Racing

Commentariolus franks Frankel’s pedigree at Fairyhouse

Gordon Elliott enjoys hat-trick as Lackaneed Leader and Graineyhill also triumph

Trainer Gordon Elliott. Photograph: Lorraine O’Sullivan/Inpho

Wed Feb 7 2018 - 14:43

Frankel maintained his 100 per cent record as a sire over jumps as Commentariolus made a winning debut in a maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse.

A maiden on the Flat in France, he was heavily supported late on into odds of 9-2, despite the fact his stablemate Park Paddocks was morning favourite before drifting in the betting.

Having looked green at certain stages, he showed a smart turn of foot when asked a question by Keith Donoghue and won snugly in the end.

Free Ranger was four and three-quarter lengths away in second, with Park Paddocks third.

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Trainer Gordon Elliott said of Commentariolus: "He won anyway so it's grand. He probably wants softer ground.

“We’ll have a bit of fun with him and hopefully he’ll win something else again.

“We’ll try and find another little race for him somewhere. That probably wasn’t the strongest race.”

The only other runner Frankel has had over hurdles is Dan Skelton's Solo Saxophone, who is unbeaten in two races and is being aimed at the Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival.

Elliott claimed a treble as Lackaneen Leader justified 2-1 favouritism in the mares' maiden hurdle, while stablemate Graineyhill (9-4 favourite) claimed the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle. Both horses were ridden by Davy Russell.

The trainer said of the former: “She’s a good, honest mare. She wants a trip and probably wants three miles, but she tries.”

Of Graineyhill, he said: “He he travelled well. He didn’t jump great, but he was very tough.

“I’d say he wants further. He’ll win a chase. He’s not a superstar but if he wins again it’ll be great.”

Chesterfield King (11-2) looked to have thrown away his chance in the two-mile novice hurdle with a sloppy leap two out, but he picked up well for Luke Dempsey to win by a neck.

The jockey’s dad, trainer Philip, said: “At the second-last I thought he was beat and then at the last he landed in a heap as well.

“Maybe the second horse [Randalls Ur Poet] was pulling up a bit, too, but you’d have to be very happy with his attitude.”

Westerner Point (6-1) survived a late lunge from Drumacoo, who met the last all wrong in the Book Online At fairyhouse.ie Rated Chase.

Trainer Edward O’Grady said: “There is a race like this again in Thurles in two weeks’ time and we might give him an entry in that and see how he is.”

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