Answer To Kayf takes Troytown honours for Terence O’Brien

Terence O’Brien’s Answer To Kayf was the toast of Navan in landing the Bar One Racing Troytown Handicap Chase.

Ridden by John Shinnick as an 11-1 shot, the nine-year-old built on his novice chasing experience from last term and the sixth-placed run at Punchestown on seasonal debut that clearly set him up well for this big-race assignment.

With Shinnick claiming a valuable 3lb, O’Brien’s charge ran an incredibly game race to see off all challengers on the run to the line, claiming a two-and-a-quarter-length victory from Gavin Cromwell’s Yeah Man and the Ian Donoghue-trained Dunboyne.

“I don’t know how much planning we did, it was an obvious enough race for him. The ground came right at the right time for him,” said O’Brien. “On quicker ground, I’d say he is not the same horse.

“Down the bottom of the back straight, I thought we were in serious trouble, but in fairness he had a lot of heart and Johnny gave him a super ride. I’m delighted for Johnny because he’d got a five-day suspension (which was set to rule him out of the ride) and I thought it was very unfair. He appealed it and they allowed him to ride today. I’m thrilled for him.”

He added: “Denis (O’Connor, owner) and I are great friends for a long time. It is a tough game and it has been hard. It is great to deliver. Coming up here today, did I think I was going to win? No, I didn’t. I would have been thrilled if I was in the first five or six.

“There is more to life than racing, but I suppose it brings out the emotion in people. It is just fantastic to win a race here like this.

“I was second in it a couple of years back with Glenquest, about 10 years ago I’d say. You think you might not get a chance again because these handicaps are so competitive.”