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Appreciate back in the limelight at Thurles

Appreciate It and Sean O'Keeffe Appreciate It and Sean O'Keeffe
© Photo Healy Racing

Appreciate It powered clear on the run-in to bounce back to winning ways in the Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase at Thurles, leading home a clean sweep for Willie Mullins in the Grade 2 contest. Classic Getaway made most of the running in the two-and-a-half mile event and was joined by 7/4 favourite Blood Destiny turning for home.

Appreciate It was driven along in third on the bend but stayed on to dispute on the stand’s side running down to the final fence.

The 6/1 shot had the advantage over the last and asserted in the closing stages, for Sean O’Keeffe, to post a six length success over Classic Getaway.

Blood Destiny was two-and-a-half lengths back in third.

It was a first win since January 2023 for Appreciate It, who had his finest hour when running out a wide-margin winner of the 2021 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Patrick Mullins said afterwards:- “He always had a very high level of form but hasn't hit the back of the net often so that was brilliant for him.

“Obviously he split Galopin Des Champs and Fastorslow in last year's John Durkan Chase so has always had a high level of form. 

"He probably missed his prime when he got injured after winning the Supreme so it is great for him to win such a prestigious race as this today. I think he loved the ground and dropping back to a Grade 2 helped as well.

"He is 11 now and might be one for the Topham Chase maybe - he doesn't quite stay three miles and that intermediate trip suits."

"Classic Getaway loves this track and this ground and Paul Townend felt Blood Destiny blew up on his first run this season, he thought he'd improve a lot for the race."

(Quotes by Tom Weekes)

About Gary Carson
Gary started out as a trainee/assistant journalist with the Sporting Life newspaper and has worked in the racing industry for over 25 years. He has been with the Press Association since 2013 and won the Irish Field Nap Table in 2016. He enjoys working with horses and trained his own horse, Mamaslittlestar, to win a point-to-point in 2019.