Kala Conti conquers hotpot Kargese at Cork

Kala Conti made it two from two over fences with a wide-margin victory over hot favourite Kargese in the Coolmore N.H. Sires Order Of St George Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase at Cork, one of four winners on the card for Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy.

A dual Grade One winner over the smaller obstacles and also victorious in the County Hurdle at last season’s Cheltenham Festival, the Willie Mullins-trained Kargese was a 5-6 shot to make a successful switch to fences in this Grade Two contest.

Kala Conti, however, had the benefit of experience and race-fitness having won on her chasing debut at this venue two weeks ago and the 11-4 chance asserted in the home straight to win by 16 lengths.

Elliott said: “She isn’t the biggest in the world but has a great attitude and had her ears pricked after two fences today. It looked like she wanted to stop with her ears pricked going down the back straight so Paul (Townend, on Kargese) went on which suited us grand, as it made for a good test of stamina.

“I ran her in a Grade One last season which knocked the edge off her at the end of the season, but she has black type now so it is great.

“We’ll go home and look at the book, but she deserves a little break now having had two quick runs. It is a long way to go before assessing possible Cheltenham options and a lot of water has to pass under the bridge before then.”

The Cullentra handler also saddled the 11-10 favourite for the Grade Three Joe Buckley Construction Stayers Novice Hurdle in Kalypso’chance, but he proved no match for the Emmet Mullins-trained Good Girl Kathleen (7-2), who took the shortest route throughout against the inside rail and cruised to an eight-and-a-half-length success in the hands of Donagh Meyler.

“We talked beforehand about going around the inside and I told Donagh that if it wasn’t working at halfway to change tactics, so he had free rein. Obviously, the bends are well cut up but definitely in the straights there is a nice patch of fresh ground on the inside so we felt there was potentially an angle,” said Mullins.

“It was always going to be risky, but he said he was happy and confident all the way. It is great that it worked out.

“She is going the right way, Donagh was very confident coming and she is a mare on the up. She has a great pedigree, doesn’t lack a gear either and could come back in trip.”

Elliott and Kennedy teamed up to win the feature Hilly Way Chase with Found A Fifty as well as both divisions of the BAR 1 Casino Maiden Hurdle, with Lord Rouge scoring at odds of 100-30 in division one and Kazansky striking a 3-1 in division two.

Of Lord Rouge, the trainer said: “He is a fine big horse, there is plenty of improvement in him and Jack said he took a good blow. The conditions suited him and I’d say he is a three-mile chaser in the making, so whatever he does this year will be a bonus.

“We’ll find somewhere, probably Limerick, for a winners’ race on soft ground next over Christmas.”

Joseph O’Brien’s Glen To Glen was a 16-1 winner of the BAR 1 Betting 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle, a race in which Elliott’s 5-6 favourite Manoir De Mirande crashed out at the final flight with the race still in the balance.