Rule The World and happy connections© Photo Healy Racing
We had former Irish 'pointers' Monbeg Dude and Golantilla dominate the headlines yesterday and it was another graduate from 'between the flags' that left Naas buzzing today after Rule The World's demolition of the opposition in the Grade 2 Slaney Novice Hurdle.
An initial offer of one to two yesterday, about Champagne Fever for this two and a half miler, was well-received. That grey eventually went off at 1/4 and he 'cut out' the running though harried throughout by Minsk.
Davy Russell was always going sweetly in behind on Rule The World and Champagne Fever (eventually came home a well-beaten third, found to have a respiratory tract infection subsequently) had no more to offer into the straight.
The Champion jockey was always quite sure that he had Minsk's measure over the final two flights and the victorious British-bred sauntered away up the run-in to score by sixteen lengths.
Mouse Morris trains Rule The World for Gigginstown House Stud and he said: "It's easy to be a good judge when you have a machine like that.
"He's a nice horse and we'll have to talk to the owners to see where we go – he's still a big raw horse.
"Davy gave him a super ride and he jumped super. We'll take it handy with him."
Boylesports go 10/1 Rule The World for the Albert Bartlett and 14/1 for the Neptune.
Paddy Power Neptune Novice Hurdle 5 fav from 6 to one about Pont Alexandre, Rule The World 12/1 from 20s.
Stan James 12/1 (from 25) Rule The World for the Neptune. Ponte Alexandre 5/1 fav (from 7s). Champagne Fever is out to 10/1. (GC & EM)
