Guinness 00 Faugheen Novice Chase (Grade 1)

DARYL Jacob rode what transpired to be the final winner of a distinguished career when 8/13 favourite Impaire Et Passe, owned by his retaining owners and great allies Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, landed the Grade 1 Guinness 00 Faugheen Novice Chase for Willie Mullins on day three of the Christmas meeting at Limerick.

Jacob bided his time down the inner on the Diamond Boy gelding and switched him out to move into contention before the second-last fence.

In front before the last, Impaire Et Passe went away to score by four lengths from Jordans and add this Grade 1 prize to three gained at the highest level over hurdles.

Jacob, who later announced his intention to retire from race-riding after one final mount at Leopardstown the following day, said: “He really picked up from the back of the second-last and was good, brave and long at the last.

Regarding his recent injury troubles, he added: “I’m not going to lie, it has been a very frustrating spell for me. I knew I had one or two good rides coming into the Christmas period so wanted to get back for it and whatever happens now, I’ve got a Grade 1.

“Obviously Simon and Isaac have been an integral part of my career for the last 11 years; that is a long time and we have a massive association.

“They are like brothers to me so I owe my whole life to them and also to Robert and Sally Alner as well. This is very, very special.”

BOTTOM weight Dancing Jeremy (8/1) put in a fine round of jumping under Philip Donovan when making virtually all the running in the Campion Insurance Tim Duggan Memorial Handicap Chase.

Frank Reynolds’ grey went away on the run to the second-last to beat La Malmason by six lengths.

Trainer James Fahey said: “This race was his plan the whole way along but we had hoped to get a run into him first, so I was slightly worried being without a run today.

“It’s great to get one over Christmas and this is a massive one for us to win.”

McLaurey (7/4) stalked odds-on favourite Shoot The Blues throughout in the Keith Lynch Memorial Maiden Hurdle and took that one’s measure between the final two flights.

Simon Torrens’ mount went away to win readily by four and a half lengths from En Or who relegated the market leader to third on the run-in.

A point-to-point winner and placed in his previous two starts over hurdles, the Jukebox Jury gelding is trained for J.P. McManus by Emmet Mullins.

“He had been running well over further and I wasn’t sure about the drop in trip so he surprised me a bit,” said Torrens.

“I got a lovely lead from the front two horses, he travelled well and time will tell how good a race it was. He is a fine big horse.”

ANOTHER point-to-point recruit, Final Demand, was even more impressive in the CUBE Maiden Hurdle as the 4/7 favourite, who was handy throughout on this rules debut, powered clear on the approach to the second-last to slam Timmy Tuesday by 15 lengths.

A winner at Lingstown in March for Matthew Flynn O’Connor, the Walk In The Park gelding is trained by Wille Mullins for Bryan Drew and Professor Caroline Tisdall and looks a smart prospect.

Rider Danny Mullins said: “He was straightforward and being a massive horse, the potential is there for his engine to match it.

“The last two hurdles were the only ones we went over at speed and he was so classy. He could go back in trip as well, so has options.”

Sid seals third win

Doitforjane Sid (22/1) recorded his third win of the campaign when readily landing the Infinity Lifts Handicap Hurdle over three miles.

After back-to-back wins in October, the eight-year-old had been well beaten on his previous couple of starts but was produced to lead two out by John Shinnick and went clear to beat The Story So Far by six and a half lengths.

Owner/trainer Donncha Duggan said: “He got a bit smothered the last day in Navan when he had too many horses around him and missed the break and never travelled. We said we’d get him out good and sharp today. I told John to go out on the nice ground and it worked.

“I’m based only 30 miles from here so this is great and while I had been critical of the handicapper, maybe he was right!”

Beggars Rock (4/1), trained by Declan Queally, was a wide-margin winner of the D Pack Packaging Handicap Hurdle.

Blinkered for the first time, the Soldier Of Fortune gelding had just headed Grace Faraday when that rival came down at the last which left Colin Lynskey’s five-year-old clear to score by 13 lengths from Crowsatedappletart.

Rider Kevin Sexton said: “He had a couple of good runs but was getting frustrating. He jumped and travelled today, they stopped in front and he galloped to the line well.”

Bumper thriller

There was a thrilling end to proceedings with just a nose separating I Started A Joke (8/1) and Road Exile in the Doherty Woodshavings Flat Race.

The two had a great final-furlong tussle with the Ray Barron-partnered winner inclined to edge right before gaining a narrow advantage which he just held on to from his rallying rival.

Charles Byrnes trains the rising six-year-old for the Kate Costello & Brothers Syndicate and said: “He did well in a schooling race in Tipperary a couple of weeks ago.

“Jack Bennett had done all the early work and point-to-pointed him. He is a fine horse and is definitely one for the future. I’d say we’ll stay in bumpers for now.”