A great shot of Chatham Street Lad and Darragh O'Keeffe© Photo Healy Racing
Chatham Street Lad (evens favourite) stamped his class all over the Grade Three Hugh McMahon Memorial Novice Chase at Limerick to put aside any worries about a quick reappearance after a Cheltenham fourth placing.
The Beneficial gelding performed creditably in the Grade One Marsh Novices´ Chase ten days earlier.
As he stepped up in trip also, there were some concerns for the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup hero from December.
Darragh O’Keeffe sat Mick Winters’ stable star in behind Defi Bleu and Full Time Score and he left that pair behind in the straight to slam them by eleven lengths and forty eight lengths.
"He thrived on the conditions and had more time to fiddle his jumps and I never saw Darragh so happy,” said Winters.
"He travelled over to Cheltenham fierce well but the ground had dried that little extra fraction for him and I was half-thinking of pulling the plug and not running him.
"I did feel he came home out of Cheltenham fierce well in himself and he loved these conditions today. I know you put your head on the plate a bit, but you can't hide.
"The way he jumped there, you wouldn't mind running him in a National on heavy ground but I'll leave that up to the owners.
"There is great prize money now, like the Caspian Cup over in Cheltenham, and great sponsorship and the money today was outstanding."
(TW & EM)
