Hunting Party and Bryan Cooper jump the final fence in the beginners chase© Photo Healy Racing
Hunting Party landed the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase although luck was certainly on his side as evens favourite Dogora fell two out when travelling like a winner.
Paul Townend, who was earlier out of luck on another Willie Mullins-trained hot-favourite when Arctic Fire slipped up in the straight in the novice hurdle, had just taken a slight lead on Dogora when the four-year-old lost her footing on landing after two out.
This left Hunting Party back in front, and Bryan Cooper made the best of his way home on the 7/2 chance in this two and a half mile event to beat Formidableopponent by a diminishing length and a half. Too Scoops was a further half a length adrift in third.
Winning trainer Dessie Hughes said, “It’s lovely to win a beginners with him. He’s a grand big honest horse and he’ll stay three miles. He jumped very well today and he rode him well. They all seem to jump well for Bryan.
“He’s probably not good enough for the top novices but we might still go for the good three-miler at Leopardstown over Christmas as he wants a trip.”
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
