Cheekpieces prove just the trick for Kaid D'authie

Willie Mullins landed the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Novice Chase but not with the hot favourite Final Demand who was no match in the straight for stablemate Kaid D’authie.

The 30/100 favourite set out to make the running under Paul Townend but his jumping was not as assured as his previous two starts and the distress signals were well and truly out as Kaid D’authie forged on after two out.

Mark Walsh’s mount kept on well to beat Western Fold who went second after the last and kept on strongly, by four and a quarter lengths.

Final Demand could find no extra a further eight lengths back in third, while Jimmy Du Seuil was well beaten when falling at the last.

Mullins said, “He’s always a horse that showed me a lot at home. I’d think just putting cheekpieces on him today has made a huge difference. It’s bringing out the sort of ability that he shows me at home.

“He’s a horse that’s always been disappointing to me, on the racetrack. The cheekpieces just made a big difference to him.

“Mark said he only made one bit of a mistake, at the third last, but he said otherwise he was foot perfect.”

When asked if that had earned him a tilt at the Brown Advisory he added,“I’d imagine, yes.”

On Final Demand he continued, “I was just disappointed the way he jumped the second and third fences. He missed the fifth last and when a horse does that in a race like that he has to improve quickly and he didn’t.

“He went on and did the same at the next. To me that was not good enough.

“Paul said he twisted a little bit in the air. I couldn’t see that as I didn’t watch the head-on. I like watching them sideways. There might be some little niggle there that we’re not seeing, we might see it tomorrow morning.

“I just think he didn’t show that enthusiasm that he normally does.”

Walsh said, “It’s the best he’s ever jumped. He has cheekpieces back on him today which is a big help.

“The only fence he missed was the third last which he got in tight and was a bit awkward. He was winging them down the back, and I couldn’t take him back and let him use his jumping and use his stride.

“The ground on the chase track is soft, heavy in places. The worst of it is down the back before the ditch. It’s tough work — it’s taking it out of them.”

Paddy Power cut the winner into 4/1 (from 16/1) NRNB for the Brown Advisory Novice Chase and pushed out Final Demand from evens to 100/30. The Big Westerner is now 3/1 favourite.

Quotes by Gary Carson