Champ Kiely can bounce back in short order in Tramore's New Year’s Day Chase
CHAMPING AT THE BIT: Paul Townend and Champ Kiely will team up on New Year's Day in Tramore. Photo: ©INPHO/James Crombie
Although facing a tough task at the weights, Champ Kiely might bounce back from a mishap at Leopardstown on Sunday and enhance Closutton’s excellent record in the Grade 3 O’Driscoll’s Irish Whiskey New Year’s Day Chase in Tramore.
Willie Mullins has won nine of the last 14 renewals of this traditional New Year’s Day feature, most notably with dual Gold Cup victor and four-time scorer Al Boum Photo.
Today, the champion trainer saddles half of the eight-strong field. And Champ Kiely, who clipped heels and slipped up after the fourth in Sunday’s Savills Chase (won by Affordale Fury) in Leopardstown, might bounce back here under Paul Townend.
Pipped by Only By Night in a Grade 3 in Naas on his seasonal bow, Champ Kiely, who was side-lined by injury from April 2023 until this day last year, performed creditably at the top level last season.
He lowered the colours of Ballyburn in the Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Champion Novice Chase at the Punchestown festival, having earlier won the Grade 3 Flyingbolt in Navan and finished third to classy stable-companion Spindleberry in the Grade 1WillowWarm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse.
As a Grade 1 winner, Champ Kiely and dual top-level scorer Croke Park, must concede weight to their rivals.
And Henry de Bromhead’s Heart Wood, runner-up behind Fact To File in the Ryanair at Cheltenham and winner of a Punchestown Grade 3 on his seasonal bow, is an obvious danger, having run creditably when a distant fourth behind Gaelic Warrior in the Durkan last time.
In the Tramore finale, the Philip Rothwell-trained Duffys Hodey, off the mark over fences at Limerick on Monday, will be expected to defy his 7lb. penalty under Tiernan Power-Roche.
We also have some cracking action in Fairyhouse where multiple-graded winner Dinoblue should outclass her three rivals in the YellowFord John & Chich Fowler Memorial Mares Chase.
Successful in the Grade 1 Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown two years ago, this Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old won the Grade 2 Mares Chase at Cheltenham last March before slamming Allegorie De Vassy in a Grade 2 at the Punchestown festival.
Favourite when outpointed by Found A Fifty in the Fortria at Navan on her reappearance, 159-rated Dinoblue should register her ninth success over fences.
The Mullins-trained Kaid D’authie, a solid second to subsequent Grade 1 Kauto Star winner Kitzbuhel on his fencing bow in Punchestown, will appreciate the step-up in trip and is preferred to Wingmen in the Grimes Estates Agents Beginners Chase.
And Gordon Elliott’s juvenile Highland Crystal, winner of an Academy Hurdle and a listed event in Newbury, might retain her unbeaten record in the opening Fred Kenny Memorial Hurdle, receiving a total of 16lb. (including Paddy Cleary’s claim) from Place De La Nation, who struggled to justify 1/5 favouritism in Thurles.
12.05 Stede Bonnet
12.40 Kentucky Beach
1.15 Did I Ask You That
1.50 Aclass
2.25 Champ Kiely
3.00 Blue Hop
3.35 Duffys Hodey (NB)
12.05 Arslan
12.40 Captain Ryan Matt
1.15 St.Lawrence’s Well
1.50 Pebble Bleu
2.25 Heart Wood
3.00 Cowper Hall
3.35 Toor Moon
12.25 Highland Crystal
1.00 Spinningayarn
1.35 Teds Corner
2.10 Hitthehayson
2.45 Donoblue
3.15 Kaid D’authie (Nap)
3.45 Early Dawning
12.25 Place De La Nation
1.00 Emerald Poet
1.35 Watching The Clock
2.10 Glenmalure Lady
2.45 Bioluminescence
3.15 Wingmen
3.45 With Nolimit
