Delta Work, second left, in action in the early stages of the Savills Chase© Photo Healy Racing
Delta Work (11/2) was strongest at the finish in a cracking renewal of the Grade 1 Savills Chase at Leopardstown.
The six-year-old gelding disappointed at Down Royal in November when fourth to Road To Respect but bounced back to his best form today. Monalee (8/1) put in a terrific effort from the front as he jumped from fence to fence. He led Jett over three out with last year's winner Kemboy in pursuit in third. At this stage Delta Work raced fourth.
Delta Work then lost a place to Road To Respect rounding the home turn but really found his stride after the last.
He stayed on stoutly up the run-in to catch Monalee in the closing stages. The race wasn't over, though, as Monalee and Rachael Blackmore (who lost her irons close home) came back for more but had to give best by a head.
Road To Respect (7/2) was two and half lengths off this battle in third. The 7/4 favourite, Kemboy, finished out of the places in fourth.
Gordon Elliott said: “It's great. We missed a bit of time after Down Royal and thought he'd come on from the run today.
“Jack is riding out of his skin. He had a few hard injuries and it's good to see him back riding like this. He's a top-class jockey.
“Michael, Anita and all the kids are here today. It's their first day racing this year and we have to produce winners and keep them coming.
“There was no pressure coming here today. We were riding him to come home and run a good race.
“I knew there was a good bit of improvement in him. Maybe that's the way to train him and maybe I was training him wrong last year.
“I was happy and said we were going to finish third or fourth and run a nice race.
“When he jumped the last, and Jack pulled it out, when he got over closer to the other horses he really put his head out.
“He's won a couple of Grade 1s already and now to win one like this is something else.
“We thought he was a Gold Cup horse last and obviously our bubble got burst in Down Royal but we're not gone yet.
“You've got to have faith in your horses. I'm very lucky that I've got a lot of good horse, brilliant staff and great owners. It's a big team effort.
“This is where we want to be. Leopardstown is the cream of jumping racing in Ireland.
“I went home with my tail between my legs on the first day with no winner but we haven't looked back since.
“When you get put down as many times as I have you have to keep getting up.”
Owner Michael O'Leary added: “Delta Work has always been a very good horse. He just ran badly in Down Royal last time out.
“Today he jumped beautifully and Jack gave him a great rid. He's full of confidence and has had a good Christmas.
“The whole stable are running well apart form poor old Samcro. He sends my best horse down to Limerick and gets him humiliated!
“It's been a great day, a great Christmas and he's a great trainer.”
When asked about any chance of reconsidering his decision to phase out his racing string, he said: “My children love winning. They are very happy to come up here for a presentation and a trophy to be got but you don't see them in the unsaddling enclosure.
“The kids love this but they just like doing Navan on a wet Sunday.
“The conversation on the way home in the car will be 'will we have pizza?' or 'can we go and see the new Star Wars movie before New Year's Eve?'. They couldn't care less about the racing.
“I made the decision last year and don't have any point-to-pointers this year.
“These horses will work their way through the next five or six years. They are with the best trainers in Gordon, Noel (Meade), Joseph (O'Brien) and Henry (de Bromhead).
“We've had a fantastic run, we've been very fortunate and Eddie (O'Leary) buys brilliant horses. He spots these horses.
“He is a phenomenal talent at spotting good young horses and we've also been very fortunate with the trainers we've had.
“Gordon is doing a marvellous job, he has a great stable of horses now. He probably was a bit over reliant on Gigginstown in the last couple of years but now there are more and more owners coming through and recognising that this is the coming force in jump racing.
“Hopefully he'll win a few more races for us before the season is out.
“We're going to go and have a cup of tea now to discuss things!”
To which Elliott replied:- “And I'm buying it!”
Jack Kennedy added:- “He jumped a travelled very well. I was probably a little bit closer than I wanted and he was in my hands a bit. They went steady but it all worked out.
“I thought the safest thing was to stay wide and get him rolling. He winged the last and galloped all the way to the line.
“He probably started to tie up a little bit in the last 50 yards and Monalee came back at him but in fairness he stuck his head out.”
Delta Work gave both Elliott and Kennedy a treble on the card.
Paddy Power cut Delta Work from 25/1 to 10/1 for the Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
