Leopardstown Saturday review: Good Land wins opener

Another Good prospect for Sullivan and Connell

Good Land won the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors '50,000 Cheltenham Bonus For Stable Staff' Novice Hurdle to provide Michael O'Sullivan and Barry Connell with another bright prospect.

The team are already responsible for leading Sky Bet Supreme hope Marine Nationale and their runner here, sent off a 3/1 favourite, had the race won when quickening a coupe of lengths clear going to the final flight.

Absolute Notions tried to close him down late but was still a length-and-a-half adrift at the line.

“We were expecting that. He was a course and distance winner at Christmas and never came out of a hack canter,” said Connell. “He hasn’t missed a beat since then and we were very confident today. He’s a quick horse and we didn’t think he’d mind the ground.

“We only gave him one entry at Cheltenham in the Ballymore because we have the other horse for the Supreme (Marine Nationale). It couldn’t have gone better, he was maybe a fraction keen over the first couple but then he got a lovely lead off Nigel’s (Twiston-Davies) horse (Weveallbeencaught).

“He never missed a beat jumping, he got a lovely blow into him turning in. He hit the front probably plenty early and he was idling in front. I think we are still only scratching the surface with this guy. The big plus with him is that he’s seven years of age.

“We bought him as a four-year-old from one of the point-to-point guys and gave him a run in a bumper. Then he had a few issues.”

Sky Bet halved the winner in price to 5/1 for the Ballymore at Cheltenham and cut the runner-up to 8s from 10s for the Albert Bartlett. Paddy Power and Betfair are 9/2 Good Land for the Ballymore, all three are non-runner/no bet.

"In what looked a very competitive Grade One, Good Land showed an excellent attitude to win in convincing fashion. The Ballymore looks the obvious next target," said Sky Bet Head of Sports PR Michael Shinners.

Final Orders in the Arkle

Final Orders continued his rapid rise through the ranks to highlight a handicap double for Gavin Cromwell.

While three of the Grade Ones on the card predictably went the way of Willie Mullins, although not all in the expected manner, both valuable handicaps went to Cromwell who can seemingly do no wrong at present.

Final Orders (9/2), rated only 59 on the Flat and 102 over hurdles, has been transformed over fences and was making it five out of six from a mark of 140.

Cromwell said: “He has massive scope, they are big fences around here but he just has so much scope. He loves it and is just thriving off it.

“He was off 140 there today and he’s only 102 over hurdles so it’s been a massive transformation.

“When we schooled him at home he jumped great, he’s very clever, but he really came alive when we ran him. That’s obviously the best race he’s run in and Keith (Donoghue) said it was the best feel he’s given him.

“I don’t know where we go from here, we’re probably gone out of the Grand Annual now and we might have to have a look at the Arkle. We’ll definitely have to consider it anyway.

“We went there last year with Gabynako and it’s a race that if you jump really well it does bring you into the race and does give you a chance.”

Earlier Perceval Legallois (4/1) had given Mark Walsh a first winner back from injury in the Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle, in which Gordon Elliott’s hot favourite Maxxum was sunk without trace.

Cromwell said: “He was really good, he ran well at Christmas and the horses are on fire at the moment. He travelled so sweet today.

“The horses have just taken a huge step forward and I’m grateful. He got the run of the race, they didn’t go a wild gallop. He had a nice possie and quickened well, he just did everything well.

“He’s qualified for the Pertemps and after winning today he’ll probably get in.”

The closing Shabra Charity Oliver Brady Memorial Future Stars Grade Two bumper went the way of John Kiely’s A Dream To Share (12/1).

Having won two seemingly weaker races in the summer, he took his form to a whole new level under John Gleeson, who powered away from Fact To File with a long way back to the third.

Kiely said: “We didn’t know how good the races he’d run in were. We freshened him up and aimed for this. Where we go from here I don’t know!

“If he’s well, Cheltenham will have to be next.

“We’ve always liked him at home, but we don’t have that much to work him with.

“It’s great for the Gleeson family (owner/breeders). They are neighbours of mine.”

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