Daryl Jacob inspired a late winning run out of Readin Tommy Wrong to win the Grade 1 Lawlor's Of Naas Novice Hurdle at odds of 16/1 on Friday.
Trainer Willie Mullins ran four horses in the race with Readin Tommy Wrong the outsider of the quartet and, indeed, the whole field as stablemate Ile Atlantique was gambled into 6/4 favouritism on the off.
Ridden by stable jockey Paul Townend, the Tony Bloom-owned Ile Atlantique jumped well out in front and looked to have them all on the stretch approaching the second-last flight.
However, Readin Tommy Wrong, who had stuck to the inside throughout under Jacob, emerged from the chasing pack to lay down a challenge after the last and he battled well under a strong drive to prevail by a neck.
Ile Atlantique went down on his sword in second, the pair seven and a half lengths clear of another stablemate, Lecky Watson, who completed the 1-2-3 for Mullins.
“I just sort of hunted him round, tried to find a rhythm," said Jacob.
“I just had to give him a squeeze, he’s gutsy, he’s tough. The step up in trip has obviously helped a lot and he’s probably a three-mile chaser further down the line.
“It’s a lovely race to win, I’ll take that!”
Betfair Sportsbook went 7/1 about Readin Tommy Wrong for the Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
Mullins said: “They are a nice bunch of horses coming along and Daryl was very good on Readin Tommy Wrong. He gave him a very cute ride and let the main protagonists fight it out before taking it off them in the end.
“He’s a horse that is improving all the time, very brave – and it’s good for Irish jump breeding that Authorized is standing here this season.
“That puts him right in the picture for the top prizes in the spring. He looks a typical Ballymore (now the Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle) horse and has just kept improving.
“Paul was very happy with Ile Atlantique at all stages. He did all the donkey work and, as I said, Daryl was very cute and got a tow the whole way and just outstayed him in the last couple of strides.
“The two of them are going away all the way to the line.
“I felt before the race that it was the top novice hurdle run in Ireland or England over the whole Christmas period, so I’m very happy they have run so well.”
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