Faugheen raises the roof
He may be 12 years of age but Faugheen again showed he is no back number with a gusty success under Paul Townend in the Grade 1 Flogas Novice Chase (2m5f) at Leopardstown on Sunday.
Rich Ricci’s former outstanding hurdler is a latecomer to the chasing game yet his apparent love of racing remains undimmed.
Stable companion Easy Game, who wasn’t even born when Faugheen won his first Grade 1 at the Cheltenham Festival in 2014, threw down a strong challenge after the final fence but the veteran had enough in reserve to score by half a length.
Tornado Flyer and Castlebawn West followed the pair home to give trainer Willie Mullins a sensational 1-2-3-4.
Delta Work followed up his Savills Chase win with victory in the Grade 1 Irish Gold Cup under Jack Kennedy.
Trained by Gordon Elliott for Gigginstown, Delta Work stayed on strongly on the run-in to see off Kemboy and Presenting Percy, his margin of victory one and a half lengths. The Cheltenham Gold Cup is now beckoning for the progressive seven-year-old.
Willie Mullins enjoyed a Grade 1 double on the afternoon as Asterion Forlonge took the Grade 1 novice hurdle, while A Wave Of The Sea provided Joseph O’Brien with another top-level triumph in the Tattersalls Ireland Spring Juvenile Hurdle.
Kennedy breaks leg
Half an hour after scoring on Delta Work in the Irish Gold Cup, Jack Kennedy suffered a broken leg after being unseated from Dallas Des Pictons in the 2m5f handicap chase.
Senior Medical Officer Dr Jennifer Pugh confirmed the news that will keep the jockey out of the saddle for some considerable time, saying: “Jack’s injury has been confirmed as a fracture of his right femur. He is expected to undergo surgery tomorrow.”
Today’s racing
Carlisle stages the sole jumps meeting today with a six-race card set to be run on soft ground.
Grand National-winning jockey Ryan Mania has made a solid start since returning to race-riding and looks to hold sound claims on top-weight Mymilan in the extended three-mile handicap chase, his only mount of the day.
Wolverhampton race this evening when the Richard Fahey-trained Another Touch bids for his fourth straight win on the all-weather, facing six rivals in the extended mile conditions contest.
White Mocha, not seen for 571 days but boasting some good form in 2017 and 2018, is a fascinating contender for the Hugo Palmer stable, while Richard Hannon is double-handed with Fox Power and Oh This Is Us.
