Connell & O'Sullivan get on festival scoresheet

Only eight of the 17 starters completed the course in the EMS Copiers Novice Handicap Chase with 16/1 chance Hgranca De Thaix coming out on top for owner/trainer Barry Connell and Michael O'Sullivan.

A winner at Limerick in March, where he had Wednesday's festival winner Lets Go Champ back in third, the Saddler Maker gelding kept bold-jumping leader Perceval Legallois in his sights before joining that rival on the approach to the last. After gaining the upper hand on the run-in, the winner stayed on well to score by four lengths. 

“All his form was on soft ground and I wouldn't have liked to run him on Wednesday on the rattling ground,” said Connell.

“Lets Go Champ was second to him in Limerick and he won the equivalent race on Wednesday so the form was there in the book.

“He's been progressing away all season. He won his handicap in Galway and he got in off 131 which was a nice weight.

“His jumping was super and just kept taking him there without using any petrol. The first two pulled well clear.

“That will be his last run of the year. I want to give him a break as he's had five runs now.

“He's only seven and he could be a Munster National horse or one for the Paddy Power.”

Jockey Michael O'Sullivan added on RTE: "He's lovely horse and I always thought there was a big one in him. He just went wrong last season but he was fairly on song today, he jumped and travelled everywhere for me.

"I thought Mark (Walsh)'s lad (Perceval Legallois) was the one to beat and I didn't want him getting away on me. Turning in I thought I'd a chance but I just wasn't sure what this lad would find. He did it very well in the end.

"He can be quite careful but he won in Limerick the last day and he's after coming on and maturing an awful lot from it.

"I've had a solid season, my first without a claim, and that's my 25th winner so it's been decent. It's my first winner at the festival, I missed it last year through injury."

Quotes from Gary Carson