O'Leary rewarded for hopping the Ball Ball D'Arc was a second winning favourite in as many races at Naas when triumphant in the Grade 3 Poplar Square Chase. It was much more like it from American Tom after a fall here when last seen 307 days back. He gave it his all from the front, and the other big one in the market, Ordinary World, had every chance over the final couple of fences too. However Ball D'Arc, a great servant to Gigginstown House Stud, Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy, was much too strong in the closing stages. He crossed the line with five lengths to spare over Ordinary World, with a length and a half to American Tom in third. They left Neverushacon all of thirty nine lengths behind in fourth.   Elliott said afterwards: "Michael (O'Leary) really gets the credit for this one as I wanted to give him an extra few days and go for the Clonmel Oil Chase. "He said they had no runner in this and to let him take his chance. Michael is keen to support all these Graded races. "It was a good performance giving them plenty of weight and he'd be better over two and a half. He could go for the Durkan." D.E. Mullins, rider of Uncle Danny trained by John Queally, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount made a mistake at a fence down the far side. (AM & EM)
