Idas Boy wins on chase debut

Gigginstown House Stud's Idas Boy (10/11f) made a winning chase debut at Cork today, easily landing the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase for trainer Noel Meade and jockey Bryan Cooper.

Making a belated fences debut aged eight, the lightly-raced son of Dubai Destination led at the third last and won eased down from Gua Du Large

Meade wasn't present and Cooper said “it was a nice starting point, he schooled very well at home and was very good the other morning so we were confident. I didn't want to give Darragh (O'Keeffe, on Caesar Rock too much of a lead because he has summer form and it was a tough one to gauge but he did what we expected.

“We always knew when he gets a fence he would be much better and can go up in trip as well. There are plenty options, he is going the right direction and I'd say he'll be higher rated over fences than hurdles — whatever route that takes him. He doesn't want it too testing.”

He added “I'm very busy at present, am getting plenty opportunities from Noel (Meade), Matthew Smith and I'm picking up plenty spares for Willie Mullins. I'm busy and enjoying it.”