Ballycasey (grey) still just holds the call from winner Carlingford Lough (Tony McCoy, nearside)© Photo Healy Racing
Carlingford Lough saw out the three mile one furlong distance of the Grade 1 Growise Champion Novice Chase much better than any of his rivals to triumph under Tony McCoy at Punchestown.
The J P McManus owned (he won the first too with Be Positive Carlingford Lough went into overdrive in the straight as the front-running favourite Morning Assembly and the sweet-travelling Ballycasey headed for home.
John Kiely's tough campaigner then headed Ballycasey at the last before going on to put four and a quarter lengths between himself and that opponent at the line.
Kiely commented: "It's a great finish to the year. He's always been consistent – we just have to freshen him up and bring him back and he delivers.
"He deserves a holiday now and we'll see what happens next year. The fall of the year will tell us a lot.
"He's a very easy horse to train once we discovered how to train him.
"Every horse is different and he likes a little break after his races.
"He came with his run a little too soon at Fairyhouse (in the Drinmore when second to Don Cossack .
"The ground was perfect for him today – there was a lovely covering of grass. Hopefully we get that more often next year."
Meanwhile Tony McCoy said: "John Kiely deserves all the credit because he's been on the go since Galway. It's a great training feat to be able to keep a horse competing at the top level having been on the go for so long.
"He seemed to handle the ground better today.
"He jumped well too if a little bit left at times.
"His owner told me about a year and a half ago that he'd win the Galway Plate, so as he seems to have more knowledge than most of us have, we’ll see what he thinks now.
"He's done nothing but improve and his jumping has got better. That's probably the main reason he's improved."
J P McManus said: "He hasn't missed a dance all season and even to see how he was looking today was a credit to John Kiely and all his team.
"He gave him the perfect ride. I'm sure he wouldn't have minded if they'd gone a stride faster as he's a horse you have to hang on to for a while. Ruby (Walsh on Ballycasey) gave him something to aim at and thankfully he delivered.
"He's a nice horse – a really nice horse.
"I was tempted I must say to run him in the Grand National but John thought too much of him to allow him to run in the National.
"We thought better of it and brought him to Punchestown.
"You never know what the future will hold and we can dream anyway (of a Gold Cup campaign)."
(GC & EM)
