RACING: Best Mate is generally acknowledged as the best young chaser around at the moment in Britain and trainer Edward O'Grady unleashed his full brother to devastating effect at Naas yesterday.
Inca Trail made his racecourse debut in the bumper and he did not disappoint as he came home nine lengths in front of Jenniferjo.
Champion amateur Philip Fenton made absolutely no mistake as the odds-on favourite swooped fast and wide in the straight to romp away with the two-mile contest.
"This horse is a bit delicate and melted on me last season," said O'Grady.
"He has been hobdayed, as was Ventana Canyon in the same ownership some years ago at this stage of his career, and we won't mind if he turns out as good as that one."
Bookmaker reaction was varied, with Cashmans slashing his odds from 20 to 1 before racing to 6 to 1 second-favourite for the Festival bumper at Cheltenham. Paddy Power were happy to introduce him at 12 to 1 in their ante-post list.
Norman Williamson and O'Grady helped themselves to a double on a card watched by a bumper attendance, and got off the mark when they combined with the favourite Takagi in the EBF Novice Chase.
Unlucky on an earlier outing at Naas, when he unseated Barry Geraghty at the final fence, Takagi made no mistake this time as Williamson took him to the front two-out from his main market rival, Badger's Wood.
"He will be entered in the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Chase at Cheltenham and will probably run next in the Moriarty Chase at Leopardstown," said O'Grady, after watching Williamson score by seven lengths.
But the English-based jockey had to ride one of his strongest finishes aboard the locally-trained Brendan Shine, as the American import belatedly opened his jumping account for the Michael O'Brien stable.
A mistake at the third-last by Brendan Shine left the horse with some ground to make up, but Williamson conjured up a tremendous late rally on the far rail to deny the long-time leader Be My Belle.
However, hopes of a treble for the O'Grady yard in the featured Slaney Novice Hurdle came unstuck when Over The Bar lost out in a tight finish.
Canary Wharf quickened well for Geraghty early in the straight and survived a mistake at the last to prevail by the minimum margin from another 7 to 1 chance Thari, with Over The Bar just a neck away in third.
"Barry gave this horse a super ride and he was right not to obey instructions. Canary Wharf won a very good bumper at Fairyhouse last April and was at his best today," said winning trainer John Bleahen.
Canary Wharf is owned and bred by builder Frank O'Malley from Galway and is still available at fancy prices for the Royal & SunAlliance Hurdle.
Tender Cove, winner of a six-furlong handicap at Leopardstown last October, made an impressive debut over jumps when proving a smart 11 to 2 winner of the opening Sallins Maiden Hurdle for the Paddy Mullins stable.
He is generally a 20 to 1 chance for the JCB Triumph hurdle. The stable's other top four-year-old, Turtleback, is likely to move to another yard shortly.
