Tombstone (right) winning at Naas earlier this year© Photo Healy Racing
Michael O'Leary's Gigginstown House Stud warmed up for Don Cossack's latest outing in the JNwine.com Champion Chase here tomorrow as Tombstone completed a treble on the day for the powerful operation in the Killyhevlin Hotel-sponsored bumper at Down Royal.
The maroon and white silks were carried to success earlier on the card by Identity Thief in the featured WKD Hurdle and Cogryhill (the first leg of a double for Gordon Elliott) in the maiden hurdle, and Tombstone really put the icing on the cake with a wide-margin victory.
Nina Carberry sent the 4/6 favourite to the front over two furlongs out, and the Robin Des Champs gelding drew clear in the final furlong to score by 11 lengths. Chitu took the runner-up spot with Chain Gang who ran wide early on off the bend after the stands and made most of the running, a further three quarters of a length back in third.
Elliott said, "He's a nice horse. He's a big chaser in the making, and a highly-strung horse. He jumps hurdles very well. That's him finished in bumpers, and he'll go hurdling now."
(MG & AM)
