Jenniferjo too strong for Cheltenham hopefuls

Chimes At Midnight and Mutakarrim could still take their chance at the Cheltenham Festival later this month despite failing to cope with Jenniferjo in the Ballsbridge Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Champion jockey Ruby Walsh was always up with the pace on Jenniferjo and stole a decisive advantage on the 5-1 chance rounding the last bend to beat both Chimes at Midnight (7-1) and the even-money favourite Mutakarrim on very testing ground.

While Jenniferjo is likely to wait for Aintree according to her trainer Pat Fahy, Chimes at Midnight and the favourite could go for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle and the Gerrard Supreme Novice Hurdle respectively.

'If the field for the Champion Hurdle is smaller than for the Royal & SunAlliance, he will probably take his chance in that race instead. It was a super run in that ground considering he had back problems last season,' said Luke Comer who owns and trains Chimes at Midnight under permit.

'The whole idea of going hurdling with the horse was to sweeten him up for the flat and, after Cheltenham, we will run him in Group races during the flat campaign,' Comer added.

Dermot Weld said of Mutakarrim: 'We won`t rule him out of the Supreme Novice Hurdle as he must have good ground and he didn`t get it here although we had no option but to get a run into him before the Festival.'

Oa Baldixe could be a late addition to leading trainer Noel Meade`s Cheltenham team after getting back on the winning trail in the Stepaside Novices` Chase in the hands of Paul Carberry.

The French-bred son of Linamix was well backed into 3-1 third favourite and produced too much pace in the home straight for the favourite Ellenjay and No Discount.

'Oa Baldixe was good today and possibly will go for the four-mile National Hunt Chase now. I think he would get the trip and would have a decent chance if the ground was soft over there,' said Meade.

Carberry wasted no time in further extending his advantage at the top of the jockey`s table as 14-1 chance Champagne Native came back to form in style in the Mick Holly Memorial Handicap Chase.

Trained by Irene Oakes for the Back Street Syndicate, Carberry`s mount travelled sweetly on the bridle and was always quickening away from the odds-on favourite Good Shuil on the climb to the post.

Martell Grand National Hope Papillon is still on course for Aintree despite finishing a disappointing fifth behind the winner.

He was over 45 lengths adrift and his trainer Ted Walsh remarked: 'I certainly wouldn`t be over the moon about that performance.

'He`s gone a bit cute and we had to get a run into him, though it obviously wasn`t his ground. He hasn`t been doing much at home and has got a bit heavy.

'He runs over hurdles at Punchestown in a fortnight and, if he`s well, he`ll go in Aintree whatever.'

Wexford trainer Denis Murphy is planning a raid on Uttoxeter on the Saturday after Cheltenham with three of his horses including Nearly A Moose, who opened his racecourse account in the Lansdowne Maiden Hurdle.

Ridden by John Cullen, Nearly a Moose (10-1) improved on a couple of placed efforts in recent weeks to take the prize with something to spare and could run next in a novice hurdle at Uttoxeter.

'I am bringing the winning mares Moll Kettle and Dunmanogue to Uttoxeter for the Tattersalls Mares` Final and I am hoping to persuade the owners that Nearly a Moose should go as well,' said Murphy who was in the winners enclosure to listen to the commentary from Lismore Point-to-Point.

'Just as we were getting our picture taken after this race I was listening on the mobile to the commentary from Lismore where The Real Bandit, a half-brother to The Bajan Bandit, won on his first start for us in the hands of Davy Russell so it`s a bonus for the yard,' Murphy remarked.