Appreciate It made it two from two over fences with an easy all-the-way win at Naas on Sunday.
The son of Jeremy was sent off the 1/9 market leader for the Rathmore Stud Irish EBF Novice Chase, having been a top-class novice hurdler a couple of seasons ago and made a winning start over the larger obstacles at Punchestown in December.
Paul Townend set out to make all the running and had the race in command a long way from the finish, making just one fairly significant mistake but never looking in any trouble.
It was left to Gaelic Arc (25/1) to come through and fill the runner-up spot - some 25 lengths adrift of the Willie Mullins-trained winner - after second-favourite Top Bandit and jockey Jack Kennedy took a very nasty fall quite early on in the two-mile contest. It sadly proved to be fatal for the horse.
Sky Bet shaved Appreciate It's price for the Sporting Life Arkle at Cheltenham in March, going 9/2 from 5/1. Betfair and Paddy Power went 11/2 from 6/1, with the latter firm leaving him unchanged at 6/1 for the Turners Novices' Chase over the two and a half mile trip at the Festival.
Unlimited Replays
of all UK and Irish races with our Race Replays
Discover Sporting Life Plus Benefits
“The same as the last day, you’d love to get a lead on him. He’s idle in front and I was trying to teach him today, and win, without doing something silly," said Townend.
“He showed me the last day that he’s there when I need him.
"It’s grand to get him out again and you’d have to be happy with everything he’s doing. Every day is experience for him."
A tweet on the IHRB Raceday information feed confirmed Kennedy had been stood down and taken to hospital for assessment of a leg injury sustained in the fall from ill-fated Top Bandit.
It read: "Update on Jack Kennedy from Dr. Jennifer Pugh 'Jack Kennedy is being transferred to Tallaght Hospital for further assessment on a leg injury following his fall in the second race at Naas.'"
More from Sporting Life
- Racecards
- Fast results
- Full results and free video replays
- Horse racing news
- Horse racing tips
- Horse racing features
- Download our free iOS and Android app
- Football and other sports tips
- Podcasts and video content
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
