Conflated and Jack Kennedy© Photo Healy Racing
Gordon Elliott saddled the winner of the Savills Chase for the third time in four years as Conflated took full advantage of the late withdrawal of hot favourite A Plus Tard to take the Leopardstown Christmas Festival highlight with some style in front of 16,031 racegoers.
A Plus Tard was taken out just before the first race of the afternoon after suffering a joint injury in the journey to the track, although Henry de Bromhead is hopeful it’s not too serious.
Conflated was sent off the 2/1 favourite and was given a positive ride by Jack Kennedy heading the pace-setting Kemboy soon after halfway. He was briefly joined again by that rival before three out but asserted again after the penultimate fence.
The Gigginstown Stud-owned gelding, successful over this course and distance in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup back in February, took control in the straight and stayed on strongly under Kennedy on the run-in.
The eight-year-old was five lengths clear of Kemboy at the line with Fury Road a further length and a quarter back in third.
Elliott said, “It was unfortunate that A Plus Tard couldn’t run. The race worked out well and Jack gave him a beautiful ride.
“Paul (Townend) steadied the pace down the pace and Jack let him stride on. He said the faster this horse goes the better he’ll be. I thought Jack was wonderful.
“He’s not an easy horse and he’s actually starting to settle now. He was very kinky and Jack said he wasn’t doing a stroke the whole way up the straight. He jumped perfect all the way.
“We don’t gallop him a whole lot and he just does his routine work each day. We left him very short in Down Royal and Jack was thrilled and said he’d come on an awful lot from it.
“I’d imagine he’ll come back here for the Irish Gold Cup but we’ll have to talk to Michael (O’Leary, owner) and Eddie and make a plan.
“It’s great for Michael and Anita as it’s their first time to come racing this season and they are big supporters of Cullentra. They have backed me from day one.
“There was a lot of talk last season about which race he would go for in Cheltenham but he’ll definitely be going for the Gold Cup this year.”
Kennedy said, "He slowed it up (Paul Townend on Kemboy) and this lad kind of got a small bit lit up, so I let him on. He dropped it (bridle) again going down the back. He'd actually probably be better off a stronger gallop as well.
"It was a good performance and I'm delighted with him. He's a brilliant jumper, even short he is able to get up.
"He is a good horse and probably a small bit quirky, but I suppose the penny is after dropping with him and he's a lot more straightforward now. He was very straightforward today."
Willie Mullins said of the runner-up: “I’m delighted with Kemboy. He put in a fantastic round of jumping and ran a great race for a horse his age. He loves this track."
And on fourth-placed Franco De Port, he said: “Franco De Port ran really well and also likes this track.”
Conflated has been trimmed into 14/1 (from 33/1) for the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Paddy Power and Betfair.
