Ball D'arc (nearest) jumps to the front at the last© Photo Healy Racing
With the defection of Oscar Knight (temperature), the Grade 3 Naas Directors Plate Novice Chase turned into an all Gigginstown affair, with the Gordon Elliott trained Ball D'arc leading home his three rivals.
Ball D'arc was the selection of Gigginstown retained rider Bryan Cooper, and the son of Network rewarded his riders faith, by running out a comfortable fifteen length victor.
Successful on his fourth start over fences at Wexford in October, he was then beaten on his next three starts.
He ran out a good winner of the valuable Dan Moore Chase at Fairyhouse in January, following up in Grade 3 contest at Navan, before completing his hat-trick today.
Settled in third, he took closer order from the third last, and went second before the next. He got to the front at the last, and kept on strongly on the run-in. Gangster who was the other 2/1 joint-favourite, had no answer from the last, and he finished second, while Prince Of Scars was third.
Bryan Cooper said afterwards: "I was flat out from the word go to be fair. I got a life down over the third and fourth last.
"I knew Gangster would take me half way up the straight so I'd sit and wait. He would have plenty of gears.
"Probably that dead and drying ground wouldn't be ideal for me. Gordon has done some job placing him and he'll be a nice one to look forward to in the spring campaign.
"Just on that ground he struggles to travel early on but he stays two-and-a-half."
When asked if picking his mount was a difficult choice, Cooper added: "If you look at his form last year it was the same and he came alive at this time of year.
"He would have bolted up even if the horse hadn't fallen the last day at Navan.
"Gangster probably got flattered by his rating after being third to Yorkhill, and Alamein won a terrible race.
"In my mind it was the right decision and hopefully I can keep getting them right for the rest of the week!"
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
