Punchestown report:The Listener provided an emotional victory for Robert Alner in yesterday's John Durkan Memorial Chase and, to cap it all, the trainer even arranged to hear the final stages of his horse's 19-length rout from his hospital bed.
Alner remains in intensive care with serious neck injuries after a car accident near his Dorset base last month. Televisions are not allowed in intensive care units but the Gold Cup winning trainer arranged for a nurse to listen by phone to the €100,000 Grade One highlight.
It was a straight-forward commentary to relay too as Daryl Jacob sent The Listener straight into the field and they were never headed. Jacob kicked for home before the turn in and the gap to Mansony kept widening all the way to the line.
"That's quite something. It's wonderful for Robert," said Alner's assistant, Nick Mitchell, and Jacob added: "This is for Robert. It will mean a lot to him and it's a great boost for everyone."
It was a second top-flight victory for The Listener in Ireland and he will come back at Christmas for a repeat bid on the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown.
"Bring on Denman," laughed Mitchell and there was enough in yesterday's win for Ladbrokes to slash The Listener's Christmas price to 3 to 1. Mitchell for one sounded as if that mightn't be the worst Christmas offer during the holidays.
"I can't think of another horse in Britain or Ireland that you would rather have to take on Denman on heavy ground," he said. "I'm not saying we'll beat him, but it will be fun. And we're a course and distance winner."
The distance part of the equation could be crucial too since Jacob is convinced that the grey didn't stay the trip in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and that three miles could be the limit of his stamina.
"I had no worries about the trip today. In fact the Ryanair at Cheltenham might be a race for him, as long as the ground is soft. He has loads of pace and jumps from fence to fence," said the Enniscorthy-born rider.
Your Sum Man could also head to Leopardstown over Christmas after a hard fought defeat of Quintana in the novice hurdle that adds to Tony Mullins's already strong hand in the novice department.
"I don't think he's in the league of Aranleigh or Decoy Daddy yet but he is improving and we'll have to go for a good race now," said the trainer. "Because he won two summer bumpers, people think he needs good ground but he's just as good on that - maybe even better."
O'Muircheartaigh was cut to 14 to 1 in some lists for the lucrative Paddy Power Chase during the holiday period after Andrew McNamara worked the oracle on Edward O'Grady's mercurial horse.
"The jockey asked 'can I ride him my way' and that's the end of the story. It's very nice," O'Grady said. "It's lovely to see him win again and for the money we will have to consider that race at Christmas."
Notre Pere emerged best in an incident-packed Beginners Chase in which seven horses came down including both Aghacashel Angel and Thyne Again at the second last.
That left Notre Pere to repel Knocknabooly by six lengths.
Jak Dream sprang a 20 to 1 surprise in the handicap hurdle for the Co Wicklow trainer Philip Rothwell after relishing the heavy ground and justifying jockey Shane Jackson's weekend sacrifice.
"Shane did well to lose 10lbs in two days to ride him," reported Rothwell. "The horse has been ready for the last couple of months but the ground was too quick for him."
