Alcapone guns down Navan rivals
Alcapone earned a 33-1 quote from the Tote for the Queen Mother Champion Chase after bouncing back to form in the McCabe Properties Fortria Chase at Navan.
Making most of the running, the eight-year-old responded to a positive, determined ride from Barry Geraghty to compensate Tipperary trainer Mouse Morris and owner Mrs Anne Daly for the defeat at Wetherby on Saturday of their other leading performer, Boss Doyle.
Alcapone (11-1) had four lengths to spare over Arctic Copper at the line but hot favourite Knife Edge was a bitter disappointment and finished unplaced.
Limestone Lad also got back on the winning trail to reverse last year’s defeat in the Philips Electronics Lismullen Hurdle by Liss A Paoraigh.
Supported from 5-4 to 4-5 favourite and adopting his usual front-running tactics, Limestone Lad was tracked into the home straight by Liss A Paoraigh.
And he briefly looked in trouble for a few strides until champion jockey Paul Carberry got to work after the second-last flight.
Digging deep for a couple of smacks of the whip, the popular 10-year-old attacked the final climb to the post with relish, and was good value in the end for a winning margin of two lengths.
And there could be a quick return to action at Naas next Saturday for Limestone Lad - who has now won 31 races - with the Brown Lad Handicap Hurdle, which he won in style a year ago, once again the target.
But John Kiely, who trains the runner-up, was not at all dismayed by the the finishing order this time.
“I am just happy to see her back in form, and we will keep her hurdling now that she has shown she is still in this class,” he said. “She is just unlucky that Limestone Lad is around in these type of races.”
Another Tipperary trainer Tom Hogan, who was successful at Wetherby with Newtown Dancer, struck again at Navan with trail-blazing mare Native Sparkle.
Jumping well and relishing the soft ground, 7-1 chance Native Sparkle maintained a relentless gallop to claim the Grade Three ‘For Auction’ Novice Hurdle and give talented claimer Keith Hadnett his first success since breaking his jaw at the Tralee Festival in late August.
