El Champo wins off the front© Photo Healy Racing
El Champo dictated off the front in the Ryans Cleaning Handicap Hurdle at Galway and found plenty on the run-in for Paddy O'Hanlon.
The jockey set steady fractions over this extended two mile three furlong test and began to crank up the pace approaching two out. He jumped that flight with a lead of two lengths but his margin was cut into by Lake Chad at the last. He steadied into it but O'Hanlon soon got after him at the furlong pole and the pair saw off that rival by a length at 9/2. The runner-up went off a 5/1 chance. Arctic Ambition finished four and three-quarter lengths further away in third at 7/2.
This continued Philip Rothwell's good season and he said: "I've been lucky buying ex-point to pointers - all at a low price and, when I went to see him, I absolutely loved him. He will eventually jump a fence.
"He was flat at Listowel and I said ten days ago that I wouldn't run him for at least a month. However Conor Owens, who rides him at home, has done a wonderful job with him and he said to me the other day to run him. He said he felt really well so credit to Conor.
"Coming here there was no pace in the race, so I said to Paddy (O'Hanlon) to go as steady as he could in front and see if he could get first-run. I think it was an opportunistic win more than anything else."
Regarding the colour change on the Oliver Barden-owned winner, he quipped: "The trainer came with his wife and left the colours in the office - I'm glad I have one runner and not five!"
El Champo also won a handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan in August.
Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
