Ferny Hollow and Paul Townend© Photo Healy Racing
The featured Racing Post Novice Chase on day one of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival was billed beforehand as a match between Ferny Hollow and Riviere D’etel and the pair certainly didn’t let anyone down with the former prevailing after a tough battle.
Paul Townend elected to set the pace on the Willie Mullins-trained 10/11 favourite and was stalked throughout by his chief market rival.
The final fence was omitted due to significant damage after Grand Bornand made a bad mistake when jumping it first time around, and Ferny Hollow was driven out on the extended run-in to score by a length and a half.
The pair stretched 14 lengths clear of Coeur Sublime in third.
Mullins said, “I thought it was a huge performance to give that weight to a filly that no one has got close to all season.
“Coming back after an 11-month break with only a three week gap, I was worried all week that I was asking him too much to come back too soon.
“Everything was against him and he still pulled it out of the bag. I thought it was an awesome performance.
“He loves jumping and has obviously got an engine. We could have waited another few weeks and gone to Punchestown.
“We’ll probably come back here for the Dublin Racing Festival and then the spring Festivals.”
Paul Townend, “We went a proper gallop and he never missed a beat. It’s a long way up the straight with no last fence but when I did give him a smack he pulled out plenty.
“I schooled him the other morning and he’s electric to jump. I wasn’t going to give away that advantage and get into a row with him so I let him at it.”
Paddy Power and Betfair both trimmed Ferny Hollow into 2/1 favourite (from 9/4) for the Arkle at Cheltenham, with BoyleSports unchanged at just 7/4.
