Leopardstown review and free video replays from the Dublin Racing Festival

There was a thrilling finish to the Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle with just a head separating Saint Le Fort (10/1) and Savante (18/1) at the end of the three miles.

With half a mile to run a group of around a dozen had pulled clear but by the time they'd rounded the final turn there were only two left in contention.

Saint Le Fort had been reasonably prominent throughout with Niall Moore keen to bide his time having earlier reigned his mount back after a good leap had taken him onto the heels of the leaders.

Savante threaded her way through the field as the race developed and, despite a slightly scruffy jump two out, powered on in the straight under Calum Hogan. She appeared to have the race in safe-keeping when she took a length and a half out of her rival, who made a mistake at the last, but she began to flounder on the run to the line.

Moore, with the rail to help, galvanised Saint Le Fort to rally on the mare's inside and he squeezed through the gap to collar her on the line. In the process, the pair had pulled 15 lengths clear of He Can't Dance in third.

Winning trainer Philip Fenton told Racing TV: “I didn't think it was going to happen but he dug deep and Niall got a good tune out of him.

“Even though he's won on soft we were worried it might be too heavy, but he never gives up, never throws in the towel. He took the race by the horns and we wondered if we'd gone too soon as it's a long way home - he looked beaten, didn't get a good jump at the last, but he pulled it out of the fire.

“The owner would like to go to Cheltenham but the horse is not a great traveller, he's a bit of a worrier, so we will wait and see.”

Moore gave thanks to Fenton for the opportunity to ride on this stage and added of Saint Le Fort, "It's great when you have a willing partner and I know the horse inside out, I ride him out everyday at home.

"I always thought coming down to the last that Savante was coming back to me and all I needed was a jump on the stride at the last and I knew he'd put his head down."

Another rung up the ladder

Jacob's Ladder impressed on his handicap debut in the Barberstown Castle Handicap Chase to provide Jack Kennedy and Gordon Elliott with a double on the card having claimed the Irish Arkle with Romeo Coolio.

The 2/1 favourite was a non-runner for a handicap hurdle in the last campaign but has otherwise been kept to maiden and graded company where he's bumped into some fair sorts since being sent chasing this season.

Runner-up to Irish Panther on the first occasion, he's since finished behind Jimmy Du Seuil and Kappa Jy Pyke, winning a beginners at Fairyhouse in between. Allotted a mark of 143 for this first foray into the rank and file, the market proved to be spot on as Jacob's Ladder came home five lengths clear of 25/1 outsider Golden Joy.

Elliott said: "Good performance, he was coming out of graded races with good form.

"We thought he was one of our better chances in handicaps this weekend.

"Even the horses that haven't won have run very well, lot of prize money to be picked up."

Elliott saddled four of the seven runners in the Grade 2 Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast (C & G) I.N.H. Flat Race so it was perhaps no surprise that runners from the stable dominated the finish.

Three Gigginstown runners were in a line with 7/4 favourite Charismatic Kid briefly hitting the front towards the inside but his challenge soon faltered as With Nolimit battled back past him with Broadway Ted (18/1) moving more sweetly on his outside.

That pair had it between them in the final yards with Barry O'Neill and Broadway Ted prevailing by a short-head although the result was subject to a stewards.

Charismatic Kid completed a 1-2-3 for the stable with It's Only A Game finishing fourth having attempted to come from last to first.

"The horses have all run great so we're absolutely delighted.

"He was very good in Ayr. I said on television that he's a pacy horse, he works very well. It was a good performance.

"They're all nice horses, big staying horses, they're the kind of horses I have you know.

"Five winners, it's unbelievable."

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