A tilt at the Hennessy Gold Cup is the hoped-for next step with Last Instalment (above, right) after Philip Fenton’s star chaser ran a race full of promise on his return from injury at Thurles.
The Gigginstown House Stud-owned nine-year-old won twice at Grade One level as a novice over fences, but spent almost two years on the sidelines with injury. Despite the lengthy absence, Last Instalment was a 9/4 favourite to make a winning comeback in the Kinloch Brae Chase and although he ultimately came up short, he lost little in defeat.
Fenton’s charge travelled strongly and jumped noticeably well for Bryan Cooper and was still in with a chance of victory at the final fence. He just tired in the closing stages, however, leaving Noel Meade’s 4/1 shot Texas Jack to come through and claim the Grade Two prize under a typically cool Paul Carberry ride.
The Mouse Morris-trained Baily Green edged out Last Instalment for second, but Fenton was thrilled with his returning star’s performance and is now eyeing a trip to Leopardstown on February 9th.
Fenton said: "It was a lovely comeback. He travelled well and was probably a little bit fresh early on. Going to the second-last he got a bit tight underneath it, but he fiddled it well. There was still a race on, but he just probably needed the race and blew up.
'Lot of improvement'
"There should be a lot of improvement to come and we'd be over the moon with the run. We'd like to think we could turn up for the Hennessy. If he's sound and hardy tomorrow, we'll see how he progresses in the next 10 or 12 days, and if he tells us he's ready for the Hennessy, that's the next port of call."
Meade said of the winner: “He has a few options. I think that is probably his trip – I’m not sure he gets much further than two and a half miles. I think he’s a horse to stay at home with, rather than go to Cheltenham.”
Robert Tyner’s 3/1 shot Byerley Babe got the better of British raider Une Artiste in a thrilling climax to the Fame And Glory and Sans Frontieres Coolmore National Hunt Sires EBF Mares Novice Chase.
Cheltenham Festival-winning hurdler Une Artiste was a first ever runner at the track for Nicky Henderson, but the 6/5 favourite was beaten a nose by Byerley Babe and Phillip Enright.
'Strong mare'
Tyner said: "She's a fine, big strong mare who travels well in her races. She's not qualified for the next mares' chase back here in a few weeks and she might run next in a Graded race at Limerick on St Patrick's weekend."
The Willie Mullins-trained Clondaw Court (4/6 favourite) kept his unbeaten record intact with a convincing victory in the WT O’Grady Memorial European Breeders Fund Novice Hurdle. The impressive Punchestown bumper winner scraped home on his debut over hurdles at Leopardstown last month, but may have booked his ticket to the Cheltenham Festival with his latest 18-length victory under Ruby Walsh.
Mullins said: “He made a mistake at the second hurdle in Leopardstown. Ruby said he was unsighted by a shadow, he landed on the middle of the hurdle and it upset him. He was foot-perfect today. He looks like he needs a trip, two miles and six or three miles. I thought he was our bumper horse for Cheltenham last year. He was our pick all of the spring time, but didn’t make it.
"He probably won't have a run between now and the Festival and the Albert Bartlett might be the race for him."
Dominated proceedings
Francis Flood's Kylestyle (10/11 favourite) and Andrew McNamara dominated proceedings in the www.thurlesraces.ie Maiden Hurdle.
Francis Flood jnr said: “You would expect him to do that after his Leopardstown run and we may target him at a Listed hurdle in Naas just before Cheltenham.”
Mount Colah (6/4 favourite) survived a bad mistake at the final fence to take the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase for trainer Jerry Cosgrave and amateur rider Noel McParlan.
McParlan completed a double in the Arctic Tack Stud Hunters Chase aboard 10/1 shot Carsonstown Boy, with 5/6 favourite Oscar Delta, so heartbreakingly denied in the Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham last year when unshipping jockey Jane Mangan on the run-in, staying on for third.
'Very encouraging'
Oscar Delta's trainer, Jimmy Mangan, said: "I was delighted with the run. It was very encouraging and he would have needed it. He will have one more point-to-point run and then go back to Cheltenham."
Winning trainer Colin McBratney said: “He likes to dictate the pace and in Down Royal the last day he was running against class horses and he wasn’t able to dictate, so he got disappointed.
“He’s a good fun horse and I think we’ll go back to point-to-points before maybe going to Fairyhouse.”
The Matty Ryan Memorial Handicap Hurdle went to 16/1 chance Sherika.
