Respect On Road to Cheltenham in emphatic Champion Chase victory

They say history never repeats itself. That was as far from the truth as could ever have been as Road To Respect started his campaign in the same manner as he did last year by winning the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal under a superb ride from jockey Sean Flanagan.

Sent off at 5/2, he was delivered with perfection to tackle long time front runner Clan Des Obeaux to score by 4 lengths for trainer Noel Meade and owner Gigginstown House Stud.

At flagfall Alpha Des Obeaux and Clan Des Obeaux took the field along, Delta Work, Snow Falcon and Road To Respect all in a line behind them. The leader Alpha Des Obeaux reached for the first open ditch a little, but it was not a serious error.

There was a small roar from the crowd as the quintet passed the stands and headed out of the final full circuit of the course. At the first fence on this lap Delta Work made a small blunder, his first of the race. The pace was a fair one, but going down the back Delta Work was a little slow as Road To Respect took closer order into third place. Delta Work jumped the ditch much better and retook that place, showing enthusiasm as the field bunched up turning for home, a horse blanket being enough to cover them all.

At 3 out the pace lifted as Clan Des Obeaux moved into the lead, forcing Alpha Des Obeaux on the back foot as Snow Falcon started to drift back and Delta Work made another shuddering error that knocked him back. His stablemate Road To Respect on the other hand was cruising on the outside of the field and came alongside Clan Des Obeaux, taking dead aim at him and looking his rival in the eye.

Road To Respect was a length up over two out as Clan Des Obeaux came under a drive from Harry Cobden. By now these two had put some distance between themselves and the rest of the field, Delta Work once again slow and untidy at his fences. Clan Des Obeaux would not lie down without a fight and stuck to the task grimly and rejoining Road To Respect at the last, but Road To Respect would simply not give in and up the hill to the winning post started to surge away from the determined and brave King George winner, keeping up the gallop to win by 4 lengths from Clan Des Obeaux. Alpha Des Obeaux ran on for third, while Delta Work disappointed in fourth. Snow Falcon simply didn’t stay the trip and came home nearly a distance behind the winner in last place.

Bookmakers have shortened the winner’s price into a general 16/1 chance for the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day at Kempton, but judging by previous years it may well be that Road To Respect stays at home until March, when either he will take his chance in the Ryanair Chase like this season, or head for the blue riband event of the meeting, the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Rest of the meeting

On a card with so much class in the feature steeplechases, to say that a Maiden Hurdle has got everyone talking more about that than a Grade 1 is a little odd at first to hear. But there was only one name on everyone’s lips when talking about this particular race, and that name was the Weatherbys Champion Bumper winner Envoi Allen, who was making his seasonal and hurdling debut.

His odds were very cramped as he went to post, eventually going off as the 1/4F. He was being backed as if defeat was out of the question, and it certainly was as he stamped class, authority and an impressive beating on his rivals, who simply had no match for the well regarded son of Muhtathir as he swept them all away to score in the Tayto Maiden Hurdle very comfortably by 6 lengths under Davy Russell for trainer Gordon Elliott and owners Cheveley Park Stud.

At flagfall it was clear what the plan was, as Envoi Allen went straight to the lead and skipped over flight one, 2 lengths ahead of the field led by Fauguernon, Entoucas and Zenon.

With 5 furlongs to run and after a very uneventful round so far Envoi Allen was effortlessly starting to space the field out, jumping accurately and forcing one by one his rivals to submit to his class. Coming down the hill to two out only Front View had managed to join in with trying to pose a threat to the leader, but at two out it was clear only a mistake or unseat would be denying Envoi Allen victory as he neatly and swiftly hurdled that obstacle and was just as neat at the last, jockey Davy Russell not even moving a muscle as he ambled up to score by 6 lengths in easy fashion, with Front View taking the runner up spot and Entoucas settling for third.

Shortly after the race Gordon Elliott stated that his next task would be the Royal Bond Hurdle over 2 miles at Fairyhouse. And even though that race is over 2 miles, he is currently the general 4/1F for the Ballymore Novices Hurdle over 2m 5f at the Cheltenham Festival in March, with his nearest rival currently a general 16/1 chance. This horse really could be very special, given by what he has already shown, and the potential that is still yet to be realised.

Real Steel has been criticised in the past for not being quite up to Graded level, but he sure put those doubts to rest with a scintillating performance to take the Daily Mirror Chase for jockey Paul Townend, and bringing up a double on the day for trainer and master of Closutton Willie Mullins.

Sent off the 4/5F, he was settled in at the back of the quartet who went to post before making steady progress to overhaul long time leader Secret Investor and score by 14 lengths.

Secret Investor and the massive Mengli Khan took the field along, disputing the lead as Minella Fair sat in behind them, with a 4 length gap to Real Steel who was content to settle in behind. At fence 4 Mengli Khan surrendered the lead, but at the first ditch Secret Investor was slow and was rejoined by the strapping rival. These two continued to trade blows until the ninth when Mengli Khan made an error and was ridden away by Keith Donoghue. Minella Fair was given a slight hurry up by Sean Flanagan as Real Steel went past him and closed in on the weakening Mengli Khan, now under a strong drive from his jockey.

Real Steel breezed up to the third last alongside Secret Investor, these two breaking away from the two rivals. Both jumped that and the second last together, but Real Steel was away faster and cleared away from Secret Investor to score, who held on from the fast finishing Minella Fair, and these were a long way clear of Mengli Khan, who decided it was easier to jump the birch by the wing at the last than stay straight, his early efforts with the long time leader having taken their toll.

Joseph O’Brien had a talented juvenile hurdler last year in Sir Erec, and he may have another one on his hands as A Wave Of The Sea took the opening Value Cabs 3-Y-O Hurdle under jockey J.J Slevin in dominant fashion and creating a serious impression in the process.

Sent off the 2/1 second favourite after a victory at Punchestown, he was always at the head of affairs and not only did he give at least 6lbs to all but one of his rivals, he also gave them a pretty serious beating when storming away with the 2 mile contest in imposing fashion.

At the start It’s All Gucci veered out away from the tape in somewhat startling fashion as Leaman took the field along from A Wave Of The Sea and Saint D’Oroux, who was making his Irish debut for new trainer Gordon Elliott, having been bought from France by owners Simon Munir & Isaac Souede.

Ballydrislane hit the third and unshipped P J O’Hanlon shortly after the hurdle as Leahman swung into the back section of the course 4 lengths up on his rivals.

With 4 furlongs to run the leader was swamped by his rivals and A Wave Of The Sea went on, followed closely by Saint D’oroux and Laura Bullion as It’s All Gucci went markedly out to the right and ran out before the third last.

The new leader started to press on going down the hill, and made his only serious error at the second last, clipping the top bar but not losing much momentum. Grabbed together by his jockey, he put in a fine leap at the last and simply flew up the hill to the line, scoring by 20 lengths in emphatic fashion. An exciting recruit to hurdling indeed, it remains to be seen how far he can go this season, and which Spring targets his young maestro of a trainer has in mind for him.

Janidil continued his improvement since returning to action at Tipperary recently by following up that win with victory in the North Down Marquees Handicap Hurdle for trainer Willie Mullins, jockey Mark Walsh and owner J.P. McManus.

Always at the head of affairs, he travelled well for his jockey and ground out a victory when approached by Try Again and Shumaker at the last, keeping up the gallop to score by ¾ of a length.

Cool Colonnade and Brian Hayes took the field along at flagfall in the Two Mile contest, the field well bunched and going a fair clip for the conditions. La Sorelita was pulling hard for jockey Paul Townend, and at the halfway point Rathhill was shaken up by Barry Geraghty to maintain his positioning.He was slow at 4 out and dropped away quickly as Barry eased him down with 6 furlongs to run, the horse clearly amiss.

With 4 furlongs to go the pace lifted and many became flat to the boards as the leaders swung for home and down the hill. Janidil took the lead at this pint, pursued by Hearts Are Trumps, La Sorelita and Shumaker to name the plethora of horses mounting their challenges in behind.

An accurate, efficient leap at 2 out made sure Janidil got away from the hurdle the quickest and with a length to spare. Another efficient leap at the last made sure that the result was almost in no doubt, the leader being kept up to his work with a fine drive from Mark Walsh to ensure he had the race settled and was in no danger of losing concentration. Try Again took second in a head bobber from Shumaker, with Hearts Are Trumps coming home in fourth.

An interesting handicap chase went the way of Castafiore Park and Sean O’Keefe as they triumphed in the penultimate race of the day, the Rainbow Communications Handicap Steeplechase for trainer Paul Nolan and owner Phillip Byrne.

Going off at odds of 7/2, the daughter of leading sire Walk In The Park scored by 4 ¾ lengths from the favourite Guided By You, the extra 7lbs being taken off her proving valuable in the conditions.

Top weight Ah Littleluck took the field along at a steady pace, not wanting to go the same way many others in the day had in tiring too quickly. Guided By You made an alarming mistake in mid division as he sent Sean Flanagan more vertical than he hoped for, but maintained the partnership. Eoline Jolie made an error at the ditch and parted company with Phillip Enright shortly afterwards.

Coming down the hill to 3 out Home Place and Castafiore Park swamped the long term leader and went on, jumping the second last as one and slugging it out towards the last. The latter rose just in front and kept the gallop up all the way to the line to score by nearly 5 lengths to the rallying Guided By You, who took the runner’s up spot from Home Place in the last few strides.

The concluding bumper, the Eventsec Pro/Am Flat Race, was taken by the Gordon Elliott trained Easywork, who made just that to bring up a double on the day for his trainer and owners Gigginstown House Stud.

Always near the front, he kicked on at the 2 furlong mark under a typically ice cool ride from jockey Jamie Codd to score by a wide margin of 9 ½ lengths over Ultima Thule, who in turn was a further 22 lengths ahead of the third placed Moonshot. Both the winner and runner up may have bright futures in racing, particularly when going hurdling in the next 12 months or so, and are certainly two to follow from this race.

Thank you to Susan, Jade and everyone at Down Royal who made this article possible, we are extremely grateful for the opportunity to cover the meeting, and we cannot wait to return in the near future!