El Fabiolo hits the front at the last © Photo Healy Racing
The Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase looked a fantastic race on paper and didn't disappoint with El Fabiolo ridden by Daryl Jacob, running out an impressive ten length winner at a price of 9/2.
It was a Grade One run at a cut-throat pace as Dysart Dynamo went a strong gallop, jumped well in front and had quite a few of his rivals in trouble before halfway. Despite getting four out wrong, El Fabiolo moved up to join the front-runner after two out and took over from that one and 11/8 favourite Appreciate It just before the last.
The Spanish Moon six-year-old really opened up on the run-in as Banbridge well outpaced in fourth from two out, kept plugging away to shade second place from the favourite.
Another smart Willie Mullins inmate to make a winning Irish debut at Tramore, El Fabiolo got within a neck of Arkle favourite Jonbon at Aintree last year and made a winning chase debut at Fairyhouse before Christmas.
Winning trainer Willie Mullins said: “He's just improving all the time. At the start of the year we were thinking maybe we should go out to two-and-a-half but what he did at Christmas and again today it's definitely the Arkle.
“You could see every horse had a chance at different stages of the race. The one negative was when we made the mistake at the fourth last but Daryl blamed himself for that, he said it wasn't the horse's fault.
“Then he came back on the bridle again and I thought 'this horse is travelling' and he just did everything right.
“They were some very good horses in second, third and fourth so to win 10 lengths in that type of a race, he's goes to Cheltenham with a real good chance.”
On the owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede he added:- “They both have a great appetite for the game and enjoy it. They both travelled a long way to be here at the Dublin Racing Festival this weekend so it's fantastic that they've had a Grade 1 winner.”
Simon Munir said: “I was very impressed. It's only the sixth run of his life, so we don't really know how good he is.
“We're on a roll at the moment but it's still a long long season.”
Isaac Souede said: “We were very excited and we actually think the best is yet to come with this horse because he's not that experienced.”
A delighted Daryl Jacob said: "It's the first time I've ridden him on the track but I've ridden him an awful lot at home and have always held him in very high regard. I knew he'd improved an awful lot from last year.
"It's the role that I'm playing with Simon and Isaac now, I'm filling in the gaps. I'm obviously not getting any younger but I'm very privileged that I get to come and sit on some wonderful horses like this. That was one of the biggest thrills I've ever had.
"We went a strong gallop but I was always in my comfort zone. I got him in slightly deep to the first down the back because I just wanted to check his momentum a fraction and he relaxed after that and jumped well apart from four out which wasn't my best moment in the saddle. I gave him a squeeze and he said no thanks!
"I actually thought for a moment the loose horse might have been Appreciate It coming to challenge me and I've asked him to go and seal the deal and he was very professional.
"He's got a high cruising speed but there's a lot of stamina there as well.
"I've ridden some of the top two-milers during my career. That lad feels right up there with the best of them and he's a novice. I think he's hugely exciting."
Quotes from Gary Carson
