Energumene and Sean O'Keeffe© Photo Healy Racing
Champion Chase candidate Energumene stepped into open company today and impressively won Cork's Grade 2 Kerry Group Hilly Way Chase, thus completing a notable treble by jockey Sean O'Keeffe for Champion Trainer Willie Mullins.
Winner of a 2018 UK point-to-point, Energumene won two Grade 1 novice chases last season either side of missing March's Cheltenham festival with a muscle injury. Today he readily defied top weight against four seasoned chasers.
Racing with enthusiasm in front, Energumene was joined at times by Notebook but shook him off at the third-last. Energumene maintained a strong gallop to the line and comfortably beat 157-rated Daly Tiger receiving 8lbs, by eight and a half lengths.
Mullins' assistant David Casey later reported “Sean said they went very quick early and was happy when he went to the front but the other horse (Notebook) took him on down the back straight and they ended up racing. Other than that, he'd have been very impressive and his class told in the straight and he won easily.
“He was giving away a penalty and he (O'Keeffe) thinks he'll improve loads. In fairness Notebook is a Grade 1 horse, he has had a run and finished last.”
Mullins and O'Keeffe earlier combined with winners Dysart Dinamo and Concertista and Casey added “Sean started some time during the summer when he rode a few winners for us and now comes in a few times a week riding work and schooling.
“We have plenty jockeys and horses on the team and we do our best to share the love around!”
Paddy Power bookmakers subsequently cut Energumene to 3/1, from 7/2 for Cheltenham's Champion Chase in March, for which stablemate Chacun Pour Soi, which flopped at Sandown yesterday, is now 10/1.
