Carefully Selected and Paul Townend jump the last© Photo Healy Racing
Carefully Selected enhanced his Cheltenham prospects with a comfortable win in the Grade 3 Killiney Novice Chase at Punchestown today, scoring for Champion Trainer Willie Mullins and Champion Jockey Paul Townend
Stallion Well Chosen was responsible for both Carefully Selected and the half-hour-earlier opening race winner Chosen Hour and Carefully Selected made all when eventually beating City Island by 24 lengths.
Carefully Selected's good jumping technique helped him shake off his five rivals and he comfortably had the measure of Speak Easy when that rival fell at the final fence.
Last season's Cheltenham Festival winner City Island, pulled up on chase debut over Christmas, was left a moderate second at that final fence and completed for an underwhelming second.
Afterwards Mullins stated “this race wasn’t the plan and I wanted to get experience into him because he missed running at Leopardstown.
“He was careful when he needed to be and got some good jumps when Paul wanted him. He learned a lot today and we are very happy with him.
“He didn’t get too hard a race there. I hadn’t planned running at the Dublin Racing Festival but maybe he could go for something just after that, before Cheltenham.
“The way he went around there the National Hunt Chase would be right up his street but we have to keep the RSA open as well.
“I’d like to get another run into him before then and the Ten Up at Navan is a possibility. I often think it’s too near Cheltenham but this fella doesn’t take too much out of himself racing.
“He’s well able to jump and he’s well able to gallop on at his fences. He’s also nice and careful when you leave him alone so that’s all the things you want in a staying chaser.”
Paddy Power bookmakers subsequently cut Carefully Selected to 5/1 (from 6s) for the National Hunt Chase while BoyleSports are 4/1 (from 7s) for that same 3m6f (from 4s) race.
BoyleSports make the gelding a 12/1 chance (from 20/1) for the RSA with Powers better priced at 14/1 (from 20s).
Quotes from Alan Magee
