Blue Empyrean allays fitness fears after snow hold-up Despite proving very light in the market Blue Empyrean was up to the task in following up a Naas success from 24 days back, in the Robert McCoubrey Handicap Chase at Down Royal. The Naas victory came over two miles, but stamina never looked likely to be a problem for the Generous gelding in this two and a half miler. However, all mustn't have been convinced about the eight-year-old's prospects, and he went off an 11/2 chance having been around 2/1 in earlier trading. He took a bit of stoking to get there under Andrew Ring, but Blue Empyrean had already hit top gear when a good jump at the last helped his cause further. In the end Keith Watson's runner beat Ardmillan and Angus Milan by two and three parts of a length and two and a quarter lengths. The sweet-travelling Mister First eventually finished fourth, a length further back. Watson's son Marshall commented afterwards: "He's improving all the time. "We didn't do too much with him since he won in Naas - we got held up badly with snow two weeks ago so he missed a week. Coming here we had a wee concern about fitness but he's battled on well. "I said in Naas he probably wanted a trip, I'd say on better ground he'd want further again. "We wouldn't rule out going across the water with him. There's a race for him in Fakenham in the second or third week in February. Or we could go to Naas in a week and a half's time but that could come too soon for him. "He saw it out the whole way to the line and he jumps terribly well. Hopefully he can be competitive in a better grade." The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined Shrewdoperator, trained by P.J. Rothwell, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be post race normal. (MG & EM)
