The power of Noel Meade's stable was graphically illustrated when, in the absence of his more experienced stable companion Hill Society, Dardjini won yesterday's Denny Gold Medal Novice Chase on his chasing debut.
With Paul Carberry unable to get out of commitments at Wetherby, Kieran Gaule, 24, came in for the ride and he will rarely have a more exhilarating experience on a horse seeing racecourse fences for the first time.
With Magical Lady setting a furious pace, any mistake would be vital but with the uneasy favourite, Grey Guy, weakening and Space Trucker flattering, it was impossible to ignore the fluency with which Dardjini was travelling in behind. Once Gaule asked Dardjini to quicken, the response was immediate and they won pulling up by seven lengths.
"In his early schooling, he was a bit too flippant with his fences but he's better now. He likes this ground and we'll probably bring him back for the Arkle here," said Meade, who reported that Hill Society had a slight injury.
Gaule, from Piltown, Co Kilkenny - who rode Strong Promise during a brief spell in Britain - was having his second winner from only two rides for Meade and had originally been going to Limerick. Once that was abandoned he was down to go to Down Royal but when Carberry couldn't travel, Gaule, who had never sat on Dardjini before, switched.
Otherwise, the day belonged to Arthur Moore who saddled a 235 to 1 treble. Veredarius, owned by senior counsel Frank Clarke, got a powerful drive from Conor O'Dwyer to overtake Toni's Tip in the Dial-A-Bet Handicap Chase and O'Dwyer was also in the plate when Moore's Royal Marine just beat Dudley Do Right in the opener.
In contrast, O'Dwyer had a rough passage on the favourite Vivo in the Kerry Spring Maiden Hurdle and could only finish fourth behind the surprise winner Lord Dal and jockey Barry Cash.
"He'd shown us very little until a few weeks ago but he comes from a very good French family and will make a good staying horse," Moore said.
Rainbow Frontier kept his unbeaten record over hurdles when staying on too strongly for Khairabar in the Denny Hurdle and will now attempt to stretch his run to six on the trot before being aimed at Cheltenham's Triumph Hurdle.
"He'll run a good race at Cheltenham too," said Aidan O'Brien who added: "He is doing very well with his racing and was heavier today than before his last run."
Tom Rudd was unseated from the fancied Hamameluis at the start of this race. He reported to the stewards that he had been bumped by other horses lining up and that he and the horse had become unbalanced. The stewards concluded that the unseating was accidental.
