Zanahiyr back in business with WKD Hurdle victory at Down Royal

Michael Graham
October 29, 2021 2:19 pm

Hatton’s Grace could be next stop for classy four-year-old.

Zanahiyr got back to winning ways with a dominant display in the WKD Hurdle at Down Royal.

Beaten favourite in the Triumph Hurdle in March, the Gordon Elliott-trained four-year-old was giving weight away to older horses on this occasion.

Jack Kennedy set out to make it a fair test and while his only serious rival Cask Mate appeared to be travelling better approaching the second-last, when Noel Meade’s runner made a mistake there the race was over.

Zanahiyr (8-13 favourite) came away to win by eight lengths and earned a 16-1 quote for the Champion Hurdle with Paddy Power.

Zanahiyr is back 🤩
The market had it as a match between Zanahiyr and Cask Mate and so it proved with the pair turning for home in unison, with the former finding extra approaching the last to take the Grade 2 WKD Hurdle at @Downroyal 🏆@gelliott_racing | @jackkennedy15 pic.twitter.com/zE4Q2B1odu

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 29, 2021

“Jack said he was trying to wind it up the whole way, he actually wasn’t doing a stroke and had his ears pricked,” said Elliott.

“From the second-last to the line he galloped the whole way. We are very happy.

“He’s entered in the Hatton’s Grace (at Fairyhouse), but we’ll have to have a look and see what we think.

“I could see him stepping up in trip at some stage in the season.”

Hollow Games in action at Down Royal (Brian Lawless/PA)

Elliott was earlier on the mark with the promising Hollow Games (1-9 favourite), who made no mistake in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle under Davy Russell.

“He’s a nice, horse, he’s a big galloper. He only does what he has to do. He’s an Albert Bartlett type,” said Elliott.

Colm Murphy could be heading back into the big time with the unbeaten Impervious (7-2), as she stretched her unbeaten record to three in the Grade Three Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novice Hurdle.

With Elliott’s hot favourite Party Central folding tamely in the straight, Impervious was handy most of the way and came clear for a five-length win under Brian Hayes.

Impervious clears the last in front and went on to win well (Brian Lawless/PA)

“She jumps, she travels and I’m delighted with the way she went by the line,” said Murphy, who rejoined the training ranks in 2019 following a two-year hiatus.

“It is just phenomenal how she has improved from the last day. Hopefully she will keep improving. When you have a filly like that and they keep improving, you don’t know where you could stop. We’ll keep dreaming away.

“I’d imagine that (Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham) would be the long-term aim. Whether we get to there I’m not sure, but I’d imagine maybe Christmas and a run after it and we’ll see.

“She is relatively inexperienced for what she is doing. She is one to look forward to.”

When asked to compare her with the mares he has had in the past, he said: “It is hard to compare them, but on the evidence of that she is right up there with them.

“She has stamina and she has plenty of pace. She has the right ingredients to keep climbing the ladder.”