to take the Tote-sponsored handicap hurdle over two and a half miles.

An eighth winner of the season for his trainer, the 7/1 shot had just half a length to spare over Banks Boy (fifth this time) at Navan but he increased his margin of superiority over that rival dramatically.

He cruised to the front for Brian Hayes early in the straight and recorded quite an impressive six-and-a-half-length success which suggested that there could easily be more to come from him this term. The winner carries the colours of the Macs Charm Syndicate.

Eoin Doyle could have a nice type on his hands in Enchanted Magic who made a winning racecourse debut in the Sea Moon & Jukebox Jury At Burgage Stud Maiden Hurdle.

Magic debut

The son of Dark Angel, who is owned by the trainer’s wife Gemma, was allowed to go off at 20/1 but belied his lack of experience with a polished display. He was travelling well for Richie Condon turning for home and responded to pressure after the last to run down the favourite, Bynx, for a half-length success.

“He had shown a nice bit at home but I thought we might be running here and then going back for a bumper,” stated Doyle. “He might go to the sales now.”