Rebel Gold, far side, wins a battle with Coeur Sublime © Photo Healy Racing
Rebel Gold was absolutely teak tough in edging Coeur Sublime in a thrilling finish to the Grade 3 Newlands Steeplechase over two miles at Naas.
Denis O'Regan tracked Monoxide before sending Rebel Gold on before six out. A lovely jump at the next indicated how efficiently Rebel Gold was jumping.
He looked to have a real problem at the penultimate fence, though, as 1/2 favourite closed up on him.
However, the 10 year-old gelding was up for the scrap. There was a terrific battle between the pair on the run-in and it appeared that Coeur Sublime was getting up in the closing stages, but Rebel Gold refused to accept defeat and was galvanised home by O'Regan.
The 5/2 shot took the spoils by a neck for trainer Pat Foley who said: That's brilliant, I'm absolutely delighted with him.
“Denis said he probably even improved and he was more impressed with him today than he was in the Dan Moore (at Fairyhouse in January).
“Not having to make it today, for a while, was a big help to him. He doesn't mind making it but it's easier when you have something to fire at. Getting up the stands' rail was a help as well.
“He beat him off level weights today, if the ground had been soft I would have been more confident to take him on. I thought he might have done us for gears on that ground, but Denis said he was fine on that today. It might open more options for us.
“The Grade 2 at Fairyhouse at Easter, over two-three, is a realistic option for him now. Our handicap days were finished after the Dan Moore anyway and we wanted to step him up in class and see.
“The owners are brilliant to leave things to me and I'd be happy to go for the Grade 2 and then maybe let him off.
“The horse will tell us, he's taking his races super but I do want to give him a little bit of a break now after having a few runs in a short space of time.
“I'll give him a few weeks, get him spot on for Fairyhouse and then make our minds up then. We got a Grade 3 today and I couldn't be happier with that.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
