Gavin Cromwell's Velvet Elvis was the beneficiary as 1/4 favourite Corbetts Cross was brought down three from home in the Fairyhouse Easter Festival 30th March To 1st April Rated Chase at Fairyhouse on Wednesday.
Emmet Mullins' horse, owned by JP McManus, is well-fancied for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham and was expected by the market to complete his Festival preparation with ease against three rivals.
Second to Grangeclare West in Grade 1 company at Leopardstown over Christmas, he was going well three from home when Run Wild Fred jumped across him, giving Derek O'Connor no chance as he was catapulted out of the saddle.
That left the way clear for Velvet Elvis to cruise home, Cromwell's horse winning on stable debut after being pulled up when last seen in December.
Paddy Power pushed Corbetts Cross out to 7/1 from 7/2 for the National Hunt Chase on the back of the setback, but cut him back into 5s later on. Betfair, Coral and Ladbrokes go 7s.
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Cromwell said: “We’ll take it! We’ll never know what would have happened, but he jumped well.
“He won this race last year and a small field is probably ideal for him and he loves that ground.
“Hopefully, that will be a confidence booster for him.”
Victory in this race 12 months teed-up a shot at the Grand National for Velvet Elvis, but without an entry for Aintree this year, his new handler suggested they may target a return to Fairyhouse for the Irish equivalent.
Cromwell added: “I suppose we’ll look at the Irish National. He’s also in the National Trial at Haydock, but that will probably come too soon for him as it’s Saturday week. We’ll see how he comes out of this, but he’s very unlikely to go there.
“He’s probably not terribly well handicapped, but at the same time you’d have to consider an Irish National.”
There may have been no joy for owner JP McManus with top novice chasing prospect Corbetts Cross, but he gained compensation when Miss Pronunciation carried the green and gold silks to success in the Book Your Advanced Tickets Now Rated Novice Hurdle.
Padraig Roche’s seven-year-old coasted to a facile six-length triumph under Mark Walsh with the talented mare recording her third-straight victory this season.
Roche said: “That was great, she did it well. She’s starting to settle a lot better than she was and I’d say that’s bringing out the improvement in her.
“She loves that ground. We had the mother, she was a Topanoora mare and she loved that heavy ground. When it’s like that we’ll keep going and see what there is.
“The mother stayed but this one’s not slow, I’d say two miles on that ground is her trip. She’s improving the whole time.”
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