Jeff Kidder follows up Cheltenham success with Fairyhouse victory
Grade Two success comes at expense of odds-on Teahupoo.
Cheltenham Festival hero Jeff Kidder followed up in the Rathbarry And Glenview Studs Juvenile Hurdle at Fairyhouse. A winner over the course and distance earlier in the campaign, Noel Meade’s charge was last seen springing an 80-1 surprise in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle in the Cotswolds last month. Despite that big-race triumph, Jeff Kidder was second-best in the market for this Grade Two contest at 5-1, with the previously unbeaten Teahupoo all the rage as the 4-7 market leader. It turned into a straight shootout between the two from early in the home straight – and while Teahupoo loomed up looking a big threat, Jeff Kidder already looked to be getting the better of the argument when the odds-on shot produced an untidy leap at the final flight.In the end Sean Flanagan’s mount prove his Cheltenham success was no fluke with a decisive three-length verdict. “He’s improving all the time,” said Meade. “We gave him a little break after he ran in the Grade Two in Leopardstown at Christmas and I was actually worried if I’d left him off too long, but obviously it was perfect. We just let him in and out and let him enjoy himself. “If he ever learns how to jump the whole lot of them he’ll be grand – he only jumped half of them. “I’d say he was very weak last year and is starting to get a bit stronger.” On future plans, he added: “If he never does any more he’s done a lot, but hopefully he will do more. “I can’t see any reason why he won’t run in Punchestown now in the Grade One and the plan was to run on the Flat during the summer. Colin (Keane) said to me last year ‘when you get him over two miles, he’ll win a Cesarewitch for you’. “Off 68 he should be able to win a Flat race somewhere, you’d imagine.”
Follow us on Twitter racing365dotcom and like our Facebook page.
Latest
-
Lucinda Russell announces retirement of Corach Rambler
Connections decided former Grand National hero has done enough.
-
Andesite shows Royal Ascot potential in York victory
Karl Burke juvenile a first winner for Pinatubo as a sire.
-
No Derby decision yet, but Appleby expecting Ancient Wisdom improvement
‘Derby-wise I think we’ll just let it all settle down’.
-
Big Evs straight back to business on three-year-old bow
Star sprinting juvenile promises to be a big player at Royal Ascot.
-
Economics adds up for Haggas in brilliant Dante success
Key York trial turned into one-horse procession.
-
True Cyan out to continue fine stable form at York
Roger Varian-trained grey sidestepped the 1000 Guineas her stablemate went on to win.
-
O’Brien all set to unleash staying big guns on Friday
Kyprios and Tower Of London in action at Leopardstown and York respectively.