Ferns Lock makes it clean sweep for favourites in Thurles

Davy Christie has an enviable stable of hunter chasers to call upon and Ferns Lock looks to be another with a very bright future ahead of him.

The six-year-old gelding had landed two point-to-points and a Fairyhouse hunter chase, but today he took the scalp of Cheltenham Festival hunter chase winner Billaway in Thurles.

Ferns Lock had race fitness on his side as Billaway was making his seasonal reappearance. Barry O'Neill set out to make all on the even-money favourite with Billaway and Patrick Mullins tracking the pair.

Ferns Lock began to increase his advantage after four out but Billaway dug in for pressure and had reduced the gap after two out.

However, Ferns Lock had plenty left to give and drew clear by the last. He kept on strongly to beat Billaway (6/5) by 20 lengths after Mullins drew stumps on him after the last when he realised the winner had flown.

Christie said: "He has the potential to be a serious horse and Barry (O'Neill) said he learned more today than the last day. He said Billaway eye-balled him early in the race and he panicked a bit and took a while to settle. Once he settled into a rhythm, he was pretty good and there is improvement to come.

"He is 17 hands, is a huge tank and after Fairyhouse we gave him a break but put on about 50 kilos! Then I had to try and get it off him and was panicking.

"He is a horse for next year and won't go away - the Tetratema (at Gowran Park) will be one of his main aims. I definitely won't send him to Cheltenham as he might be run off his head and it could scare the life out of him. What this horse has over my other three hunter chasers (Vaucelet, Winged Leader and Ultimate Optimist) is a serious kick of gear."

"He has the potential to be top class and we've always held him in the highest regard."

This made it seven winning favourites on the card in Thurles.

Paddy Power made Ferns Lock 6/1 from 9/1 for the St. James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes