Telmesomethinggirl overcomes errors for chase win

Trainer Henry De Bromhead's Cheltenham festival winner Telmesomethinggirl (5/4) won on her second chase start today, landing Naas' opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Mares) Beginners Chase despite some indifferent jumping.

Winner of the mares' novice hurdle at the 2021 Cheltenham festival and in the same Kenny Alexander-ownership as Honeysuckle, the eight year old mare today faced just three rivals but met a strong opponent in Willie Mullins' Instit (6/5f).

Instit led Telmesomethinggirl most of the way and while both made jumping errors, were clear throughout. Tiring Instit blundering at the last with Telmesomethinggirl, under Rachael Blackmore, finding more to lead on the run-in, for a six lengths success.

Other runners Choice Of Words fell at the fifth-last while Pont Aval was outpaced throughout and was pulled up before the last.

Jockey Blackmore said “she didn't jump with any kind of fluency at all so we can definitely work on that. I thought turning in that I would definitely get there but then I made a mess of the second last. It's a long way home after the last here and I knew if I got over the last, I'd have a chance.

“She's got lots of ability and the way she jumped she wasn't entitled to win. She has a lot of raw ability and hopefully we can improve her jumping.”

Regarding a possible future switch back to hurdles, she added “that's a discussion for everyone to have.”

Quotes from Gary Carson