Ladbrokes Dublin Chase

(Grade 1)

WILLIE Mullins may be without the reigning back-to-back Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Energumene this season, but the two-mile chasing title still looks set to stay in Closutton this spring after El Fabiolo extended his winning run to seven in the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase.

There was barely a moment’s doubt for supporters of the 4/11 favourite, though he did make a mistake at the fourth and went right on another occasion.

Simon Munir and Isaac Souede’s seven-year-old, ridden by Paul Townend, simply had too much for main market rival Dinoblue, drawing eight and a half lengths clear to see his Cheltenham Festival odds tighten marginally to 4/9 (from 1/2) with race sponsors Betway.

Anthony Bromley, racing manager to the winning owners, hailed the four-time Grade 1 winner as the best horse to race in the double green - believing he eclipses the talents of the owners’ old favourite Bristol De Mai - and Townend was highly complimentary too.

“He’s just a very good horse,” said the champion jockey.

“I was slow at one early in the back and Danny [Mullins, on fourth-placed Gentleman De Mee] got a couple of lengths but I had it made up with one good jump again. He wasn’t foot perfect I suppose but that’s picking holes in him. When I wanted him he was good and long at a couple.

“He’s not an overly raced horse still and that was probably his stiffest test out of novice company.”

Mullins added: “He did his job well because Dinoblue had worked very well during the week and I thought if he made any mistake, she would definitely give him a race.

“Mark [Walsh, rider of Dinoblue] was very happy with her, so it was a fair test and not a freebie by any means. She was getting 7lb from him and is a good mare. It was a fair race.”