Sport

Start Me Up finally delivers

RACING: DAVY RUSSELL gave Start Me Up a near-perfect ride to open his account in the INH Stallion Owners EBF Novice Hurdle.

Fri Nov 12 2010 - 00:00

RACING:DAVY RUSSELL gave Start Me Up a near-perfect ride to open his account in the INH Stallion Owners EBF Novice Hurdle.

Russell settled Charlie Swan’s gelding in the rear early on but was spotted travelling ominously well. When the front-running Brog An Ri weakened on the home turn, Our Victoria took over the lead but Russell forced his mount between that rival and Bruach Na Mara heading to the last.

The winner made his only error at that flight, but Russell picked the 11 to 4 chance’s head up off the floor to win by a length and a half.

In-form trainer Gordon Elliott was on the mark with The Shepherd (4 to 1) who pounced late under Davy Condon in the Clonmel Oil Service Station Handicap Hurdle. Baily View looked to hold all the aces approaching the final flight but had no answer to the winner, who pulled a length clear.

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“He deserved that after being placed on his last few runs, and Davy gave him a great ride. He’ll go to Fairyhouse for a three-mile handicap later this month,” said Elliott.

Tranquil Sea, last season’s Paddy Power Gold Cup winner, started his new campaign in fine style with victory in the Clonmel Oil Chase. Edward O’Grady’s charge was well suited by the conditions of the race as he would have been giving plenty of weight away in a handicap.

The 10 to 11 favourite travelled well for Andrew McNamara behind the pace-setting Let Yourself Go and took it up at the second-last fence effortlessly.

Two smart leaps put the race to bed while Let Yourself Go showed a fine attitude to fend off Scotsirish for second, two lengths away.

McNamara said: “I was pleased with that . . . I’d say he’d come on for the run. I think two and a half miles is his trip. He’s run a Grade One over hurdles over that trip and a Paddy Power over two-five. If you win a Paddy Power you are not far off a Grade One horse so hopefully he can win one this year.”

William Hill cut Tranquil Sea to 25 to 1 from 33s for the King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day.

Formerly with Willie Austin, Blazing Tempo made her first start for Willie Mullins a winning one in the EBF T.A. Morris Memorial Mares Chase. Paul Townend got her in a nice rhythm towards the rear and although the favourite For Bill loomed large behind Cool Quest, it was Blazing Tempo (7 to 2) who saw it out best.