‘Notorious’ leads cross-card double for Elliott
MONBEG NOTORIOUS led home a one-two for Gordon Elliott in the feature Racing TV Chase at Down Royal.
Partnered by Denis O’Regan, the Gigginstown-owned gelding was prominent throughout the three-and -a-quarter-mile affair, but was made to work hard for victory over stablemate and 6/5 favourite Jury Duty.
Monbeg Notorious (7/2) was keeping on after jumping the last, but started to drift left across the track before eventually prevailing by two and a half lengths.
The nine-year-old was winning for the first time since February 2018, and Elliott said: “He jumped great and Denis (O’Regan) gave him a good
National had been better than he was running. They are all kind of old-timers, one beating the other.
“Seán (Flanagan) said Jury Duty just hated that ground. It’s just so hard to place those horses with that sort of a rating.”
The meeting at Down Royal was taking place behind closed doors in line with restrictions in place here to try to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
With British racing suspended from today until the end of April, Elliott is hoping Irish racing will keep the show on the road. “I’m sure what everyone does is going to be right for everyone,” the trainer said. “Hopefully we can all get over it, keep kicking on and keep our heads up. I think there is no problem here today. Everyone is doing everything right. Once we keep racing that is all we want.”
Gavin Cromwell enjoyed a double on the card, with Prospectus (9/4 favourite) taking the North Down Marquees Rated Novice Chase while 33/1 shot Demophon landed the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle in the hands of Wexford native Sarah Kavanagh.
She said: “He has travelled away and he has travelled to the line, I couldn’t have asked for better.
“Gavin is very good to give me the ride and Pat (McGuinness) the owner, so I’m thrilled. It is my first winner as a professional. It has been a long time coming so it is a good day!”
At Wexford, meanwhile, Fine Theatre
returned with a bang when landing the featured Arctic Tack Stud Veterans Handicap Chase.
The Paul Nolan-trained gelding, a half-brother to former stablestar Joncol, has been lightly-raced since winning a handicap hurdle on this card also over 2m4f on St Patrick’s Day last year.
The 10-year-old son of King’s Theatre made most of the running under Seán O’Keeffe and kept on well in the straight to beat Scoir Mear by three and a quarter lengths with Spare Brakes another length and three-quarters behind in third.
Elliott completed an across-the-card double thanks to the success of Zambezi Fix (8/1) under Luke Dempsey in the two-mile handicap hurdle.