Punchestown Sunday review: Vanillier off the mark over fences for Gavin Cromwell

Van goes through the gears to open fencing account

Vanillier got off the mark at the second time of asking over fences by landing the Liam & Valerie Brennan Florida Pearl Novice Chase at Punchestown.

Four went to post for the Grade Two contest over the extended two and three-quarter miles, with just two horses finishing after falls for Sixshooter and Ballyshannon Rose.

Vanillier, trained by Gavin Cromwell and winner of the Albert Barlett Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham last March, was headed by Ballyshannon Rose but had fought his way back to the front when that rival crashed out at the final fence.

The Keith Donoghue-ridden 13/8 winner was able to coast home to beat Fancy Foundations by 26 lengths from that point, even-money favourite Sixshooter having succumbed earlier on in proceedings.

It sadly emerged after that race the Noel Meade-trained Sixshooter suffered fatal injuries in his fall.

Betfair reacted by cutting Vanillier to 10/1 from 16/1 for the National Hunt Chase at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival, while Sky Bet went 10/1 from 14s for the same race, and 14/1 from 16/1 for the three-mile Festival Novices' Chase.

“He jumped well. I would have liked if something had joined him earlier in the race just to force a bit more pace into it,” Cromwell said of the winner, who been beaten into third on his chasing debut at Down Royal last month.

“He’s just a dour stayer. With Sixshooter falling we’ll never know, but I suppose jumping is the name of the game.

“I walked the track beforehand and it’s nice safe ground. Hopefully he’s OK in the morning as he’s a big horse and wants to get his toe in.

“There are two staying chases at Christmas, one at Leopardstown and one in Limerick. He’ll have an entry in both of them and we’ll see what the ground is like closer to the time.”

Diamond secures Listed honours

Dysart Diamond was a determined winner of the Listed Frontline Security Grabel Mares Hurdle under Bryan Cooper.

The Mullins-trained chestnut has run well in handicap contests from summer through to the autumn and successfully made the step up in grade to score by half a length from Peter Fahey’s Royal Kahala, having started at 7/2.

Declan Queally duo Western Victory and The Getaway Star were third and fourth respectively, with Henry de Bromhead’s Dawn Run winner Telmesomethinggirl fifth as the 3/1 favourite.

“I’m delighted with how well she’s improved through the season to come from a handicapper up to win a Listed race,” Mullins said of his mare.

“She likes goodish ground and she’s getting nice ground here today. I’m sure once we get winter ground it won’t suit, she’ll probably get nice ground in Leopardstown.”

Rest of the meeting...

The three-mile pigsback.com Risk Of Thunder Chase, run over the cross-country course, was won by Derek O’Connor and Enda Bolger’s 5/4 favourite Shady Operator.

The eight-year-old ran prominently and was ultimately a comfortable winner, coming home seven lengths ahead of stablemate Midnight Maestro in an effort that may pave the way for a trip to Cheltenham at the end of the year.

“I just said to Derek O’Connor ‘you’re starting to enjoy that’ as this horse was his first winner here in February over the banks,” Bolger said.

“We’ll probably be going to Cheltenham in December with him.”

He added: “The second horse ran well. It was his first run since the Festival here and his first time around there was a little bit rusty. You can’t beat a run around here so he’ll be a nice horse to look forward to.”

De Bromhead’s Fully Charged may be headed to Leopardstown at Christmas after his victory under Hugh Morgan in the Ryans Cleaning Handicap Chase.

Priced at 4/1, the grey followed up a Gowran Park victory in October with another over an increased trip, this time prevailing by a neck from Gavin Cromwell’s Alfa Mix, who is incidentally a full-brother to the winner.

“He just lacks a bit of concentration. He’s not ungenuine at all, but the blinkers have really helped him focus better,” De Bromhead said.

“I’m delighted for the O’Reilly sisters (Three Swallows Partnership) and hopefully he’ll go for the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas. He keeps galloping. He looked beaten jumping the last and fair play to Hugh he kept a little bit up his sleeve for after the last.”

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