Edward O'Grady holds a strong hand in the novice hurdle division this season with Pizarro and Back In Front, and the latter now heads the market for the Supreme Novices Hurdle after easily landing the odds in the betfair.com Novice Hurdle.
Norman Williamson oozed confidence on the 4/11 chance, easing to the front early in the straight before quickly stretching clear to score by 14 lengths from Hidden Genius, with the pace-setting Safe Route another length and a half adrift.
'I was a bit worried coming here as he was on the original hiding to nothing. It was the right race but the wrong trip, although the ground has improved which was a help. He goes in any ground, but the better the ground the better he'll like it. He has got a nice, confidence boosting race there,' said O'Grady.
Cashman's laid Back In Front at 5/1 and 9/2 for the Supreme Novices Hurdle immediately after the race, and now go 4/1 along with Paddy Power.
Supreme Novices Hurdle - Cashmans: 4/1 Back In Front, 5/1 Thisthatandtother, 12/1 Kicking King, 16/1 Jouer d'Estruval, Inca Trail, 18 Demi Beau, 20/1 Bar.
Back In Front's stable-companion Pizarro will head straight to Cheltenham for the Royal & SunAlliance Hurdle. O'Grady was considering another outing for the recent Down Royal winner but explained, 'Pizarro stayed overnight in the north, and it was very late when he got back home after the race. He's in great form but I thought it would be asking too much to give him another run, and he'll go straight to Cheltenham now.'
Camargue, who got Mark Loughnane off the mark when scoring twice on the Flat at the Galway Festival last summer, provided the Thurles trainer with his first jumping winner in the opening maiden hurdle. After Ken Whelan's mount overcame slight mistakes at the two hurdles in the straight when holding off Maverick Dancer by half a length, Loughnane said: 'I was a bit worried about the soft ground, but he went through it well. He was entered for Cheltenham but that was only a dream, and we may give him a break now before a summer campaign.'
Kadoun was all the rage (9/4 to 6/4 favourite) for the beginners chase, and the confidence was not misplaced as the six-year-old was capably ridden by amateur Denis Cullen to lead between the final two fences for a four length verdict over Shallee.
'The handicapper should drop him a few pounds after that!' was Arthur Moore's rather tongue in cheek comment after Rob The Five ended a frustrating bout of seconditis with a last gasp maiden hurdle victory under Conor O'Dwyer. 'His mark of 113 looks a bit high, but handicap hurdling is the only real option for him now,' added Moore.
The locally-trained Carrodown Storm benefitted from an enterprising ride by Shay Barry to take the handicap hurdle, surviving a blunder at the last to beat Alphazar by a fast diminishing half a length.
Alan Magee
