Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
ELLISON IS UP FOR CUP AFTER FOREST FIRES
FOREST BIHAN stole the show from jump racing’s most popular combination of Bryony Frost and Frodon with a clear-cut victory in the Monet’s Garden Old Roan Chase.
With four fences omitted due to low sun, the 2m3f race became more of a test of speed than jumping, and Brian Ellison’s 9-2 shot took full advantage.
Last year’s winner Frodon, who brought the house down with a hugely popular victory in the Ryanair Chase under Frost at the Cheltenham Festival in March, had to concede upwards of a stone all round.
And after leading from the start, he found himself under pressure round the home turn from Forest Bihan and Amy Murphy’s stable star Kalashnikov.
Frodon did his best to keep his nose in front, but it was Forest Bihan who showed the smarter change of gear to claim top honours by a shade under three lengths in the hands of Brian Hughes.
Kalashnikov was a clear second, with Frodon a further 12 lengths away in third.
In-form Ellison said: “I’m over the moon with him.
“Brian gave him a great ride. We ran him at Kelso a few weeks ago (finished third) and he improved loads for that. He hadn’t won over two and a half (miles) before, but Brian said the ground was pretty soft today and he seemed to stay well, so he’ll definitely get it on good ground.”
Paddy Power make Forest Bihan a 20-1 chance for next month’s Betvictor Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
Ellison added: “I hadn’t really thought beyond today, to be honest, but that [Cheltenham] could now be a possibility.” SPOTFORM picked out
who won the 1.15 at Aintree, at