FAKIR BRIDGES 26-YEAR GAP

FAKIR D’Oudairies became the

latest Irish raider to claim bigrace honours on British soil with a battling victory in the Betfair Ascot Chase yesterday.

There had not been an Irishtrained winner of this particular Grade One contest since Sound Man struck gold for Edward O’Grady in 1996, but Fakir D’Oudairies ended the 26-year wait under Mark Walsh, justifying 9/4 favouritism.

Trainer Joseph O’Brien said: ‘Mark gave him a good ride. It was a pretty gruelling race and a long way up the straight, but delighted to win a Grade One.’

Coral cut Fakir D’Oudairies to 10-1 from 14-1 for the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.

Meanwhile, Teahupoo’s Champion Hurdle odds were slashed after he cantered home a clear-cut winner of the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park.

The Gordon Elliott-trained fiveyear-old was cut to 8/1 from 20s by Betfair for next month’s Cheltenham Festival feature after putting his six rivals to the sword in the Grade Three heat.