Death Duty wins dramatic Grade 1 'decider'

The Gordon Elliott trained, Gigginstown House Stud owned Death Duty managed to preserve and extend his unbeaten run to four races when landing a dramatic Grade 1 Lawlor's Hotel Novice Hurdle at Naas today, as Augusta Kate crashed out when challenging at the final flight.

The ‘something's gotta give' decider was dominated by the super-powers of Irish jumps racing and while Gigginstown's Blood Crazed Tiger chased a five-timer, their Bel Ami De Sivola was chasing a four-timer, Willie Mullins' Augusta Kate was herself seeking a hat-trick and stablemate Turcagua was also a winner last-time out.

Death Duty himself previously won at Grade 3 and Grade 2 level and while he arrived into strong contention at the second last, was soon strongly pressed by Augusta Kate. However Augusta Kate appeared to be quite green approaching the second last and having again run around briefly approaching the last, fell at that obstacle when seemingly holding strong claims.

Death Duty was left clear by the fall and went on to beat Mullins' second-string and earlier front-runner Turcagua by nine lengths, with Elliott/Gigginstown's Blood Crazed Tiger ‘inheriting' third place.

Winning 18 year old jockey Jack Kennedy was scoring a second Grade 1 win and following the race, trainer Elliott stated “to be honest I thought they didn't go fast enough - I thought Blood Crazed Tiger would make them go a good gallop and our lad is just an out-and-out stayer.

Death Duty remains unbeaten over obstacles and lands the Grade 1 Lawlor's Hotel Novice Hurdle in a dramatic finish at @NaasRacecourse... pic.twitter.com/gBdWW9VXVp

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) January 8, 2017

“They were upsides when the mare fell so it's hard to say but the one thing you know about our horse is that he would have kept pulling out. and Jack thought he had it covered. You never know when Ruby is upsides you but our lad is a very good horse and has his job done again and that will be it now until Cheltenham.”

He added “if you watch him through his last two races halfway during the race you'd nearly say he's going as hard as he can go on a big loose rein and they just didn't go fast enough today.

“If you watch Jack today compared to Bryan (Cooper) the last day, Bryan let him roll at the third last both days and galloped them into the ground whereas today he was still on the bridle going to the second last.

“He's a nice horse and the horse in third (Blood Crazed Tiger) ran well too.

“There is a long way to go between now and Cheltenham but if the race was tomorrow I'd be saying the Albert Bartlett definitely. He's a proper big three mile chaser and at this stage of all the good horses I've had, none of them were ever as good as hurdlers but that doesn't mean they'll do it as chasers. I'd say he's a fair one.

“He's honest and you even see him walking around the parade ring nothing fazes him. He'd kind of frighten you he's that laid back. He'll have a couple of easy weeks now and then Cheltenham will be the plan.”

Paddy Power subsequently cut Death Duty to 9/4 from 5/2, for the Albert Bartlett Hurdle at Cheltenham while they cut Augusta Kate to 16s, from 33/1, for the Neptune Novices Hurdle at the same meeting.

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson