Easy Game and Paul Townend© Photo Healy Racing
Easy Game won Listowel's John J. Galvin Chase for the third consecutive year today, as champion jockey Paul Townend correctly picked the prolific winner in preference to stablemate and eventual runner-up Saint Sam
Both horses are trained by Willie Mullins and while Easy Game was rated 5lb inferior to Saint Sam (155 — 160), he had won the two previous renewals of today's 2m3f chase.
Free-going Saint Sam (4/1) led at pace and while Easy Game (5/2f) was able to give chase, the other five runners faded gradually with Easy Game leading at the second-last before beating Saint Sam by five lengths.
It was Nick Peacock's Easy Game's 19th career win, with 11 of those being under Townend, who reported “even though he is getting on in years, he has been campaigned nicely and is still a fresh enthusiastic horse.
“I didn't see much between the two horses, both were working nicely and while he was rated 5lb inferior, it was hard to leave him behind, around here especially. He has been running consistently to his mark for some time now.”
He added “it wasn't today or yesterday but I'll never forget the fright Easy Game gave me at Leopardstown (in 2020) when I was riding Faugheen and that is a huge level of form.
“He is a joy to have around the place, is sound, turns up every day and also earned Willie valuable prizemoney (for the UK trainers' championship) at Sandown the last day he ran.
“If you could get another couple of him around the place, you'd have a tidy yard.”
