Veteran Newmill rolls back the years

RACING NEWS:THE QUEEN Mother Champion Chase winner of 2006, Newmill (11 to 2), proved there is still plenty of life in him yet with a battling display in the Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles yesterday. Now a 12-year-old, Newmill took advantage of Kauto Star's fall all those years ago but went on to show that was no fluke by following up at the Punchestown Festival.

It may be nearly three years since his last win, in the Red Mills Hurdle, but he refused to give up the advantage gained by Eddie Power’s positive manoeuvre a mile out. Snowy Morning looked a real threat all the way up the straight but could never get on terms and went down by three lengths.

“He’s been in good form all year but I didn’t think he would go in that ground. I walked it and thought it was very gluey,” said Murphy. “Eddie Power was outstanding on him. He didn’t think there was much pace on so decided to make it a bit of a gallop.

“He rides him at home and knew he was fit. He settles better nowadays. Probably age is against him for any of the top stuff but I’ll talk to the owners and see what they’d like to do.

“He’s in great form and very sound so there’s no reason to put him out in a field.”

Tally Em Up benefited from a fine waiting ride from Davy Russell, who was completing a treble, in the Grade Three Septimus Coolmore NH Sires EBF Mares Novice Chase. “I’m thrilled to bits. She’s a way better chaser than she was over hurdles,” said winning trainer Philip Rothwell.

“She always found one too good over hurdles and just couldn’t get black type. Davy was amazing on her. I was worried she wouldn’t get the trip in the ground and with a penalty. I think there is a good mares’ novice for her at Uttoxeter and we’ll take it easy for a couple of weeks until then. My horses are flying at the moment.”

Money Trix has been ruled out of the Argento Chase at Cheltenham this weekend, with the Irish Hennessy still firmly in his sights. Nicky Richards’s grey ran a fine race to finish second to What A Friend in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown and had been given a speculative entry in Saturday’s Argento Chase, with Paul Nicholls considering both the Cheltenham heat and the Irish race for Denman.

But with Denman now heading for the Aon Chase at Newbury, Richards can revert to Plan A with his exciting chaser. “My lad goes to Ireland, that’s the plan,” said Richards. “We put him in at Cheltenham just to see what Paul was doing. It might have been a bit foolhardy to take Denman on if there were other options just round the corner, but it’s all panned out and everybody is going where they want to go. We’ll probably meet Joncol again and I see he is favourite but we’ve beaten him once and, with all due respect, hopefully we can beat him again.

“Davy Russell will ride him again.”