Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Kemboy takes victory in Savills
KEMBOY catapulted himself into the Cheltenham Gold Cup picture with a dominant display in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown yesterday.
Jockey David Mullins made a bold move after only a mile to sweep around the field and take up the running and the six-year-old simply relished being out in front.
Trained by Willie Mullins, Kemboy was stepping up in class and trip having won the Clonmel Oil Chase on his reappearance, after which he was supposed to contest the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury.
Bad weather prevented him from making the journey to Berkshire at the 11th hour, but his enthusiastic owners of the Supreme Racing Club gained more than adequate compensation here.
Monalee kept him company on the front end as Outlander dropped away, but approaching the second last most of his rivals were being ridden, including last year’s winner and favourite Road To Respect, who slipped badly and nearly came down on the final bend.
A big leap at the last sealed the deal and Kemboy (8-1) powered seven-and-a-half lengths clear of Monalee, with Road To Respect finishing well in the circumstances for third.
Paddy Power slashed the winner to 10-1 from 50s for the Gold Cup.
David Mullins said: “We were going very, very slow and even when I hit the front with a lap to go, we were still going slow.
“Everything went to plan except we had to just let him go, nobody took me on. He jumped well and there is still plenty to improve on, I think. He could be a proper horse.”
It had been a mixed day for the Mullins yard prior to the race, with several odds-on shots turned over and Faugheen falling.
“I don’t think a winner was ever so badly wanted, the way our horses were running today, a good few of them have been just a bit off form so it was fantastic,” said Willie Mullins.
“When I saw David going on past the stand, I was thinking about what choice words I was going to say to him afterwards, but he said they just slowed down the race too much and his horse was keen.
“He thought he got an easy lead in front, which obviously it was because he still had plenty left in the tank coming to the last, and the way he flew up the hill was very good.”
Mullins continued: “This horse has improved, obviously. We didn’t bring him to the Ladbrokes Trophy in Newbury. I was afraid of the ground, and carrying that type of weight as well, it would take a long time to recover from it, so I said we’d just bank on coming for a big race like this off level weights (instead).
“Conditions didn’t really suit him, but he had improved at home and we said we’d just give him his chance to be a good horse and if not, we could always go back and do some- thing else. His mark was probably gone. When you’re nearly top-weight in the Ladbrokes – he probably was top-weight in the Ladbrokes – when you have a horse at that level, you’ve got to either (go on to) be a good horse or you fall back down the ranks and he’s made the step up to be a good horse.
“We have given him such a break from Clonmel to here that we might give him a break the whole way to Cheltenham and go there with a fresh horse.”
Elsewhere on the card, Apple’s Jade ran out an easy winner of the Christmas Hurdle, adding to last year’s success in the race.
Winning at the highest level for the ninth time, Jack Kennedy decided to keep things simple and bounced out into an early lead.
She held around a four-length advantage over her main rival Faugheen, and both seemed happy enough with their positions as none of the other runners were able to lay up anywhere near them.
Despite jumping out to her right as the pace increased, Kennedy had not moved a muscle on the 8-13 favourite as he asked her to go about her business running towards the second last.
Ruby Walsh spotted the move and started to ask Faugheen to get closer, but Faugheen took off a stride too soon and suffered a crashing fall.
The former champion hurdler was on the ground for some time, but eventually rose to his feet after a couple of minutes and was walked back in by Walsh.
That gifted Gordon Elliott’s Apple’s Jade the race, but it would have taken something special from Faugheen to put it up to the mare, who finished full of running as Early Doors stayed on to take a remote second.
Kennedy said: “I had to make the running again on her, but it didn’t matter. (She) jumped great, travelled away, jumped the second last and she changed gears and was away from the back of it and galloped all the way to the line. She was very good. I could see on the big screen I was fairly well clear of what was in behind me. She’s unreal, she is a pleasure to be riding.
“She was in good form this time last year and then lost her way, so hopefully she can keep continuing this way anyway.”
Elliott said: “Jack said she was brilliant today and foot perfect everywhere. He gave her a kick at the second last and she picked up changed gears and was gone again. He said she was actually a bit idle in front, but it’s a good complaint to have.”