Charlus enhances Triumph chances with Naas success

Willie Mullins’ Charlus got his National Hunt career off to a winning start when taking the Get Extra Cheltenham Places Now At BetVictor Maiden Hurdle at Naas.

The four-year-old had some strong form on the Flat for Jean-Claude Rouget, winning three times and then placing second in a Listed event at three.

He holds an entry for the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, so is clearly well regarded by connections and started the 10-11 favourite under Paul Townend on his hurdling bow.

At the first time of asking, he got the job done when coming home a length and a quarter to the good, with the rest of the field fairly well strung out behind him.

“That was a very pleasing first run for a Churchill off the Flat. I was afraid he’d be too keen and was really pleased how he settled and jumped,” said Mullins.

“He had a couple of little setbacks earlier in the season and we’re hoping that he’ll improve enough to merit his entry in the Triumph Hurdle.”

Of the owners, The Why Knot Partnership, Mullins added: “It’s a new partnership between a number of groups hatched over a social occasion. They have four or five horses, mostly dual-purpose types, and our aim would be to have runners at the likes of Cheltenham and Ascot.”

Both Paddy Power and Betfair trimmed Charlus from 25-1 to 20-1 for the Triumph Hurdle as a result.

Terence O’Brien’s Answer To Kayf has bigger things in store after a smart win in the Clinton Higgins Chartered Accountants Novice Handicap Chase.

The nine-year-old was the 7-4 favourite under 5lb claimer John Shinnick and seemed to enjoy the soft going when striding to an easy 12-length victory after a neat round of jumping.

It was a first success over fences for the horse, who made up the minor places in some competitive beginners chases earlier in the term and was fourth in the Martin Pipe contest over hurdles at Cheltenham last season.

“I suppose heavy ground makes a huge difference and a drop in class too. It just goes to show how good those beginners chases are, as he couldn’t get a blow in,” said O’Brien.

“We’re hoping to go to Cheltenham with him but I suppose the handicapper is going to give him a fair lump for that.

“The two-mile four-furlong novice handicap chase (the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase) is the only one he can run in. There is a three-mile five-furlong novice as well, but you have to be in the first four over three miles and he hasn’t run over three miles.

“The owners are thrilled and get a great buzz out of it. This has been a dream horse for them.

“At the end of the year, an Irish National might not be out of the question.”

Ballybow got off the mark over hurdles with a wide-margin victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle for Gordon Elliott and Sam Ewing.

A 9-2 chance who was luckless when a runner-up last time out, he was an easy winner this time, securing a nine-length victory from the favourite Kalix Delabarriere, with the former top-class bumper horse A Dream To Share well beaten in fourth.

Ewing said: “He’s done that very well today. I suppose you could write off his first run, where he clipped the heel of a loose horse.

“His last run was good, and he loved that ground today. He’s a nice horse and can step up in trip, no problem.”

The concluding BetVictor’s 60 Euro New Customer Offer (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race went the way of Gavin Cromwell’s Champagne Jury, who made his rules debut under Declan Lavery to score by five lengths at 8-1.