Esprit off the mark over fences It looked a match on paper and duly turned into one on the track as Quel Esprit got the better of Torphichen to make a winning debut over fences at Limerick. Paul Townend always had the 2/5 favourite to the fore and sent him into the lead going out on the final circuit at Greenmount Park. Torphichen was his only danger from some way out as the pair pulled well clear of the field. Andrew McNamara tried to grab the initiative on the 11/4 second favourite as he drove him into the lead briefly approaching the second last. Quel Esprit responded well, asserting before the last and staying on strongly in the closing stages to record a five-and-a-half length victory. It was a double on the day for trainer Willie Mullins, who had also claimed the bumper with newcomer Quaquo De Flotte, and he said:- "I'm happy with that. He'll probably go for a winners race now and then something at Christmas. "The Drinmore might come a bit soon for him. The ideal race for him at Christmas is the three-miler at Leopardstown. "Paul was very happy with him." Labrokes cut the winner from 20/1 to 14/1 for the RSA Chase at Cheltenham.
