Elliott keeps Meath flag flying at Leopardstown day one
Summerhill man and Meath Sportsperson of the Year Gordon Elliott kept the Meath flag flying at the opening day of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown yesterday.
The Elliott-trained Eclair De Beaufeu landed the €100,000 Matheson Handicap Chase in a thrilling finish for jockey Sean O'Keeffe. The Chris Jones-owned Paloma Blue was a close second.
“It’s great to get a winner, I knew today was going to be a tough day - we had a few each-way chances," stated Elliott.
However, the day belonged to Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore who teamed up for a big-race double with Honeysuckle and Notebook.
All eyes were on Honeysuckle heading into the PCI Irish Champion Hurdle with mare bidding to make it seven wins from seven starts.
The 5-4 favourite did not disappoint either as she recovered from a slow leap at the last to down stablemate Petit Mouchoir halfway up the run-in.
The surprise package of the race was the Gavin Cromwell-trained 20-1 outsider Darver Star which surged down the outside and threatened to spoil the Honeysuckle party.
But the mare battled her way to a hard-earned victory by half-a-length.
Blackmore won with Notebook in the ERSG Arkle Novice Chase. The 5-4 favourite produced a flawless round of jumping to grind out a narrow victory over Cash Back. The seven-year-old is now as short as 5-2 to land the Racing Post Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival next month.
The action started with an emotional win for Enniscorthy trainer Paul Nolan as Latest Exhibition battled bravely to land the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle.
It was the trainer’s first Grade 1 win since 2013 and a 35th top-level triumph for jockey Bryan Cooper.
Willie Mullins dominated the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase as 5-4 favourite Chacun Pour Soi recorded a fine win over stablemate Min.
Mark Phelan of Phelan Caswell Insurance said:
"What a fantastic day’s racing with the PCI Irish Champion Hurdle. We are so blessed to have a such a high standard of Racing.
"Congratulations to Honeysuckle, Rachael Blackmore and Henry De Bromhead.
"We are delighted to have been part of the Annual Dublin Racing Festival and to all the wonderful support of all here. Thank you"
SUNDAY
Today there will be four Grade 1 races on the card including the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup and the Flogas Novice Chase. Gates open from 10.30am this morning with the first race off at 12.55pm.