THIS ‘Cheltenham Trials Day’ card lived up to expectations with at least four of the winners being targeted at the upcoming Festival including Answer To Kayf who initiated a double for Terence O’Brien and 7lb claimer John Shinnick.

The eight-year-old gelding has really turned a corner this season and having been placed in Grade 2 company at Limerick last time, recorded a second win this term in the two miles, three furlongs Connolly’s Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Novice Hurdle.

The 7/2 shot put in a fine round of jumping and kept on well on the run-in to beat Captain Cody by a length and a half.

“He had a lot of problems with his hocks and was lame after his maiden hurdle run at Killarney last year when beaten 24 lengths. He was then put out on grass and came in sound and hasn’t taken a lame step since. He’s twice the horse he was,” said O’Brien.

“Denis (O’Connor, owner) has been a great supporter, is really patient and it’s great that it has paid off for him.”

“We gave him an entry in the Albert Bartlett, and we’ll probably give him an entry in the Martin Pipe,” added the Carrigtwohill trainer.

“There is a great prize for the Final of this Series at Punchestown and that is probably the main aim.

“Whether we take in Cheltenham in the meantime, we’ll see how he comes out of this.

“I’d say he’s flexible in terms of trip as he’s not a slow horse and I didn’t think he was stopping there at the finish.”

All together

Whiskeywealth has been let down by his jumping a few times in the past but put it all together in the Adare Opportunity Handicap Hurdle. The 2/1 favourite, owned in partnership by Eamonn Hickey and Ger Finn, was prominent throughout and stayed on strongly from the last to score by two and three-quarter lengths from Verbal Sparring, whose rider Paddy O’Brien was given a four-day whip ban.

O’Brien said: “I suppose in fairness he was going to do that at Thurles the day he fell and maybe we over faced him going to the Dan Moore. They maybe went a half-stride too fast, but I still think he ran below par that day.

“I still think he’s a better horse over fences. If you look at his form last year (when falling at Fairyhouse) he jumped the last a length in front of Dinoblue. Maybe she’d have beaten him but that was savage form, and he might go for the Shamrock (Handicap Chase) at Gowran (on March 9th).”