Following the money in the betting ring proved the key to unlocking yesterday's Gas Network Handicap Hurdle at Leopardstown when the wellbacked Grimes sauntered to a length victory over last season's other leading four-year-old, Commanche Court.
The J P McManus-owned Grimes opened in the market at 5 to 2 and quickly plummeted to touch 5 to 4 before drifting to 7 to 4 just before the off. An estimated £70,000 stood to be taken off the bookmakers and those who put their money down had no worries through the race.
Conor O'Dwyer took his time at the rear of the field until after jumping the second last when he pulled Grimes to the outside. At that stage Ruby Walsh had kicked for home on the Triumph Hurdle winner, Commanche Court, but although Skipo challenged, it was Grimes and the motionless O'Dwyer that caught the eye.
Commanche Court and Skipo kept on admirably but O'Dwyer barely moved a muscle as Grimes loped past his pair of opponents and set himself up for a trip to Cheltenham in a fortnight.
That will be for the Murphys Draughtflow Handicap Hurdle, won by Space Trucker last year and in which Grimes will carry a penalty. However, his rapid rate of improvement is hard to ignore.
"He was ready for today but I was talking to the handicapper last week as I thought Grimes was 1lb wrong with Commanche Court. I'm sorry I spoke now," grinned winning trainer Christy Roche. "He has to race that way and if he isn't you know he's in trouble. He might not find much for pressure," he added.
With his jockey's cap on, though, it wasn't a particularly good day for Roche. Aidan O'Brien ran three in the Group Three Bord Gais Killavullan Stakes but it was Roche's mount, Chateau Royal, that was the medium of a massive punt down to 4 to 5 favourite. Chateau Royal never got in a blow and it was the stable outsiders, Kincara Palace and Musk Lime, that fought out the finish, with Seamus Heffernan and Kincara Palace winning by a neck.
The result wasn't a happy one for one punter, who heckled the winning connections in the winner's enclosure, but O'Brien explained: "Christy missed the break and didn't get the runs through the race on a horse with such a massive stride. The other two flew home and could be Guineas fillies."
Michael Kinane's last ride of the season in Ireland was a winning one when Stage Affair powered home over what appeared beforehand the inadequate 10 furlongs of the Trigo Stakes.
It brought Kinane's Irish total for the year to 55.
