Kopek Des Bordes easily justifies favouritism on chasing debut Last years Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Kopek Des Bordes made an impressive transition to fences when easily landing the Pat Sheils Memorial Irish EBF Beginners Chase at Navan. Tracking Anotherway in the early stages of the race, the 2/9f led under Paul Townend before the halfway point. Travelling strongly into the straight, the Willie Mullins trained gelding went clear from the back of the penultimate fence, drawing right away to win by 13 lengths in the colours of Monabeg Investments Limited. Paul Townend said: "I was very impressed with what he did. "He figured things out for himself." Willie Mullins said: "Very pleased with that. He has to learn and get experience, and he got a fair bit today, I think. "When he sees a fence, he just wants to go and jump it. He's very keen in that respect. As he goes up in grade, the pace will get faster and hotter. I think it will be all to his benefit. "He has enough schooling done. This fellow was a bumper horse compared to a point-to-pointer which Final Demand was. He (Final Demand) would have done a lot more schooling in his younger days, whereas this fellow has been schooling mainly over hurdles and a bit over fences." When asked if he will consider Christmas (Leopardstown - St Stephens Day), Dublin Racing Festival, and Cheltenham, he replied: "That would look a sort of a plan at this minute - that will be Route 'A' anyway." Paddy Power went 7/4f from 5/2 Kopek Des Bordes for the Arkle Challenge Chase. Additional reporting by Michael Graham.
