Sainte Dona puts on an exhibition for Cooper

Tom Cooper 's Sainte Dona (3/1) got into a lovely rhythm off the front in the mares' beginners' chase at Fairyhouse and routed the opposition on the very testing ground.

She soon raced clear of Soldaro in this extended 2m5f contest, but it was 6/5 favourite Jumping Jet who picked up the chase in a remote second five out.

She did make efforts to cut into the massive lead over the next two, but Sainte Dona had clearly built up a big-enough margin when the horses swung in.

It was slow-motion stuff in the closing stages as Sainte Dona was driven out by Donagh Meyler to score by 26 lengths from Jumping Jet who could make no impression.

This doubled Sainte Dona's career total having won a maiden hurdle at Thurles in November 2022.

Cooper said: “That was some exhibition.

“She had a lovely run in Limerick, but she takes a bit of time between her races as she's so hard on herself.

“We went back to Cork after she was second here and it was too soon.

“She jumps and stays, that's her forte. She won a maiden hurdle by a similar distance (25 lengths) and to win a beginners' chase by 26 lengths is some going.

“She's going to get better and she'll get more black-type over fences by the same she's finished.

“The plan was to try and get the beginners' out of the way and she's got that done.

“She seems to be at home on that ground, but she's not slow either.

“For one that travels so well on the heavy ground here, she finds the deep sand at home hard work. I put in a carpet gallop this year at home and it's after transforming her, she zips up it. It keeps her fresh and well.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson