Paul Carberry helicoptered his way to Thurles yesterday and left with a double under his belt that narrowed Barry Geraghty's lead in the jockeys' table to seven.
The highlight came in the featured £25,000 Esat Kinloch Brae Chase when Amberleigh House outpaced the pace-forcing favourite Micko's Dream in the closing stages.
"Thanks for the lead Jason," grinned Carberry at Micko's Dream's jockey Jason Titley in the winner's enclosure. And well as the runner-up ran, he could not cope with the finishing speed of Amberleigh House, who could now attempt another crack at Cheltenham's Grand Annual Chase, in which he was fifth to Space Trucker last year.
"He's much improved and he'll have his chance at Cheltenham. We also have Bally Amber for the Bumper, so hopefully we'll have two healthy horses to scare the Brits!" said Amberleigh House's American owner David Doane.
The winner's trainer, Michael Hourigan, was at Wincanton, where he saddled Sly Empress to be third, and he reported: "Amberleigh House is in the Queen Mother Chase, too, and he'll run in one of them."
Micko's Dream's trainer Willie Mullins was happy with his charge and said Haydock's De Vere Chase is a possible future race but emphasised: "The National is still the target."
Carberry doubled up and brought his seasonal score to 48 on the odds-on Roses Of Picardy in the mares' chase; and Noel Meade's charge looked to have the race won anyway despite Janiste's last-fence fall.
"I came here by road!" joked Meade who was celebrating his 50th winner of the season and could run Roses Of Picardy again in a Grade Three at Naas in a fortnight's time.
"She doesn't like racing too often but black type would be handy when she breeds. We took a chance today with the trip. She really wants further," he added.
Charlie Swan overturned the odds-on Kirmar in the novice hurdle with Myheartisbroken, who cruised from the rear to challenge the favourite on the inner on the run to the last. Kirmar stumbled badly at this point and appeared slightly unlucky to go down by half a length.
Kevin Prendergast introduced a possible Cheltenham Bumper candidate in the former Alec Stewart-trained Kolleya, who landed the odds in the last.
"On good ground he's not a bad machine and I wouldn't be too afraid of what I've seen," said Prendergast, who bought Kolleya for just 5,000 gns at the Newmarket July Sales.
His Song will be given one more chance to test his stamina over three miles when he takes on Danoli in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran in eight days' time.
His Song faded to fourth in last weekend's Hennessy, but trainer Mouse Morris said yesterday: "I may have been a bit quick to say he didn't stay, so we'll have another go. Depending on what happens at Gowran, he has a number of Cheltenham options, including various handicap hurdles and the Cathcart."
