Royal Rendezvous makes winning start over racecourse fences Winning pointer Royal Rendezvous had no trouble making a successful start over racecourse fences in the Killinan Beginners Chase at Thurles. Royal Rendezvous won at Castletown-Geoghegan in April 2017 when under the care of Virginia Considine. Owned now by founder and managing director of Randox Laboratories, Dr Peter Fitzgerald, the odds-on chance was never far away before easily accounting for Milan Native by three lengths. "He looks a natural jumper and the couple he met wrong he corrected himself and Paul was very happy with how he did it," said Willie Mullins, who had stable jockey Paul Townend on the winner. "Looking at his performance there I could be sticking to the minimum trip and we'll look at Christmas next. The only two mile race is the Grade 1, unless there's a winners' of one after that." D.J. McInerney, rider of Ministerforsport trained by Noel W. O'Neill, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount made a bad mistake down the back losing all chance. A. McCurtin, rider of Presenting Hunzy trained by John J. Walsh, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount was badly hampered by the faller at the second last. (TW & EM)
