Bachasson gets off to winning start in Thurles
BACHASSON made an impressive start to his campaign with a dominant display in the Boomerang Animal Bedding And Boomerang Horse & Country Store Chase at Thurles yesterday. Just four runners went to post for the feature event, but the Listed contest did not lack interest, with the Willie Mullins-trained Bachasson taken on by Val De Ferbet, Charmix and the long-absent Apache Stronghold. Val De Ferbet took the quartet along for the first half of the two-mile, sixfurlong contest before 8/11 favourite Bachasson was given his head by Paul Townend and he quickly built up a significant lead. Sporting the colours made famous by Un De Sceaux, the market leader rounded the home turn with his rivals well beaten and negotiated the remaining two fences to score by 24 lengths. Townend said: ‘He was always a good jumper and I thought he was much stronger there and it was a fair performance. ‘If he can build on that he has a good future; Val De Ferbet isn’t a bad yardstick and he beat him out of sight. I was very taken by it. He can go to three miles, but he’s not slow and has plenty of options.’ Part-owner Colm O’Connell told At The Races afterwards that they are in no rush to decide whether Un De Sceaux will defend his crown in the Tingle Creek at Sandown next month. Un De Sceaux is nearing a return to action and looks set to run either at Sandown or in the following day’s Hilly Way Chase at Cork. ‘He’s a savage horse,’ said O’Connell. ‘I’m asked five times a day whether it’s the Tingle Creek or the Hilly Way and we just don’t know. ‘Calls won’t be made on that until closer to the time. Willie will make the call and he has always made the right decision by everyone.’ Bachasson was one of two winners on the card for the Mullins-Townend combination, with Ainsi Va La Vie (11/10 favourite) opening her account over obstacles in the Sportsmens Mares Maiden Hurdle. However they were out of luck in the opening Mares Beginners Chase, with 2/5 favourite Asthuria having to make do with the runner-up spot behind 7/1 shot Billy’s Hope and Robbie Power. Winning trainer Jessica Harrington said: ‘I didn’t think she’d beat the favourite myself, but she is a good mare on her day. ‘We’ll try and get black type over fences somewhere along the line.’