Devastating De Vassy wins Grade 2 on chase debut

Allegorie De Vassy was a rare Grade 2 winner on fences debut today, as Willie Mullins' mare effortlessly and impressively won Limerick's featured McMahons Irish EBF Dawn Run (Mares) Novice Chase.

Five horses contested the 2m6f contest with Allegorie De Vassy, the 1/2 favourite, having her first run since winning a January Grade 3 hurdle.

A strapping daughter of Allaho's sire No Risk At All, Allegorie De Vassy was spring-heeled on heavy ground, making virtually all to beat 128-rated Malina Girl by 19 lengths.

The winner made two minor errors at the final two fences and winning jockey Sean O'Keeffe said “I'm very happy with her and she is very enthusiastic about her job. She winged the first two fences, loves to get on with it so I said I'd let her go along in front. I was trying to slow her down all the time really.

“She has a very big jump in her, has loads of scope and is a big mare. She was brave at the second-last but will have learned a bit jumping the last two fences and that will stand to her the next day. She put in a good round of jumping other than that.

“There is a nice engine there and hopefully can continue progressing over fences.”

Owner Rich Ricci's representative Joe Chambers added “she was good, didn't learn much going around so I'd say the last two mistakes were handy and will stand to her. Sean was delighted, he won two on her last year and is more familiar with her than Paul (Townend). He thinks she has a lot of natural ability and it is good to get her going.”

The performance was reminiscent of similarly-owned Benie Des Dieux's debut fences win at the venue in Christmas 2016 and Chambers added “if she is half as good as the other mare we brought down here in the past, we'd be fairly happy!”

Regarding Cheltenham plans he added “it is not all about the destination, the journey getting there is every bit as important and we'll try and pick up a few other races first. There are races for her in Thurles and Clonmel but we'll let Willie decide.”

Willie Mullins added: "Allegorie De Vassy was very good. I thought that ground would be way too soft for her, but she handled it well. She jumped like an old hand bar the second last, but any novice can make a mistake."