Put The Kettle On brews something very special!
IRISH SUCCESS ON ST PATRICK’S DAY IN THE QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE
PUT The Kettle On (17-2) carried on trainer Henry De Bromhead’s and Ireland’s superb start to the Festival with a battling victory in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase.
On St Patrick’s Day, under Aidan Coleman the seven-year-old became the first mare in history to win the Grade One feature on the second day at Prestbury Park.
De Bromhead, whose Honeysuckle helped Rachael Blackmore became the first female rider to win the Champion Hurdle on the opening day of the meeting, was at it again having his third win of this year’s Festival and a third in the Champion Chase.
Having won the opener, the Ballymore
Novices’ Hurdle with favourite Bob Olinger under Blackmore, De Bromhead doubled up to deny Willie Mullins’s 8-13 favourite Chacun Pour Soi – who was third.
It was the fourth straight win for Irish-trained runners on the second day – Tiger Roll and Sir Gerhard brought up and fifth and sixth success later on – to make it an extra special St Patrick’s Day. Even if the usual exodus from the Emerald Isle couldn’t cheer them on with the Festival going ahead behind-closeddoors due to the pandemic.
Last year’s winner Politologue was a late absentee, withdrawn on veterinary advice, seemingly leaving Chacun Pour Soi with the chance to provide his trainer Mullins with a first victory in the Champion Chase.
But it didn’t work out like that, as Put The Kettle On – along with Rouge Vif – cut out much of the running in the two-mile contest.
Rouge Vif faded coming over the last two fences, but as the challengers appeared – including Chacun Pour Soi – on the heels of the leader, Put The Kettle On galloped on determinedly.
The mare, who had won the Arkle Chase over course and distance at last year’s Festival, held on by half-alength from Nube Negra (11-1).
De Bromhead, who has won the Champion Chase with Sizing Europe (2011) and Special Tiara (2017), said: “She’s an incredible mare, I’m delighted for the owners, it’s just brilliant, the stuff you dream about.
“She’s so tough and Aidan was brilliant on her. He really asked her at the last three and that probably won him the race.
“I don’t know what it is about this place. A couple of weeks ago she just wasn’t herself, but we freshened her up as much as we could and she seemed much better. When she arrived here she was what we expected. She’s a bit mad actually.
“I have to congratulate everyone at home, but especially Andrea who looks after her and puts up with her antics every day, it’s special for her. She’s quite wild at home, she’s a great character. Mid-February I was probably leaning towards running in the Mares’ Chase, but we all discussed it and I looked at the stats for the previous year’s Arkle winner in this and they are ridiculous so we said we’d give it a lash and see.
“Winning the Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase with mares especially, it’s the stuff of dreams. I’m just delighted.”