A HIDDEN GEM TAKES BOYNE
Return to hurdles suits de Bromhead chestnut
HIDDEN VALLEY Lake made a successful return to the smaller obstacles in the William Hill Boyne Hurdle at Navan.
Henry de Bromhead’s chestnut had a good reputation as a novice hurdler but did not quite deliver at the highest level when ninth in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham last March.
He started out over fences this time around and contested a beginners chase at this venue in December, where he fell three from home.
Subsequently switched back to hurdling, the seven-year-old always looked happy in the Grade Two event, as he travelled well under Darragh O’keeffe in the absence of the suspended Rachael Blackmore.
Over the penultimate flight, he already looked the winner and from there he only strengthened his position to triumph by three and a quarter lengths as the 3-1 favourite.
Robbie Power, racing manager to owners Robour, said: “It was a good performance. The plan was obviously to go chasing with him this year and he fell here in a beginners chase before Christmas.
“It took him a little bit of time to recover after that, and it was getting a bit late in the season, so we thought we’d come back over hurdles and then probably go chasing next season.
“He’s done plenty of schooling back over hurdles and Henry’s done a lot of work with him.
“He loves heavy ground and Darragh said the further he went, the better he jumped. When they stepped on the pace, he jumped better up the straight.
“We knew he’d stay well over that trip and that ground probably suited him as well. It’s great to get that and we’ll see where we go next.”
American Mike came out on top after a good battle with Nick Rockett in the William Hill Ten Up Novice Chase earlier in the day.
Gordon Elliott’s gelding won on his seasonal debut at the track in November, making a successful start to his chasing career over a lesser trip of two miles and four furlongs.
His next outing was in the Grade One Faugheen Chase, where he came home fourth of five runners when 25 lengths behind Gaelic Warrior at Limerick.
Stepped up to three miles at Navan, the bay was a 7-2 chance under Jack Kennedy and travelled well throughout, jumping soundly on the whole and finding himself in the lead approaching the last.
From there, he seemed to dither slightly and it appeared that Nick Rockett might pass him, but it was American Mike who eventually pulled away to win by a length and a quarter.
As a result of the victory, he was clipped from 33-1 to 20-1 for the Turners Novices’ Chase with Betfair and from 25-1 to 12-1 for the same race with Coral.