WORTH TAKING A DUKE AT
OUR DUKE advanced his Cheltenham Gold Cup claims with a fine victory in the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase at Gowran yesterday.
The Jessica Harringtontrained gelding bounced back from his disappointing comeback at Down Royal to run well in the Irish Gold Cup earlier this month but did even better here.
He overcame a potentially costly error at the fourth last to do battle with the top novice chaser Presenting Percy from the entrance to the straight.
The front two were inseparable from the third last fence but Our Duke and Robbie Power were too strong from the last and carried the day by a length.
“He wouldn’t have liked the ground and I thought it was a good performance, giving weight to Presenting Percy,” said Harrington.
“He wasn’t really concentrating out in front as they weren’t going that quick but when the gun was put to his head over the last three fences he was very good at his fences.
“Going a stride quicker will suit him and I’m delighted to see him come out and do that, he needed to do that to run in a Gold Cup. I think that he will sharpen up again from this as well.”
Forge Meadow capped a memorable day for Harrington as she dug deep from the last to see off Identity Thief in the Grade 3 Red Mills Trial Hurdle.
Elsewhere, Saldier looked a classy recruit for Willie Mullins as he bolted up in the maiden hurdle.