Thirsty Work (right) and Tudor City are in the air together at the last© Photo Healy Racing
Jessica Harrington and Robbie Power opened their accounts for the Christmas Festival when combining to land the Irish Daily Star Christmas Novice Handicap Hurdle with Thirsty Work at Leopardstown.
The J P McManus-owned son of Robin Des Champs was available at 12/1 earlier in the day and further supported on track from 8/1 into 6/1.
Power sent his mount to the front soon after the penultimate flight, and the five-year-old kept on well under pressure on the run-in to beat Tudor City by a length and three quarters.
The front-running Baron Von Chill had come back to the pack when dramatically crashing out through the inside wing of the second last hurdle.
Thankfully both the four-year-old gelding and rider Mark Enright appeared unscathed afterwards.
The stewards enquired into possible interference approaching the last involving a number of horses including third placed Charlie Stout and Aretesone (fourth) but they considered any interference to be accidental and the placings remained unaltered.
Harrington said, “The inside track at Punchestown didn’t seem to suit him the last day and he never really got into a rhythm.
“He jumped great today after the first couple, and it’s great to have a winner here for JP. We’ll find something similar for him.”
