Tag Archive for: Joseph O’Brien

Comfort Zone forced to miss Triumph Hurdle bid

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Comfort Zone will miss Friday’s JCB Triumph Hurdle following a setback, Joseph O’Brien has revealed.

The JP McManus-owned four-year-old was among the favourites for the opening race on Cheltenham Gold Cup day.

Having taken the Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow over Christmas, he narrowly downed the previously unbeaten Scriptwriter in the Finesse Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham four weeks later.

Comfort Zone was as short as 7-1 to land the Triumph Hurdle, following his previous win in the trial over the same course and distance.

Though among a strong Irish challenge, spearheaded by the Willie Mullins-trained trip of Lossiemouth, Blood Destiny and Gala Marceau, O’Brien has been forced to draw stumps after the gelding suffered a minor problem.

He said: “Comfort Zone has just had a little hold-up unfortunately. He will potentially make it back for Aintree or Punchestown.

“We are obviously disappointed, but we’re hopeful we will have him back for the later festivals.”

Nusret boosts the claims of Irish-trained juveniles ahead of Cheltenham

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Nusret ran out a determined winner of the Coral Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton – advertising the claims of a couple of fellow Irish-trained contenders for the Triumph Hurdle in the process.

Well beaten the last twice by Lossiemouth and Blood Destiny, he was providing trainer Joseph O’Brien with a third Grade Two four-year-old hurdle prize in Britain this season after the successes of Comfort Zone at Chepstow and Cheltenham.

The race changed in complexion when the front-running Sarsons Risk came down at the last flight in the back straight when still going well.

Several runners were hampered, including the eventual winner, but it left Perseus Way in front and Jamie Moore kicked a couple of lengths clear.

Rare Middleton briefly flattered, but Daryl Jacob was biding his time on Nusret and a mistake at the last by Perseus Way enabled the 7-2 chance to come home a length and a quarter clear.

Scriptwriter, who went into the race as one of Britain’s leading Triumph Hurdle aspirants, faded tamely after a mistake.

The winner was cut to 5-1 from 8s for the Boodles Fred Winter at Cheltenham.

Jacob said: “He’s a lovely horse. His Punchestown win was very good while the ground at Leopardstown was a bit soft for him.

“His preferred angle is going right-handed but we’re very very happy to have him.

“I managed to side-step the faller and actually didn’t lose that much ground.

“After that it was pretty straightforward, let’s hope he will go to Cheltenham where it would be the Boodles.”

Nusret and Daryl Jacob
Nusret and Daryl Jacob (PA Wire)

O’Brien said: “I thought it was a great ride from Daryl and it was a very pleasing performance.

“He appeared to enjoy going on a bit nicer ground. It was a nice race to go for. Anthony Bromley (racing manager to Simon Munir and Isaac Souede) thought it would be a good spot for him and I have to give him credit for suggesting the idea.

“We were hopeful he would run like that as that is why we went there. We had a form line through Scriptwriter (who was beaten by Comfort Zone at Cheltenham) and we thought he was the one to beat, but we thought our horse would at least be competitive with him.

“Daryl thinks he is better going right-handed but there aren’t many options right-handed before Punchestown. He will have the option of going to Cheltenham and there will be options at Aintree as well.

“We will see how he comes out of it and sit down with Daryl, Anthony, Simon and Isaac and work out where to go. I suppose the Boodles would be the obvious race but we will see how he comes out of it and what the guys want to do.”

Fakir D’oudairies shoots for Ascot Chase double

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Fakir D’oudairies will bid to become the first back-to-back winner of the Betfair Ascot Chase since Riverside Theatre in 2011 and 2012 when he returns to Berkshire for Ascot’s feature on Saturday.

Joseph O’Brien’s eight-year-old saw off the persistent challenge of Two For Gold when triumphing 12 months ago and is sure to be popular once again in his quest for further Grade One success.

Four of his nine career victories have been at the highest level – and having chased home Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs in the John Durkan before Christmas, he got back on the scoresheet in the Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase at Thurles last month.

Whether he would have beaten final-fence faller Haut En Couleurs that day is open to question, but either way O’Brien is happy with his condition ahead of his title defence.

“He’s in good shape and he’s been prepared for the race. It looks like it’s going to be a very good race, which is great, and we’re looking forward to competing in it,” said the Piltown handler.

“I think he was still in mix (at Thurles). JJ (Slevin, jockey) said he was going to give them a run for their money and that’s all you can ask for.”

Chief among the JP McManus-owned gelding’s rivals is Shishkin, who has 10lb in hand on official ratings but has questions to answer after disappointing in his two most recent outings.

O’Brien added: “I suppose Shishkin is a superstar on his day, but I think you can make a strong case for three or four horses in the race and we’re one of them.

“We know Ascot will suit our horse better than Thurles, so hopefully we get a smooth trip and we’ll see what happens from there.”

Trainer Nicky Henderson and Shishkin at Seven Barrows earlier this week
Trainer Nicky Henderson and Shishkin at Seven Barrows earlier this week (David Davies/PA)

Having won his first seven races over fences at around two miles, Shishkin takes a step into the unknown over two miles and five furlongs under rules this weekend, having previously won over three miles in point-to-point company.

The nine-year-old was pulled up in last season’s Queen Mother Champion Chase and looked ready for a rise in distance when a well-beaten third on his reappearance in the Tingle Creek at Sandown.

Although Nicky Henderson’s charge has won twice at the Cheltenham Festival, his finest hour arguably came at this track last year and his big-race rider Nico de Boinville is looking for signs of a resurgence from the son of Sholokhov, who has undergone wind surgery since his last run.

“I just want him to travel away. In the Tingle Creek I was flat out the whole way,” the jockey told talkSPORT2.

“It wasn’t until we brought him back and worked him up our gallop that he flipped his palate at the top of our gallops. He’s had his palate cauterized and hopefully that will have done the trick.

“Hopefully he should be able to travel away and enjoy his racing again. It was hard enough at Cheltenham when he ran with a rare bone condition. Mostly I just want him to enjoy racing again.

“The bone condition was like running a car with four flat tyres. I knew going to the first I was in trouble but I immediately put it down to the ground, but when you look back that didn’t make sense as he’d won on all sorts of ground so it wasn’t that.

“It’s a case of him learning to get over that bad experience and loving racing again.

“If he’s back to his best he should win, on paper, but he has to enjoy himself and get back into some sort of rhythm to make his and my life a bit easier.”

Henderson told Unibet: “This is obviously a very big day for him and we are stepping up in trip which is what I think he wants. Lots has already been said which doesn’t really need repeating over and over again so I’ll leave it to Shishkin to do the talking and see where we are at 3.45pm tomorrow!”

Pic D’Orhy winning the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon
Pic D’Orhy winning the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon (Tim Goode/PA)

Paul Nicholls can become the outright leading trainer in the history of the Ascot Chase if Pic D’Orhy continues his winning streak.

Unbeaten this season, the eight-year-old has won Grade Twos at both Huntingdon and Kempton and the champion trainer is hopeful he can continue on his upward curve.

“I think that was one of his best performances (at Kempton) because we weren’t convinced about the ground,” said the Ditcheat handler.

“He is a much better horse on good ground and I see Ascot’s now gone good, good to soft in places so I assume Nicky has been on the phone all week asking them to water! There’s plenty of water gone on, but everybody will be happy with that – good, good to soft in places.

“It’s ideal for him and we’re looking forward to the challenge. It’s probably the biggest race of his career, but he’s up for it.”

Kim Bailey saddled the runner-up in last year’s renewal and now looks to First Flow to go one better at a course where he has never finished outside of the first three.

He said: “It’s a tough, competitive race and we’re all wrong at the weights. We’re very limited in where we can go and there is only one other race for him at Sandown on the last day of the season.

“He handled goodish ground at Huntingdon and this will be much quicker than he ideally wants, but having said that, we need to run and we need to go.

“He has been round the course several times and every time he has gone there he has run well, so if he can finish in the first three I would be delighted.”

Millers Bank in action at Aintree
Millers Bank in action at Aintree (Steven Paston/PA)

Millers Bank was well held in the King George on Boxing Day, but trainer Alex Hales feels his Aintree Grade One winner could be overlooked dropping back in distance.

“I’m looking forward to him running,” said Hales. “We were slightly underwhelmed by his run in the King George and he came back and was a little quiet after it, but he seems in very good heart now.

“We know he’s proven over two and a half, so it looks the right thing to do. It’s a competitive race but he deserves to take his chance.

“Pic D’Orhy has beaten us twice but that has been on flat, sharper tracks and I’m hoping that Ascot over an extra furlong might see us in a different light.”

The field is rounded off by by Harriet Graham and Gary Rutherford’s popular northern raider Aye Right, who takes his chance at Grade One level.

“It was an idea we had to take him out of handicaps because he is nearly always carrying top weight up against progressive handicappers,” said Graham.

“There are some classy horses in it, but I have always thought he would enjoy running right-handed and Ryan Mania was very keen that we take him down there – he comes and rides out for us and is a very good judge.

“I know we are the outsider but the owners were also keen to take him down, so we thought we would have a go.”

High Definition still in the frame for Cheltenham, despite weekend blip

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A tilt at the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle is still on the cards for High Definition, despite his first foray into Grade One company over hurdles ending in disappointment at Leopardstown on Sunday.

A high-class performer and one-time Derby favourite when trained by Aidan O’Brien on the Flat, he made a seamless transition to the National Hunt sphere when making his debut for Joseph O’Brien at the Dublin track over Christmas – taking a maiden hurdle by a going-away four and a quarter lengths.

The from of that result got a boost when Jetara finished second in a mares’ Grade Three recently, while the sixth, Diverge, bolted up by 23 lengths at Punchestown on his next start and meant that High Definition reported for Grade One duty at the Dublin Racing Festival as the biggest danger to the then unbeaten Facile Vega.

Attempting to go stride-for-stride with the 4-9 favourite from the front, the son of Galileo only got as far as the fourth flight before unseating jockey JJ Slevin in a race that also saw the Willie Mullins’ hotpot blow out and the Supreme market turned on its head.

However, the five-year-old is reported to be none the worse for the experience and the Cheltenham Festival opener remains the likely next destination for High Definition providing he proves his well-being over the next few weeks.

“He has come out of the race well and we’ll see how he is over the next couple of weeks, but we’re potentially looking at going straight to the Supreme with him from here,” said O’Brien.

“We’ll see how he is before confirming that decision, but if he was to go to Cheltenham that would be the race.”

High Definition ridden by jockey J J Slevin (right) on their way to winning the All About Sunday Maiden Hurdle during day one of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival at Leopardstown Racecourse
High Definition ridden by jockey J J Slevin (right) on their way to winning the All About Sunday Maiden Hurdle during day one of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival at Leopardstown Racecourse (Brian Lawless/PA)

With no plans for another run before Cheltenham, High Definition could head to Prestbury Park with just the one completion over hurdles under his belt. But his handler is not concerned about a lack of experience and believes his jumping will stand up to the test of a Festival Grade One.

He continued: “I wouldn’t be too worried about that (jumping experience). It would have been nice to get a nice clear round in Leopardstown, but I don’t think he did anything wrong and I was very pleased with how he jumped the second and third hurdle.”

O’Brien also looks to have an ace card to play in the novice chase division at Cheltenham in the form of last year’s Martin Pipe winner Banbridge.

His Festival success in 2022 came over an intermediate trip, but he showed his adaptability when returning to Prestbury Park to land the Arkle Trial over two miles in November.

Banbridge, here ridden by jockey JJ Slevin winning the From The Horses Mouth Podcast Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham, has options open ahead of a return to Prestbury Park
Banbridge, here ridden by jockey JJ Slevin winning the From The Horses Mouth Podcast Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham, has options open ahead of a return to Prestbury Park (Tim Goode/PA)

Having stayed on strongly to grab second in the Irish Arkle at the weekend, the Owning Hill trainer admits the sensible thing could be to return to two and a half miles for the Turners Novices’ Chase next month. But the impressive nature of Mighty Potter’s win at Leopardstown means all options are being kept open for now.

“He stayed on all the way up to the line. He missed the last which probably cost him a few lengths as well, but we were very pleased with the run in what was an extremely hot novice chase,” said O’Brien, reflecting on Banbridge’s Dublin Racing Festival outing.

“We will keep his options open in both the two-mile and middle-distance novice chase (at Cheltenham) and a decision will be made closer to the time.

“From watching the race in Leopardstown it would suggest it makes sense to go up in trip, but then that looks a very hot race as well so we’ll keep our options open and a plan will be made after we’ve spoken to Ronnie (Bartlett, owner) closer to the time.”

Comfort Zone edges Scriptwriter in informative Triumph trial

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Comfort Zone further highlighted Ireland’s dominance in the juvenile hurdle division when landing a telling blow in the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle.

Joseph O’Brien’s youngster made a successful raid to British shores when taking the Finale Juvenile Hurdle over Christmas and added a second successive Grade Two prize when downing Milton Harris’ Scriptwriter – who headed into the Cheltenham feature as one of the home team’s best Triumph Hurdle hopes.

Scriptwriter looked to be travelling beautifully as Paddy Brennan charted a typically wide course round Prestbury Park, but the 2-1 favourite Comfort Zone was smuggled into contention by Jonjo O’Neill Jr and having jumped the last level pulled out more on the run to the line to prevail by half a length.

The winner was cut to 10-1 from 14-1 by Betfair for the Triumph Hurdle at the Festival, while he is 7-1 from 8s for the Boodles Fred Winter.

O’Neill said: “Scriptwriter is probably the best gauge-stick in England anyway, so I was happy with the performance.

“Scriptwriter was a non-runner on the day at Chepstow, so I suppose that performance was a bit better – you’d never have known. But I think the track probably suited him and maybe riding him like that was a bit more sensible.”

Asked about plans, he replied: “Leave it to the trainer and connections, they know more than me and what else they have in the races and stuff.

“I think he definitely deserves his chance in whatever race. I wouldn’t mind riding him, anyway. His hurdling was grand, a couple he got in a little bit short but I had him right down the inside and wanted to settle him, so I couldn’t be looking for loads of light.

“The ground is quite dead and he might be better on better ground, but he handles soft at Chepstow, so I’d say he is pretty versatile.”

Winning rider Jonjo O'Neill Jr
Winning rider Jonjo O’Neill Jr (David Davies/PA)

Of Scriptwriter, Milton Harris: “It is just frustrating. Look, they are good horses. We just didn’t get the rub of the green.

“It wasn’t the ground. He just got to the front miles too soon. He is a horse who has come from Ballydoyle, where he has been a lead horse for Derby horses and he has been taught to lead horses, get headed, and that’s him, so you have got to hit it late and he has just travelled too well into the race.

“I was not impressed with finishing second. He is a good horse and we’ll be back and take on the winner.

“He just got there too soon. Paddy is spitting feathers as he got there too soon and is blaming himself. We should have hit the front in the last 50 yards and he would have won – he knows that.”

He added: “We don’t want to be poor losers, but it wouldn’t bother me in the slightest taking on the winner again.

“We will come back to fight another day and take the winner on in March.”

Syd Hosie’s Rock My Way also stated his claims for the Festival when a taking winner of the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle.

Rock My Way ridden by Tom Scudamore (left) before winning the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (Registered As The Classic Novices’ Hurdle) during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse
Rock My Way ridden by Tom Scudamore (left) before winning the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (Registered As The Classic Novices’ Hurdle) during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse (David Davies/PA)

Second to Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Weveallbeencaught on his rules debut over the track and trip on New Year’s Day, he built on that performance to record a length and a half success in the hands of Tom Scudamore.

The 13-2 winner was shortened to 16-1 from 50-1 for both the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle and the Albert Bartlett – but Rock My Way’s owner-trainer appears to be favouring a step up in trip which brings the latter of those two races into the equation.

“How good is Nigel Twiston-Davies’ horse? We are going to find out as he is going to Ireland next week,” said Hosie.

“I would be excited for that, actually. Tom (Scudamore) said maybe step him up in trip as he wanted a bit more of a lead and got to the front a bit early enough, actually and he had a look around.

“Last time, we didn’t have a clue as we bought him out of a point-to-point field. This time, I thought if we could get him in the top three, I wouldn’t look stupid making entries for the Ballymore and the Albert Bartlett, so I’m glad about that.

“We’ll get him home and if all is safe and sound, we’ll make a plan. We’ve had a Cheltenham Saturday hunter chase winner and to me that was the pinnacle, but today, this means a lot. It is nice to do it on a Saturday on Trials Day. I used to come to Trials Day with my mates and we’d be in the bottom bar, there.”

Comfort Zone possible for Leopardstown ahead of Cheltenham challenge

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Finale Juvenile Hurdle hero Comfort Zone will have one more run before a possible tilt at the Triumph Hurdle, trainer Joseph O’Brien has revealed.

The Churchill gelding was a neck superior to Dixon Cove in the Grade Two event at Chepstow over Christmas.

The JP McManus-owned four-year-old had previously finished third at Fairyhouse to Triumph Hurdle favourite Lossiemouth, who subsequently franked that form by winning a Grade Two at Leopardstown on Boxing Day.

The Owning Hill handler is keen to head to the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown, with the €150,000 Grade One Spring Juvenile Hurdle on February 4 a likely landing spot.

O’Brien said: “It was a good performance at Chepstow and he has come back from that race well.

“He has an option of going to the Dublin Racing Festival in Ireland and he has an option of going to Cheltenham, but we are considering the Dublin Racing Festival and then, after that, we will look at further plans from there. But that is as far as we’ve got.

“He’s had three runs over hurdles now and his jumping is pretty good. We are potentially looking at Leopardstown, but nothing has been set in stone. It is a long time from Christmas to the Triumph Hurdle.”

Home By The Lee, who sauntered to a three-length success in the Jack De Bromhead Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown, has taken the Grade One contest in his stride, according to O’Brien.

He will head straight to Cheltenham for the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle in which he was beaten seven and a half lengths in sixth by Flooring Porter last year.

Home By The Lee will head straight to Cheltenham
Home By The Lee will head straight to Cheltenham (Niall Carson/PA)

The Sean O’Driscoll-owned eight-year-old cruised to success over Bob Olinger on his seasonal return at Navan and travelled sweetly in beating Ashdale Bob over three miles on his next start.

O’Brien said: “He has had a very good season so far. The plan is to go straight for the Stayers’. He wasn’t beaten far in it last year and he does look a better horse this year, so hopefully he will go there with a live chance.

“He jumped and travelled well the last day, so we are pleased with his season and looking forward to Cheltenham.”

Another who will make a return to the Festival in March is Scarlet And Dove, who went down by just half a length to Elimay when third in the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase last year.

The Gigginstown House Stud-owned nine-year-old overturned the form with that rival in no uncertain terms when romping to a 15-length success in a Grade Two at Punchestown in April.

She showed her well-being with a cosy success in a Grade Three contest over two miles and five furlongs at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day. O’Brien is set to run her once more before Cheltenham.

He said: “She’ll have another run in Ireland, in the Opera Hat, which is a mares’ chase at Naas (February 11), and from there she will go straight on to Cheltenham.

“She ran well there last year and we are hoping she will run well there again this year.”

O’Brien sights set on Cheltenham with Scarlet And Dove

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Scarlet And Dove went two better than last year’s third in the John & Chich Fowler Memorial EBF Mares Chase to land the spoils at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day.

A bronze medallist in the Grade Three event behind Mount Ida and Elimay 12 months ago, Joseph O’Brien’s charge was sent off the 6-4 favourite this time and the market looked to have got it right as the nine-year-old and second-favourite Dolcita came to the fore at the business end of the contest.

Jumping the last together, it was Scarlet And Dove who had more in hand up the running, pushed out by Bryan Cooper to score by just shy of five lengths and record her seventh win in 19 starts.

The daughter of Jeremy was narrowly denied Cheltenham Festival glory when finishing third in a photo finish in the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase last year and the Owning Hill handler is now targeting a return to Prestbury Park for the Gigginstown-owned mare in the spring.

“She is always a difficult filly to get fit and all her career she has improved from her first run of the year. I felt she had come on,” said O’Brien.

“I was impressed. They are two good mares and they sprinted up the straight and left behind a good mare.

“She will run somewhere between now and Cheltenham. She ran in the Thyestes last year but we will probably find a mares’ chase for her somewhere and then on to Cheltenham.

“She ran well there last year and there is no reason why she wouldn’t do it again this year.”

The James Du Berlais team after his success
The James Du Berlais team after his success (Alan Magee/PA)

James Du Berlais added his name to Willie Mullins’ novice chasing riches with a faultless display on his fences debut.

Although a four-time winner in France, the son of Muhtathir was also narrowly denied at Grade One level twice when trained by Robert Collet, and has been tried in the highest possible company in both outings so far for Mullins, debuting for the Closutton team in the 2021 Champion Hurdle before chasing home Klassical Dream over three miles at the Punchestown Festival.

Off the track for 612 days, the seven-year-old was sent off the 1-4 favourite for the McInerney Beginners Chase in the hands of Daryl Jacob and the combination barely broke sweat as they sauntered to the front and stayed there for the duration of the two-mile-five-furlong contest to record a bloodless 15-lengh victory.

Betfair were suitably impressed and made the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned gelding 8-1 from 12s for the Turners Novices’ Chase and 10s from 14-1 to stretch out in distance for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Jacob said: “He’s a great jumper, but I haven’t ridden a Willie Mullins horse that fresh for a long time. He’s been off the track for a long time and he was fresh under me all the way.

“When he sees a fence, he says ‘let me at it’. He takes them on and a couple that he’s got in deep, I’ve tried to educate him.

“He was a very good horse over hurdles and it’s good to have him back again.

“He’s had a nice blow going down to the last but when I gave him a little squeeze, he’s winged the last and gone away nicely.

“He could be really exciting over two and a half or three miles. He’s got plenty of pace.”

Mullins was also on the mark in the ITM Stallion Trail 13-14 January Maiden Hurdle with the Luke Dempsey-ridden Indiana Dream (9-4 favourite).

Home By The Lee takes Christmas crown at Leopardstown

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Home By The Lee proved his surprise victory at Navan last month was no fluke with a battling success in the Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Joseph O’Brien’s charge was a widely unconsidered 28-1 shot for the Grade Two Lismullen Hurdle in mid-November, but knuckled down to see off the strong-travelling Bob Olinger, with Ashdale Bob and dual Stayers’ Hurdle hero Flooring Porter back in third and fourth.

All four were again in action in this three-mile Grade One, with Bob Olinger the marginal favourite to provide Henry de Bromhead with victory in a race named in memory of his late son, just ahead of Flooring Porter at 2-1.

The latter adopted his customary pacesetting role under Danny Mullins, while Bob Olinger was given a more patient ride under Rachael Blackmore.

But it became clear leaving the back straight that both of the market principals were in trouble, with Flooring Porter picked up by both 7-1 shot Home By The Lee and Ashdale Bob, while Bob Olinger found little once push came to shove.

Ashdale Bob looked to be travelling best of all on the approach to the final flight, but it was Home By The Lee who saw out the distance best under JJ Slevin to score by three lengths.

Paddy Power cut the winner to 6-1 from 20-1 for the Stayers’ Hurdle, a race in which he finished sixth last season.

O’Brien said: “I was actually worried how well he was travelling through the race because he never does travel well. I thought he was going to waste too much energy travelling and jumping well but he’s a really good stayer.

Joseph O'Brien trains Home By The Lee
Joseph O’Brien trains Home By The Lee (Brian Lawless/PA)

“He keeps finding and even when he got to the front, he pricked his ears again.

“I was surprised he beat Bob Olinger in Navan but he really was going well. He was discounted in the betting but we hoped he’d be placed and then come here.

“He’s always been a fairly good horse. He was a good novice chaser and then lost his confidence jumping fences and we came back hurdling.

“He’ll probably go straight to Cheltenham now for the Stayers’. He likes getting into a nice rhythm and wasn’t beaten a million miles in it last year. He looks a better horse this year.”

Flooring Porter was edged out by Meet And Greet for third, with Mullins banned for five days and forfeiting his riding fee after the stewards judged he had not obtained the best possible placing.

Comfort Zone digs deep in Finale prize

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Comfort Zone was made to work very hard to justify odds-on favouritism in the Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow.

Paying a handsome compliment to the Willie Mullins-trained Lossiemouth, the current Triumph Hurdle favourite who had him back in third las time out, Joseph O’Brien’s charge was a rare winner of the Grade Two event for Ireland.

Comfort Zone travelled through the race like much the best horse and until the run to the final flight, those who had backed him at 10-11 will have been feeling confident.

However, once Jonjo O’Neill’s mount went two lengths clear, Comfort Zone did not really increase his advantage.

Dixon Cove made Comfort Zone battle to the line
Dixon Cove made Comfort Zone battle to the line (David Davies/PA)

It was Paul Nicholls’ filly Dixon Cove who gave the favourite most to do, and in receipt of the 7lb sex allowance it looked like she may get on top on the run to the line.

Comfort Zone dug deep, though, and got the verdict by a neck with Perseus Way two lengths away in third.

O’Neill told Sky Sports Racing: “It was a messy race but he came alight quicker than I thought he would.

“He jumped very well and he was very honest after the last. Joseph told me to keep it simple – which I didn’t do!

“He had some smart form with Lossiemouth winning yesterday, so it looked like he had a good chance and luckily he pulled it out of the bag.”

High Definition makes no mistake on jumping debut

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One-time Derby favourite High Definition made a successful start to his jumping career in the opening race of the Christmas Festival at Leopardstown.

The Galileo colt looked every inch a Classic contender in the making after charging home to win the Beresford Stakes as a two-year-old, but had failed to get his head in front in 12 subsequent starts.

However, he has been placed in the Dante at York, the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh and the Coronation Cup at Epsom and brought serious class to proceedings in the All About Sunday Maiden Hurdle.

Making his first start for Joseph O’Brien, having previously been trained by his father Aidan, High Definition (9-2) was sent straight to the lead by JJ Slevin, who appeared keen to ensure the two-mile contest was a searching test of stamina.

The four-year-old was not entirely convincing in the jumping department racing down the back straight, but remained in front turning for home and with the final flight omitted he kept up the gallop on the run-in to score by four and a quarter lengths from Jetara, with 4-5 favourite Parmenion only third.

Coral cut High Definition to 14-1 from 25-1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

O’Brien said: “It was a nice start over hurdles for him. On the whole he put up a good enough round of jumping. He was a bit green at a couple and having to make the running on his first run over hurdles wasn’t ideal. He went particularly right at one in the back.

“There seemed to be plenty of well-fancied horses in the race. The second was a very good filly in bumpers and Willie’s (Mullins) was well fancied in third.

High Definition leads the field round at Leopardstown
High Definition leads the field round at Leopardstown (Brian Lawless/PA)

“We’ve had him since October. The plan was to come here for a maiden and we were happy with his schooling at home.

“He was a high-class Flat horse so you would be hoping he can make it into Graded company over hurdles.”

Considering future plans, the trainer added: “Obviously we would be looking at Cheltenham, but he would have to run somewhere between now and then.

“We’ll see how he is after this and speak with the owners before making a plan. The Dublin Racing Festival is an option, but whether we want to go straight into that class or take baby steps we’ll have to see.”

Paul Townend with Dark Raven after winning at Leopardstown
Paul Townend with Dark Raven after winning at Leopardstown (Brian Lawless/PA)

Willie Mullins enjoyed better fortune in the Thorntons Recycling Maiden Hurdle, with even-money favourite Dark Raven maintaining his unbeaten record on his return from a lengthy absence.

The Malinas gelding won twice in the bumper sphere in the spring of 2021, but had not been seen in competitive action since the latter of those triumphs at Fairyhouse 631 days ago.

Paul Townend’s mount proved his ability remains very much intact as he knuckled down to make a successful comeback by three lengths from Doctor Bravo.

Mullins said: “He had setbacks last year and we decided to take the season off, so he’s come back nicely this season. He looks to have an engine and jumps well enough.

“I’m very happy to see him doing it over the minimum trip as well. I’m hoping he’ll improve over further and it looked like he wasn’t stopping at the end anyway.”