OUR DUKE

THE eight-year-old gelding was another who needed to make an advance if Cheltenham’s to be on the agenda.

The Irish National winner (pictured above, left), and Gold

Cup hope for Ireland, had returned an abnormal scope on his reappearance and would not have been given top marks for his subsequent fourth-placed effort in the Irish Gold Cup.

Our Duke’s grades would certainly have improved after the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park last Saturday, where he beat the highly promising novice Presenting Percy a length with 7lb more in the saddle, even if more will be needed in March.

“He had to come here and win — it’s three weeks to the Gold Cup and that’s perfect,” said his trainer Jessica Harrington, who has booked Noel Fehily for Our Duke and also has defending champion Sizing John in her yard.