Oldschool Outlaw upsets Bambino Fever as Elliott and Kennedy enjoy treble at Naas

NAAS: Oldschool Outlaw and Jack Kennedy win for trainer Gordon Elliott. Picture: Healy Racing

On a day when there was a 250-1 shock at Naas, there was also a huge upset at the other end of the scale when the previously unbeaten Bambino Fever was turned over at odds of 1-4.

Oldschool Outlaw was the lady who inflicted that first defeat on the Champion Bumper winner, and in doing so became the third leg of a 143-1 treble for Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy.

The winner, who recently joined Elliott from Garry Caldwell, made a winning start for new connections when winning a listed bumper at Navan, and was having her first start over timber in the Care At Home Services Mares’ Maiden Hurdle.

She had race fitness on her side and Kennedy was keen to make full use of that as he sent the 3-1 chance to the front before the turn for home, with the favourite in tow.

She looked as though she might be a sitting duck as Paul Townend tracked her into the straight, but Oldschool Outlaw’s victory at Navan demonstrated how strong she can be in a finish, and she galloped on powerfully to keep her more fancied rival at bay.

“You should never be afraid of one horse, and if you were afraid of one every day, you’d never run,” said Elliott. “In Ireland, you can’t duck and dive, there’s no hiding place.

“I thought it was a good performance, albeit we had fitness on our side. Jack said she wasn’t for passing and said she was very gutsy, but felt she was in front too soon.

“We knew she was jumping well at home and she had a couple of runs in point-to-points, and I think she’ll be better over a bit further.

“We’ll probably keep her to her own sex, and I think she could be one for the Mares' Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham. I’d imagine it will be one more run and then Cheltenham.” 

There was an exciting finish to the beginners’ chase which set the Elliott-Kennedy treble in motion as Prends Garde A Toi collared long-time leader King Alexander in the final strides. The winner, who was pulled up in a Grade Two on his previous start, looked in trouble at a number of stages but responded generously to snatch a last-gasp victory.

Open Secret became the middle leg of the treble when running out an easy winner of the Bar 1 Betting Merry Christmas Maiden Hurdle. The 5-1 chance, a winner on the Flat for Charlie Johnston, had shown promise in two previous starts over timber, and this more testing ground clearly did not phase the four-year-old. The son of Cracksman cruised through to lead early in the straight and went clear over the last couple of obstacles to put a second career success on his card.

The endlessly entertaining Mick Winters also had an afternoon to remember, the Kanturk trainer completing a near 63-1 double.

There was plenty of market support for his Shellrunforbriggs prior to the start of the Bar 1 Casino Maiden Hurdle, and the Harzand filly duly justified her supporters’ faith. The thrice-raced four-year-old was well beaten on her first two starts but showed nice improvement last time. Continuing on that trajectory, Eoin Walsh’s mount was handy throughout and led over the last on her way to a smooth success.

River Vale, who was well beaten recently in Cork, bounced back to form to take the John Thomas McNamara Series Qualified Riders’ Handicap Hurdle under Luke Burke-Ott.

“He got a hard race over three miles at Fairyhouse and we might have run him a bit soon in Mallow,” suggested Winters. “I’m delighted for the lad who rode him because he’s in with us seven days a week.” 

The Big Cloud was returning from almost a year on the sidelines to contest the Sean Kelly Naas Member Handicap Chase but there were no signs of rustiness as he battled bravely to get straight back to winning ways. Pulled up when last seen, Shane Crawley’s horse travelled kindly this time and when the pressure came on he had all the answers to score under Sean O’Keeffe.

Tiktok Casey, whose damline leads back to Grand National winner Red Marauder, made a winning track debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Auction Bumper. Trained by Peter Fahey, the four-year-old filly responded generously to the encouragement of Adam Ryan to get back up to deny Simply Natural by a short head.