WKD Hurdle report: Aspire Tower makes all

Runner-up in last year's JCB Triumph Hurdle, Henry De Bromhead's charge went off a well-backed 3/1 chance here under Rachael Blackmore but going between the final two flights 8/15 favourite Abacadabras and his stablemate Jason The Militant both looked big dangers.

However the winner flew the last and bounded clear to win impressively by four-and-a-half lengths with Abacadabras getting the better of the duel for second.

Sky Bet cut the winner to 16s from 40s for the Unibet Champion Hurdle and pushed the runner-up out to 8s from 5s. Aspire Tower is 20/1 from 50s with Betfair and Paddy Power.

De Bromhead said: “I’m delighted with that. He was so good at Leopardstown at Christmas last year and I just felt after that his form didn’t look as good. He’s a big four-year-old who had just come off the Flat and maybe everything caught up with him a little bit as the season went on.

“We gave him a really good break and it’s fantastic that he has come back like that. Rachael was brilliant on him, he is tough out and he did it the hard way on his first run since March.”

“I’m delighted with Jason (The Militant) as well, he ran really well and Paul (Townend) thought he would come on from that.”

When asked if he will be training Aspire Tower as a Champion Hurdle horse, the trainer added: “I think he is entitled to certainly step up again. I’ll speak to the lads and see what everyone wants to do. I would imagine we would look at Christmas and see what is going on there.”

Elliott said of Abacadabras: “You are always disappointed when you don’t win. Jack (Kennedy) said he had a bit of a blow after the second last. He was riding like he was going to win cantering and just blew up.

“I was disappointed, but Jack said not to be too disappointed and that he had a blow and he is going to come on from that.

“Take nothing away from the winner, he looked very good on the day no matter what we did. We’ll see how he is and look at the Morgiana Hurdle in Punchestown.”