Sa Fureur has to work to bring up hat-trick at Thurles

Elliott six-year-old holds various Cheltenham engagements.

Sa Fureur was made to pull out all the stops to justify cramped odds in the Markaye Contracts Ltd Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle at Thurles.

The six-year-old was the 5-6 market leader to complete his hat-trick following successive Punchestown wins and provide trainer Gordon Elliott with a third successive victory in this Grade Three contest.

Ridden by Jordan Gainford, Sa Fureur threw down his challenge from the home turn, but 22-1 shot Buddy One proved a willing rival.

There was little to choose between the pair all the way up the run-in, but following a protracted duel the Elliott runner edged it by a short head.

Two came close together on a couple of occasions, prompting a stewards’ inquiry, but the placings remained unaltered.

“I always thought I was getting the better of Jack (Gilligan, on Buddy One) but he pegged me back in the last couple of hundred yards. My horse stuck his head out though and had jumped the last two well, which is very important,” said Gainford.

“He had a nice run the last day in Punchestown and is a horse who doesn’t do a lot when he gets to the front. He is a nice horse for the future and the ground was lovely for him.

“He is a nice big strong horse, will fill out more and get even better.”

Brides Hill after winning at Thurles
Brides Hill after winning at Thurles (Thomas Weekes/PA)

Gavin Cromwell is eyeing a step up to Grade One level for Brides Hill after she opened her account over fences in the Carey Glass Irish EBF Colreevy Mares Novice Chase.

A three-time winner over hurdles, the six-year-old fell on her fencing debut at Fairyhouse in the autumn and had been placed on each of her three starts since.

She faced a far from straightforward task in this two-and-three-quarter-mile Listed contest, with Cheltenham Festival heroine Telmesomethinggirl the marginal favourite at 6-5 as she aimed to confirm her superiority over Instit (13-8) after finishing first and second at Naas last month.

The familiar rivals turned for home vying for the lead, but 7-2 shot Brides Hill was travelling strongly in their slipstream and quickened away smartly once given her head by Luke Dempsey to score by four lengths, with Telmesomethinggirl beating Instit to the runner-up spot.

Cromwell said: “She got an awful fright when she fell at Fairyhouse and it has taken her a long time to get confidence and, in her races since, she has been slow to warm up over the opening fences.

“She came straight into it today and jumped brilliantly. We had given her a pop this morning, when she was very good, and Paul Carberry actually schooled her on Saturday and got a good tune out of her.

“She isn’t a winter ground mare and is a lovely mare going forward for next year. It wouldn’t have been the end of the world if she didn’t win today as she’d have been a novice for next year, but now the Grade One Boylesports Gold Cup at Fairyhouse is a possibility.”

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