Vanillier again stars in the cross country sphere

Vanillier again showed his liking for the unique demands of a cross country test when repeating his victory of 12 months ago in the ThatPrizeGuy.co.uk PP Hogan Memorial Cross Country Chase at Punchestown.

The Gavin Cromwell-trained grey put up a fine front-running display in the hands of Keith Donoghue and kept on well in the straight to land the spoils.

The well-backed 15/8 favourite had a length and a quarter to spare over The Goffer who kept on well on the run-in with Conflated holding every chance a further half a length back in third.

Donoghue said, “It’s something different from your day-to-day stuff and I get a good kick out of it.

“He’s brilliant at it, he has good experience. I thought conditions were going to suit today, with the ground and all, and we were hopeful that he’d win.

“I thinking jumping won it for me. I could feel Conflated beside me the whole way, but I was out jumping him everywhere. I could feel him jamming on and going left.

“I was getting to save my lad and I even got the jump at the last; I said that’s what won it. I’d say if Conflated had jumped better he might have beat me, but you have to jump.

“It’s a year later and he’s after winning again. He is 11 now but he’s a great horse and it’s great fun to win.

“You couldn’t meet nicer people than the owners. The Keaveneys have been with Gavin for a while now and they are just lovely people.”

Quotes by Gary Carson