Jody Townend delivers at Leopardstown on Bentraghhill to land the bumper
Bentraghhill, with Jody Townend up, on their way to winning the Forest Fest Flat Race during day three of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival at Leopardstown Racecourse in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Jody Townend rounded off a good day for Cork jockeys at the Christmas Festival on a crisp, chilly Sunday afternoon at Leopardstown.
She partnered Bentraghhill to land the bumper to give Willie Mullins his only winner at Leopardstown but he had four winners across the card. The maestro of Closutton had earlier recorded a treble at Limerick, Bentraghhill made it four on the day for Willie Mullins in the final race at the Foxrock venue in the Forest Fest INH Flat Race.
Doneraile jockey Darragh O’Keeffe partnered Koktail Divin to an impressive victory in the Ballymaloe Relish Beginners Chase.
Earlier on, Dungourney jockey Michael Kenneally set the tone from a Cork perspective aboard Nagger Reidy in the Mercedes Benz South Dublin Handicap Hurdle. He was punted from 7/1 into 9/2.
Townend's mount in the concluding bumper went off at 2/1. He'd won a Fairyhouse point-to-point when trained by Cormac Abernethy.
Townend sat just off the leaders, out wide throughout. She kicked for touch off the home turn and Bentraghhill gave generously for the Lisgoold jockey.
The pair readily stretched clear for a smooth four and a quarter length success. The winner was installed 12/1 favourite with Bet 365 for the Cheltenham bumper next March. Jody won the 2025 Cheltenham bumper on Bambino Fever.
Darragh O’Keeffe partnered Koktail Divin to an all the way success in the Ballymaloe Relish Beginners Chase. The Henry de Bromhead-trained gelding was dropping slightly in class having finished second in his previous two starts over fences, behind the smart pair Romeo Coolio and Oscars Brother.
That form was validated subsequently and this looked like a decent opportunity. The winner quickly put his rivals to the sword on route to a facile 21-length victory, over the disappointing 2/1 favourite Kiss Will.
His owners would like to go to Cheltenham while the Dublin Racing Festival is also on his radar.
Dungourney jockey Michael Kenneally struck aboard Nagger Reidy in the Mercedes Benz South Dublin Handicap Hurdle.
He was well backed from 7/1 into 9/2. Sonny Carey’s charge was ridden patiently by Michael Kenneally. He came with a sustained run after the last to lead inside the final 150 yards.
He then fended off the persistent challenge from Hgranca De Thaix with just a nose separating the pair.
Affordale Fury landed the featured Grade One Savills Chase at Leopardstown. The race featured the return of the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs. The 6/5 favourite flattered briefly on the run in but Affordale Fury was as game as a pebble for the bang-in-form jockey Sam Ewing.
The 2024 Grand National winner I Am Maximus finished two and a half lengths back in second, with Galopin Des Champs three parts of a length away in a creditable third.
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