Foxrock (right) and On The Fringe in the air together at the last© Photo Healy Racing
Foxrock made it three out of three this season in hunter chases when justifying prohibitive odds in the Leopardstown Inn Hunters Chase, although connections of On The Fringe will also have gone home happy that the veteran is very much on target for next month’s Cheltenham Festival.
Foxrock is a past winner of the Boylesports-sponsored Leopardstown Handicap Chase and was also second to Carlingford Lough in the Hennessy Gold Cup on this card two years ago.
The 2/5 chance made most of the running under Katie Walsh, although some superb leaps by On The Fringe down the back straight really put it up to the hot favourite.
Foxrock stayed on strongly after the last to score by three and a half lengths, with Staker Wallace a further four lengths away in third.
Foxrock maintains the winning run as On The Fringe makes a fine return to action in the Leopardstown Inn Hunters Chase: pic.twitter.com/DL1PqUtI1G— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) February 12, 2017
Foxrock maintains the winning run as On The Fringe makes a fine return to action in the Leopardstown Inn Hunters Chase: pic.twitter.com/DL1PqUtI1G
Winning trainer Ted Walsh said, “He’ll probably go for the Tetratema (at Gowran Park). He’s in the English National and the Irish National and we’ll see what Barry (Connell, owner) wants to do. He’s not qualified to run at Cheltenham.
“He’s a quality horse. If he ran in the Irish Gold Cup he wouldn’t win it but he could have been in the first three or four. It will be interesting to see what weight he gets for Aintree on Tuesday.”
On The Fringe has completed the big treble of Festivals at Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown for the past two seasons and Enda Bolger was delighted with his comeback here.
He said, “I’m pleased with both of them (second and third). We were taking on a different gravy with Foxrock, and our lad (On The Fringe) showed that the sparkle is still there. He jumped super, and still has a hunger for it.
“He hasn’t run since last April, so you would like to think that he will come on for that run. The winner had a couple runs so I’m very happy.
“Staker Wallace is not qualified for Cheltenham so he will stay at home.”
