IN a triumph for patience and perseverance, Death Duty, once considered a horse destined for the top over jumps, bagged the three-and-a-half-mile marathon €90,000 Hollywoodbets National Trial Handicap Chase.

In a race dominated by Gordon Elliott, who was winning it for the third time in five years, Death Duty lined up in search of a first win since the 2017 Drinmore Novice Chase. In the intervening period, he had run just nine times and had spent spells of two years and a year off the track.

However, a big run in the Paddy Power Chase on his comeback at Christmas suggested there was still another big day in this gelding and he produced a much better round of jumping than he did in last month’s Thyestes.

Support

Some good support throughout the day saw the Gigginstown House Stud-owned 11-year-old go off a 6/1 chance. Turning for home, Death Duty was stalking his stablemate Coko Beach and he showed a touch of his old class in the straight as he quickened into a good lead which he maintained to the line to defeat Champagne Platinum by three lengths.

The Elliott-trained Floueur was a further four lengths back in third as he secured third ahead of Coko Beach.

“Seainin Mahon, the girl who led him up, rides him every day and looks after him like a baby. He’s like glass so big credit has to go to her,” said Elliott. “He got into a lovely rhythm today unlike at Gowran.”

Bello best

Elliott was also fancied to land the Hollywoodbets-sponsored maiden hurdle over two and a half miles but his market leader Jack In The Box could only manage fourth behind Grandero Bello.

A point-to-point winner on his third outing a couple of months ago, this six-year-old looks a good acquisition for Eddie and Patrick Harty.

The well-supported 16/1 chance slipped through on the inner of Corbeau after two out and showed a lovely attitude in the straight to first fend off Jack In The Box and Corbeau before finding more to contain the late charge of Lucky Tenner by three-quarters of a length.

The winner is owned by Nicky Henderson’s sister Josie Reed and Robert Caddick and he could have another run or two before a novice chasing campaign next term.

The ninth-placed runner from this race, Saddle Her Up, was the subject of a running and riding enquiry which resulted in her trainer Barry Fitzgerald being hit with a €2,000 fine. Jockey Kieran Callaghan was suspended for 10 days and the mare was banned from racing for 42 days.

IT was a tremendous weekend for J.P. McManus and Mark Walsh who enjoyed treble at both fixtures. Their winning spree here was completed by Slip Of The Tongue in the Listed I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Novice Hurdle.

In a dramatic finale, the strong-travelling Deploy The Getaway looked to have everything covered turning for home.

However, a determined Slip Of The Tongue launched a strong rally on the inner to get upsides and possibly edge ahead at the final flight. Disaster almost struck there as Slip Of The Tongue lurched left coming to the last, made a mistake, almost parted company with Mark Walsh and cannoned into Deploy The Getaway.

Somehow the five-year-old righted himself and despite looking green on the run-in he was able to get home by three-quarters of a length.

The winner had hampered the runner-up at the last which lead to a stewards’ enquiry but the stewards elected to leave the placings unchanged.

“He’s progressing well and was always a horse we loved. Today was the target,” remarked Padraig Roche.

Cross-country Maestro

Enda Bolger extended his domination in his traditional sphere as he sent out the McManus-owned Midnight Maestro (9/2) to edge out Shady Operator in the Hollywoodbets-sponsored P.P. Hogan Memorial Cross Country Chase.

Now a three-time winner since joining Bolger, Midnight Maestro has developed into a convincing cross-country performer after three starts in this sphere and he looked like an old hand given how he negotiated the myriad of different obstacles.

Mark Walsh produced him to tackle last year’s winner Shady Operator at the last and, while the latter clung in tenaciously on the run-in, the other McManus-owned runner succeeded by a neck. Both horses will get an entry in the cross-country chase at Cheltenham.

Cloudless run

McManus and Walsh also struck with Ciel De Neige in the Hollywood Bets-sponsored novice chase for horses rated 140 or less. A talented but somewhat frustrating type over hurdles, Ciel De Neige has really come into his own as a chaser and the former Betfair Hurdle runner-up was making it three wins on the spin over fences.

There was momentary concern for the 5/4 favourite when Fire Attack produced a better jump two out which carried him to the front.

However, the Willie Mullins inmate wasted little time stamping his authority on the race in the straight and a safe jump at the last made sure of a five-and-a-half-length triumph over his aforementioned rival. A trip to Cheltenham could be on the cards for the winner although his target there has yet to be decided.

WILLIE Mullins could have another top bumper prospect on his hands in James’s Gate who made an impressive debut in the Hollywoodbets-sponsored bumper.

The Sean and Bernardine Mulryan-owned son of Shantou was well-touted beforehand. Patrick Mullins kept things simple on the heavily backed 2/5 favourite who made all the running and looks like he could be anything on the evidence of this eight-length victory.

He went through the race hard on the bridle and needed only the slightest encouragement to put his rivals to the sword in the straight as he won as he liked from Secret Artist and Any Road.

“He’s a tremendous addition to Sean and Bernardine Mulryan’s group of horses. He was bought from Pat Doyle on his recommendation and I’m very pleased for him as well. He looks as good as Pat thinks he is,” remarked Mullins. “I’d imagine he’ll go for the Cheltenham bumper.”

Dev digs in

A week on from his memorable success on Birchdale at Leopardstown, Mark McDonagh bagged another winner as Young Dev (12/1) pounced late in the David Trundley Artist Handicap Hurdle over just short of three miles.

Denis Hogan’s charge had it all to do from 10th after three out but in a race where the leaders paid a price for getting race early enough on testing ground, Young Dev struck the front late on to defeat the 80/1 shot Boss Girl by three-quarters of a length, with the valiant top-weight Robinstown a further head back.

The Liam Mulryan-owned eight-year-old was recording the fifth success of his career.