Respect leads home Gigginstown trio in feature

Road To Respect capped a great afternoon for Gigginstown House Stud when leading home a 1-2-3 in the Leopardstown Christmas Chase watched by an attendance of nearly 16,000. Sizing John and Yorkhill were fancied by most beforehand to fight it out in this three-mile Grade One test but the pair were both soundly beaten as the Noel Meade-trained gelding got the better of fellow Gigginstown-owned Balko Des Flos and last year’s winner Outlander

The progressive six-year-old signed off last season winning both at the Cheltenham Festival and the Grade One Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse, and has continued on an upward curve this term.

A Grade 3 success at Punchestown was followed by a narrow defeat to Outlander in the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal before enjoying his finest hour to-date here.

Sea Flanagan ’s mount travelled well to challenge in the straight, and headed Balko Des Flo at the final fence.

The well-backed 8/1 shot kept on gamely under pressure on the run-in to prevail by a length and a quarter, with Outlander another two and a quarter lengths adrift in third.

Road To Respect wins the Grade 1 @LeopardstownRC Christmas Chase in a finish dominated by the maroon of Gigginstown! pic.twitter.com/4IAWJmD3Ha

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 28, 2017

Gigginstown won four races in all at Leopardstown this afternoon to record a massive 4,334/1 four-timer.

Robbie Power reported afterwards that Sizing John (9/10fav) was never going, and Jessica Harrington’s charge could find no extra from two out eventually trailed in a well beaten seventh. He was found to be clinically abnormal after veterinary examination.

Yorkhill was up with the pace and generally jumped well, although he did go long at a few fences and jumped noticeably left at the fifth last. He also faded before the final fence and weakened to finish eighth.

Trainer Willie Mullins said, “It’s disappointing and I’m not sure he has a career as a three-mile chaser. It’s back to the drawing board with him.” Djakadam was another high profile disappointment, dropping out after a mistake three out and he was pulled up before the final fence.

A delighted Noel Meade said, “Everything went according to plan. The hood obviously worked well. Sean rode him the other day and he said maybe a hood might help him to settle early on. He settled great and he gave him a most beautiful ride. I suppose when it works out it's always a great ride but it was actually an absolute peach of a ride.

“He jumped brilliant, one or two slow but clever. I always felt we were travelling like a winner. I didn't let a yip out of me until they were 50 yards from the line.

“Sean has gone from strength to strength for us since he took over and we couldn't be happier. We get on very well together and he rides very well. The more confidence he gets the better he is riding.

“We were very hopeful as he was in terrific form. We knew he was in great shape and we were just hoping that he'd keep improving. He had to improve a lot to get up there, he had another 10lb to get up there. We thought he had as he did a bit of work in Fairyhouse last week and did it very well.

“He's a Gold Cup contender now so he'll go for the Gold Cup. Whether he runs in between or not I don't know. I suppose if he did he would run back here but we have to think where Disko is going to go as well. We'll talk to Eddie and Michael and see what they are going to do.

“Other than being touched off in the north when he went a bit left all the time he's been doing everything fairly right.”

Flanagan said, “He’s been a very good horse to me, and I think the hood has made an awful difference. Obviously the ground being that bit better has helped, and I felt he just did a bit much for me in the north (Down Royal) and didn’t get home.

“He’s done everything perfect today. He’s winged the first and got into a lovely rhythm. There was no hiding place and I thought half way down the back (straight) I was too far back but I was flat out and couldn’t have been much closer.

“It was a good true run race, and when I got a bit of room after jumping the second last I came alive. He’s loads of speed and is a very good horse.

“I wouldn’t be worried about staying another two furlongs the way he settled there today, and he obviously handles the track in Cheltenham having won there before.”

Boylesports cut Road To Respect into 12/1 (from 20/1) for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, while Betfair go 10/1 and Paddy Power were even more impressed and go just 8/1.

Sizing John has been pushed out to 8/1 by both Paddy Power and Betfair, while Might Bite is as short as 3/1 favourite.

(GC & AM)