Murphy Sets Sights On Ireland

L'Antartique is set to spend his Christmas in Ireland, with Ferdy Murphy eyeing the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown as a follow-up to his win in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

Winner of the Jewson Novices' Chase at the track in March, the seven-year-old crept round the inner under Graham Lee and kept himself hard against the rail when launching his challenge.

There were a handful in with a chance on the run-in but the resolute 13-2 chance kept on best of all to hold Il Duce by a neck, with Knowhere and Palarshan close up in third and fourth.

The race was marred by the death of the 3-1 market leader Granit Jack, who crumpled on landing when leading two out.

That compounded a bleak day for champion trainer Paul Nicholls after his stable jockey Ruby Walsh suffered a dislocated shoulder when parting company with the ill-fated Willyanwoody earlier in the afternoon.

Murphy paid tribute to Lee as he said: 'He had a real top man on top and that's the important thing.

'Going to the top of the hill I thought he was going to get trapped but he knew what he was doing and he got out.

'This fellow will probably go to the Lexus Chase now ? his owner lives near the track and I am sure he will be twisting my arm to run!'

Lee said: 'I got stopped once or twice on the way round, but that almost did him a favour as he was able to fill his lungs. When I got the split on the rails he picked up really well.

'They went very quick and he jumped superb ? it's the best he's jumped. The boss said to me in the Jewson last season just to tough it out from the top of the hill.

'He's a tough horse. It's natural ability and he's got a lot of it.'

Granit Jack had just scraped in at the foot of the weights and connections had been harbouring Champion Chase ambitions for the talented five-year-old.

And he had been travelling like a potential star before his embryonic career ended in tragedy.

Nicholls said: 'He was dead when we got there.

'He was jumping so well at that point and I don't even think it was a mistake.

'I'm a bit mystified, I think it must have been something to do with his landing.'

Alan King was responsible for the Robert Thornton-ridden runner-up Il Duce, and he said: 'All being well he will come back here in December.'

Knowhere's trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies said: 'If he comes out of this OK then it looks like it will be the Hennessy next.'

? PA Sport