Un De Sceaux may have dramatically fluffed his lines on his return to Grade One action at Leopardstown but a reassuring reminder to his fans of the ‘form is temporary but class is permanent’ argument came from the winner, Flemenstar.
It is three years since Flemenstar arrived at the Christmas festival as Irish racing’s latest ‘big thing’, trumpeted as a future Gold Cup winner and accompanied by a colourful narrative provided by his then trainer Peter Casey.
A lot has happened since then, most notably a 16-month injury layoff, but also a shuffle of trainers from Casey to Tony Martin, before pitching up at home with owner Stephen Curran who entrusted the horse’s rehabilitation to his son, Anthony.
Spluttering
The trainer only took out a licence last summer and Flemenstar’s four previous starts this year indicated a fading star capable of only spluttering reminders of his former prowess.
Yet when Un De Sceaux crashed out at the second last in the Paddy Power Chase, it was the veteran star who took advantage, showing the resolution, if not necessarily the talent, of old, to rally past the English raider Simply Ned by a length.
It was fairytale stuff for Curran who was saddling his first ever winner and hugely enjoyable for Flemenstar’s former jockey Andrew Lynch who substituted for the sidelined Keith Donoghue.
“I don’t know what would have happened if the favourite hadn’t fallen but my horse certainly jumped the way he used to,” reported Lynch, while Curran confirmed that soft ground would be key to the winner’s future career.
“He could run next at Punchestown at the end of January, but it will have to be soft wherever he runs,” he said.
There are echoes or Moscow Flyer developing around Un De Sceaux who has only been beaten twice, on both occasions through dramatic spills.
"He just looked to be too fresh," considered Willie Mullins.
Another stride
Meanwhile, Ruby Walsh said: “He was spot on to jump it but he took another stride and caught it halfway up.
“It’s very disappointing to leave a Grade One behind, but I’d prefer to fall at the second-last here than the second-last in a Champion Chase.”
Bookmakers were similarly sanguine and Un De Sceaux remains a general 7/4 favourite for Cheltenham’s Champion Chase, despite Sprinter Sacre’s Kempton defeat of Sire De Grugy.
They could afford to be after a bumper result which saw Winsome Bucks spring a 50/1 shock for trainer Tom Hogan and jockey Declan Queally. The winner paid over double those odds on the Tote. “He’s a gorgeous horse and has just taken a bit of time to fill in,” said Hogan.
Niggling
“There have been niggling problems like splint and sore shins but he should make a good chaser in time.”
Minella Foru was understandably the highlight of Eddie Harty’s Paddy Power day double; however, Copy That’s handicap hurdle victory justified some market confidence and the trainer said: “He will fill out with time and we could bring him back in the spring for better ground.”
