Kaid D’authie landed the Grade One Ladbrokes Novices’ Chase at Leopardstown with stablemate and odds-on favourite Final Demand fluffing his lines.
The market leader was deliberate at a couple of fences on the way around and when the eventual winner outjumped him and went to the front two out, the writing was on the wall.
In the end if was the patiently-ridden Western Fold who came through to chase the 5/1 winner home but Mark Walsh's mount Kaid D'authie was never really in any danger, scoring by four-and-a-half lengths with a tired Final Demand a further eight away in third. Jimmy Du Seuil, the only other runner, fell at the last when well held.
The winner was cut to 4/1 (Non Runner No Bet) for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham by Sky Bet and Paddy Power, with his stablemate Final Demand out to the same price from even-money.
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“He shows me a lot at home and putting cheekpieces on today has made a huge difference. It’s bringing out the sort of ability he shows me at home,” said winning trainer Willie Mullins.
“He's a horse who has always been disappointing to me on the racetrack but the cheekpieces have made a big difference, and Mark agreed.
“He said he only made one little mistake which was at the third last but he said he was otherwise foot perfect.”
When asked if he’d booked a ticket to the Brown Avvisory, the trainer added: “I’d imagine so.”
And in terms of Final Demand, Mullins added: “I was disappointed the way he jumped the second and third fences, and especially coming down the back the second time he missed the fifth last I think. When a horse does that in a race like this he has to improve quickly and he didn’t.
"He went and did the same at the next and to me that was not good enough. Paul (Townend) said he twisted a little bit in the air but I couldn’t see that. There might be some little niggle there that we’re not seeing but might see tomorrow morning."
When asked if he thought it might be ground-related, the trainer said: “I don’t but then you look at Christmas and he wasn’t overly impressive, maybe it is."
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