Ladbrokes Novice Chase (Grade 1)

BALLYBURN’S defeat by the impressive Sir Gino last time out tightened the market ahead of the Ladbrokes Novice Chase, and though Willie Mullins’ charge was sent off the 8/13 favourite, the market rated stablemate Impaire Et Passe a well-respected danger at 11/4.

Ballyburn was forced to battle for his fourth Grade 1 victory, but it was Gordon Elliott’s dual Grade 1 winner Croke Park (11/1) who jumped the last upsides. If viewers hadn’t been enamoured by Croke Park’s pricked ears when making all on his two previous starts, they’ll have been won over by his terrier-like rally on Sunday, but it was to no avail, as the favourite dug deep to assert on the run-in.

Ridden out by Paul Townend, Ballyburn led by five lengths on the line, while the gutsy runner-up finished five and a half lengths clear of second-favourite Impaire Et Passe in third.

“I never lost faith,” Mullins said after the race. “Kempton was just a bit sharp for him and I suppose Kempton lit him up as well, so he was fairly lit today with Paul. I think he eventually got him settled and he was afraid to move on him then in case he took off again, so he didn’t do any racing until after the last and he did what he usually does – he just quickened up from the last home.

Trip is key

“He looks a decent horse and I loved what he did from the last to the line. Once Paul got to ask him, he flew. He’s bred to get three miles and it’s fascinating he was able to do what he did over two miles and everyone had him down as a two-miler, but looking at his page you’d have to think he wants a trip.

“I thought his jumping improved today, going that pace today over that trip it was going to be easier for him.”

Three miles is the trip of the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, for which Ballyburn is now 15/8 favourite, having been 2/1 favourite earlier in the day. The Ronnie Bartlett and David Manasseh-owned bay is proven over the trip, having made a winning debut in a four-year-old maiden for Colin McKeever and Wilson Dennison.