Expensive French import Le Coudray enjoyed a bloodless victory on his Irish debut for Aidan O'Brien and JP McManus at Naas yesterday.
The five-year-old was left clear two out by the fall of Archive Footage in the Bank of Ireland Hurdle and came home by 20 lengths from Limestone Lad.
Surprisingly easy to back at 7 to 4, Charlie Swan's mount cruised up to Limestone Lad and Ladbroke Hurdle winner Archive Footage into the home straight in the two and a half miles conditions race.
Rising to the second last Archive Footage appeared to be responding to strong driving from Tony McCoy but crashed on landing and Swan could afford a couple of looks over his shoulder before Le Coudray followed up his five wins last year in France which made him the top-rated four-year-old there.
Another run, most likely in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan in three weeks, is the plan before Le Coudray tackles the Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
"Charlie was very impressed, particularly as we gave the horse a month off to build him up after he arrived from France in November," said O'Brien. "He jumps economically and will improve an awful lot for the run."
Swan reported: "I was happy going to the second last - he had plenty left in the tank. The further he went the stronger he felt."
Asked whether Archive Footage might have beaten the favourite, McCoy said: "I would have given him a race, but that's all."
McCoy emerged unscathed both from that tumble and an earlier fall four out from Foxchapel King in the Naas Novice Chase as they raced upsides the odds-on Rince Ri, who was left to come home unchallenged. The winner's trainer Ted Walsh said afterwards: "He's 100 to 1 for Cheltenham as I'm not for it and owner Frank Moriarty is not for it. He might run again at Leopardstown next Sunday but I wouldn't take a price for Cheltenham until you see him in the parade ring."
Walsh and his son Ruby were back in the winner's enclosure after the Cedar Building Handicap Chase when Blasket Sound also came home unchallenged. Norman Williamson, successful earlier aboard Paul Nolan's Nibalda, suffered a sore shoulder here which could sideline him for "a few days" after The Vendor fell at the seventh fence, along with Ballymacrevan, bringing down the favourite, Lord Of The Dance. Fadoudal Du Cochet made all in the hands of Conor O'Dwyer to provide Arthur Moore with his third success over the weekend in the Irish Racing Writers' Novice Hurdle.
The French-bred gelding will not be travelling to England this season, with Moore electing to keep the Tony O'Reilly-owned six-year-old at home. "He is a real professional and will make a lovely chaser," Moore said. At Fairyhouse on Saturday, Arthur Moore's Klairon Davis returned to winning ways, helping his career earnings to over £300,000, when repeating last year's victory in the Norman's Grove Chase.
Sent to the front from flag-fall by Conor O'Dwyer, the 1996 champion chaser jumped brilliantly, showing all his old sparkle to come home the very snug 14-lengths victor over market rival Opera Hat.
"He showed the old engine is still there and he put in a good round of jumping. The conditions of the race suited him and it gave the horse great confidence," said Moore. "He'll go to Cheltenham again for the Queen Mother Champion Chase but I'll be tempted to run him at Naas in two weeks' time for the QK Meats Chase as it's a £35,000 race and he didn't have a hard race there," Moore said.
Moore initiated an opening race double when Kadouko, carrying the colours of Tripleprint supremo George Ward, justified favouritism to set up a near 28 to 1 treble for Conor O'Dwyer .
