Racing: Newmill ran out something of a surprise winner of the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park today.
The Grade Two contest had been billed as a stepping stone to the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle for 4-9 favourite Macs Joy.
Jessica Harrington's star had to settle for second, however, as the John Joseph Murphy-trained winner made all the running and kept up the gallop to land odds of 7-1.
Macs Joy was not as fluent at some of his hurdles as his followers have come to expect but he still looked the probable winner as he swung into the straight hot on Newmill's heels.
But Barry Geraghty was soon pushing along while Andrew McNamara merely held Newmill together and nudged him home to record an impressive eight-length success.
Harchibald was making his first racecourse appearance since last October and travelled well until tiring in the heavy going before the penultimate flight, eventually finishing a well-beaten last of five.
VC Bet were among those to be impressed by the winner and reacted by cutting him to 7-2 to successfully defend his Queen Mother Champion Chase crown at Cheltenham next month.
The same firm make Harchibald a 20-1 chance, lengthening him from 14s, and also pushed Macs Joy out to 10s from 7-1.
Cashmans reacted more significantly to the eclipse of Macs Joy and Harchibald, pushing the former out to 16-1 and lengthening the latter to 33-1.
Of his winner, a delighted Murphy said: "Receiving the 8lb made a big difference and on his best form over hurdles the form has worked out pretty well.
"The horse showed toughness when they came at him at the third-last and he'll definitely go for the Champion Chase now.
"I'd prefer good ground at Cheltenham but as long as it's not heavy I'll be happy enough.
"I feared the ground might get a bit sticky but I walked the track earlier today and felt the hurdle track was in brilliant order."
Harrington was not too down after seeing Macs Joy brushed aside.
"I felt beforehand that giving 8lb would be tough and Barry (Geraghty) said he hated the ground," she said. Some horses run a bit flat on their second run back and this might have been the case today."
Also relatively upbeat despite enduring defeat was Harchibald's handler Noel Meade.
"He just can't handle that ground but I'm not sorry that I ran him," he said. He was beaten at the second last but at least he's not come back in unconscious and we'll go to the Champion (Hurdle) now."
Watson Lake returned to form to land the Red Mills Chase for Meade and Paul Carberry.
The classy nine-year-old had failed to hit the target since scoring over this trip of two and a half miles at Navan last March.
He served notice of his ability, however, as he always looked to be travelling best and stuck to his task gamely to see off Arthur Moore's Mansony by a cosy five lengths.
The 3-1 chance took over from Jim halfway down the back straight and continued to jump well at the head of affairs as Carberry began to turn the screw.
Mansony, sent off at 4-1, briefly looked a threat approaching the last but failed to find the extra gear required to overhaul the winner.
Meade said: "The last day he ran at Punchestown against Nickname he just took no interest and maybe his previous fall just frightened him a bit.
"I said to Paul if he was travelling well today to go on with him and those tactics seemed to work.
"I don't think he'll go to Cheltenham. He was fourth in an Arkle but he never really shows his best form there. He's in the Champion and the Gold Cup but he'll probably come out of those.
"We'll leave him in the Ryanair but he'll probably stay at home and go for the race at Navan that he won last year."