Monksland books his Cheltenham ticket at Naas *

Monksland winning the Grade Two Slaney Novice Hurdle courtesy of irishracing.com

Monksland launched himself onto the Cheltenham scene at Naas on Sunday with a hugely impressive victory in the Grade Two Slaney Novice Hurdle, the feature event on the track’s first fixture of the New Year. Dig outs are not popular in this country right now but Dedigout proved the exception having given punters a helping hand on his last two runs. They were expecting him to make it three dig outs in a row so made him 11/10 favourite. Meanwhile Monksland was friendless in the market but that didn’t concern jockey Paul Carberry.

Monksland was always traveling well in the closely bunched field. Rounding the home turn Dedigout took over in front from long time leader Mart Lane, but under a typical Carberry ride Monksland was moving stealthily closer and arrived on the leader’s outside going to the last. He jumped that flight well and cruised home by four and a half lengths, with Lyreen Legend pipping Dedigout for second on the line.

Meade admitted he was confident beforehand despite all the attention and money being focused on the favourite and the Dessie Hughes trained Lyreen Legend. “That went exactly to plan! I thought that he would win to be honest as he is a very good horse.”

Monksland’s homework had fueled his trainer’s pre race confidence. “He was involved in that famous piece of work at Fairyhouse with Bog Warrior where he finished second to him and I think he had a bit up his sleeve.”

Bookmakers reacted by making him 16/1 for the Neptune Investments Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and that race is firmly in his sights. Whether he runs between now and then is undecided. “The two and a half mile is what we have in our heads and he may not run before then. He is very easy to get fit so he may not need a run before Cheltenham. He has done everything right and jumps well. He shows a bit of boot so he should handle better ground,” Meade added.

Another Naas winner going places is Flemenstar, who was an impressive winner of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Chase, over two miles. In form jockey Andrew Lynch had the grey gelding in a prominent position during the early part of the race and he took up the running a mile from home. Rounding the home turn Ruby Walsh pushed the favourite Lambro to join him and it looked set for a battle over the last two fences to the line. Flemenstar always had enough to keep Lambro at bay however and he landed the odds by a comfortable three and a half lengths.

Immediately afterwards trainer Peter Casey nominated the Arkle Novice Chase at Leopardstown on 29 January as Flemenstar’s next target. “He’ll go for the Grade One at Leopardstown next. He was hanging a little bit so he should be better going left.”

The trainer was pleased with Flemenstar as he thought the ground would have been against him. “He probably doesn’t like the ground but he done it well when the other horse came to him. It’s grand to have a good one. They come along once in your lifetime.”

Willie Mullins had a double on the day with Hats and Heels justifying her odds on favourtism in the two mile and three furlongs maiden hurdle. The little mare was settled near the pace by Ruby Walsh and, turning for home, she moved ominously closer to the front. Hats and Heels took over the lead on the run to the last hurdle and stayed on strongly on the run in for an easy five length victory.

Her trainer was especially pleased with the mare’s jumping. “She looks an exciting sort and is well able to jump for her scope and size. She looked a natural over the first four or five but was a little green over the second last but she looks to have plenty of ability.”

Hats and Heels will probably step up in class on her next outing with both mares’ and open races under consideration for her. “She is certainly improving and we might look at open races and get the mares allowance for her,” mused Mullins.

The Gigginstown House Stud owned Un Atout was all the rage for the concluding bumper, going off the 2/9 favourite, and he lived up to the pre race hype, winning in a stroll by an impressive twenty four lengths in the hands of the trainer’s son Patrick. His stand out performance had everyone present scrambling for their notebooks thinking this could be Willie’s Champion bumper horse but afterwards the trainer indicated that Un Atout will be giving the Festival a miss this year, with a promising hurdling career beckoning.

“He looks a racehorse. We will try and win another bumper with him and I would like to win two if I could. We will put him away for next season and go novice hurdling with him. He’s a cool customer, very relaxed, which will help him in the future. He jumps well at home and we are really looking forward to next season with him.”

*This article first appeared in The Nationalist on 10 January 2012