Champagne Fever is clear jumping the last© Photo Healy Racing
Champagne Fever booked his ticket for the King George at Kempton on St Stephen's Day by taking the Clonmel Oil Chase in impressive fashion.
The seven-runner event looked a strong renewal with all bar one of the line-up having previously scored at Grade 1 level but the Willie Mullins-trained grey showed them a clean pair of heels.
The ground was heavy for this 2m4f Grade 2 event following significant rain this morning and previous winner Sizing Europe cried enough early in the straight. Realt Mor appeared the only threat to Champagne Fever at this point but a blunder at the penultimate fence put paid to his challenge.
Meanwhile the 8/11 favourite, who ran quite freely earlier on for Paul Townend, galloped on strongly to beat Alderwood by six lengths with Realt Mor weakening back to finish third.
Paddy Power reacted by making the seven-year-old grey an 8/1 chance (from 10's) for the King George, while Boylesports also go 8/1.
Mullins said, “I was delighted with what he did considering how hard he pulled for the first half of the race. I didn’t think he could pull like that and beat a field of horses like that.
“Last week he wasn’t coming here but we stuck him in and his last piece of work he sparked so we said we’d run him as he was getting the weight allowance.
“We are looking at the Durkan but I’d say Boston Bob is probably going to run there. Maybe he’s better running a little fresher, so perhaps no run between now and the King George would be better for him.”
Townend said, “He ran a bit fresh over the first few but when I let him on he jumped like a buck and did it nicely. We were happy to take a lead if they went a proper gallop.
“All his runs up to this he’s been a stayer so if he’s going to get it (three miles) he’ll get it in the King George.
“There is no reason to think he can’t (turn into a Gold Cup horse). He’s won at Cheltenham a couple of times and he’s a class horse. He seems to have all the attributes of a Gold Cup horse.”
Henry De Bromhead on Sizing Europe: "It was disappointing and Jonathan said he wasn't carrying him as well as at Gowran.
"My immediate reaction is ground (reason for defeat). I'm not into making rash decisions though but I imagine it was ground today."
Davy Russell was forced to give up his final two rides on the card after partnering Realt Mor. "I fell and hurt my hip the other day. It's a muscle problem but it will be okay with physio. I'll be fine for the weekend for sure."
(TW &AM)
