Sunnyvilla lets fly at an early fence© Photo Healy Racing
For-sale Sunnyvilla (9/4f) benefitted from an enterprising ride from Gavin Brouder when making all in exuberant manner to win Cork's Coolmore N.H. Sires Pyledriver Handicap Chase today for trainer Donie Hassett.
Previously twice a winner in middle-distance chases, the nine-year-old recently dropped in distance and today, racing over two miles, made the running and from an early stage pulled his way to be 20 lengths clear of rivals.
Sunnyvilla's lead was reduced in the final half-mile but he stayed on well from the second-last to beat R'evelyn Pleasure by 2.25 lengths.
Hassett's son Brian Hassett later reported “he gets keen in front and I had Gavin told to hold on to him but fair play to him as he went to Plan B. He jumps for fun and hopefully now if he could go up (in the ratings), he might get into a better type of race.
“Two miles on heavy ground is ideal but when it dries out he can go up in trip and has won over 2m5f.”
He added “buying and selling three and four-year-olds are more important to us and his owner Gary (Kelly) has a lot of young horses coming through so the horse will go to Doncaster Sales in May to make room. He might go to Punchestown first and if he got into one of those good races, he'd run well.
“He would be a lovely Saturday horse for somebody in England.”
