Mitchouka has confidence back over fences Mitchouka scored at the first time of asking for new connections when landing the Templemore Beginners Chase at Thurles. The French-bred gelding was a useful juvenile hurdler winning four times for Gigginstown and Gordon Elliott including at Grade 3 level but had gone nearly two years without a victory. He was snapped up for 42,000 by Chris Jones at Doncaster last September and was making his debut here for trainer Gearoid O’Loughlin. Arvico Bleu has proved a frustrating sort to follow over fences but looked set to put that right when clear after two out where 6/5 favourite Antey fell and slightly hampered Mitchouka. However, the distress signals went out on the run-in and Mitchouka came home much the stronger under Donie McInerney to prevail by a length and three quarters. Thegoaheadman was 17 lengths back in third with Max Dynamite in fourth. O'Loughlin said, "We have a lot of schooling done with him. He'd lost his confidence and Gordon (Elliott, previous trainer) and Keith Donoghue had both said that. In fairness to Donie McInerney he has done a hell of a lot of schooling with him. "We bought him in October, gave him seven weeks off and had him ready for Leopardstown (Christmas) but he gave himself a bad enough over-reach and I couldn't run him. "The main objective today was actually for a clear round of jumping and whatever happened after that happened. I'm delighted with him and he has a massive engine. "I don't know where we go with him but I'm sure there'll be something coming up in the next few weeks. "He goes to the beach once a week and if he stayed three miles, he'd be some horse over banks but he's probably too quick." (TW & AM)
