Quilixios and Darragh O'Keeffe © Photo Healy Racing
Quilixios completed a double for trainer Henry de Bromhead when making all for a convincing victory over the odds-on Marine Nationale in the Grade 3 Barberstown Castle Chase at Naas.
The Cheveley Park Stud-owned gelding won twice over fences last season including over this course and distance, and racing prominently again suited the son of Maxios.
The 7/2 chance kept on well from two out, where Marine Nationale made a slight mistake, and was driven out on the run-in by Darragh O’Keeffe to stretch further clear for a seven and a half lengths verdict. Hercule Du Seuil who made a bad mistake at the fourth, could find no extra in the straight finishing a further 13 lengths away in third.
De Bromhead said, “That was great, I'm delighted with that. He jumped brilliant and I thought Darragh was brilliant on him.
“It's lovely to see him back to form again, he's got a lot of class. He was very good here back in January and it's nice to get him back.
“He loves jumping and Darragh said at the first one down the back he couldn't see anything so he just squeezed up and he took off, he winged it. I love that with those two milers, it's always good to watch.
“I'm delighted for Cheveley Park.
“We said we'd come here and just see where we were and obviously we'll look at all those better races now. We'll get him home and see.
“I think he goes on any ground, he won on very testing ground here in January. I worried that the ground might just be a bit too good for him, but he seemed to love it.
“There is the Tingle Creek or the race at Leopardstown.” Miss Tempo (16/1) initiated the de Bromhead double when taking the opening novice handicap chase in the hands of Mikey O'Connor.
Quotes by Gary Carson
