Whiskeywealth secures Listed honours for O’Brien

Gowran prize goes to 5-2 favourite.

Whiskeywealth took a successful step up to Listed level to land the Holden Plant Rentals Shamrock Handicap Chase at Gowran.

The eight-year-old, who was fourth behind Jonbon on his final point-to-point start, won a two-mile Naas handicap last time out.

That run was a return to form after he disappointed in the Grade Three Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase the time before, finishing eighth in a field of 11.

This time he was the 5-2 favourite under 7lb claimer John Shinnick and ran his race towards the front of the field, sticking to the task resolutely on the run in to claim a length-and-three-quarters victory.

“He was very disappointing in the Dan Moore. I thought I’d got it wrong and he wasn’t good enough but I’d say he hit a flat spot on the day,” O’Brien said.

“Today was a bit lower class but he did it well. He was in great form coming here and I was hoping he’d run a good race.

“He’s been very consistent, and we’re delighted to get a good pot. He was due to run in this race last year, but he scoped wrong a couple of days beforehand.

“He’s still improving and that was a career best over fences.”

Port Joulain made the perfect start to his career under rules when cantering home in the “Doc’s Bumper” INH Flat Race.

The five-year-old is trained by Willie Mullins and was purchased for GBP 300,000 for Rich Ricci after a six-length pointing win.

Under Patrick Mullins he was the 11-8 favourite to score at the first time of asking for new connections and he duly did so, finding the contest light work when triumphing by two and quarter lengths from Henry de Bromhead’s Good N’ Kind with the rest of the field strung out behind them.

“He was on my Cheltenham Bumper team but I couldn’t get him ready in time, so I put him by for this race and I’m very pleased with him,” said the winning trainer.

“We’ll probably have a look at a winners bumper at the big festivals.”

Mullins had earlier been on the mark with Aime Desjy (2-7 favourite) in the Holden Fleet Management Beginners Chase and Annamix (9-2) in the INHSC Supporting Point-To-Points Tetratema Cup Hunters Chase, demonstrating the yard’s fine form heading into the Cheltenham Festival.

Mullins added: “The first load of horses have left for Cheltenham and the last ones were on the gallop this morning. All the work is done now and we’ll see how the ball bounces now for the rest of the week.”

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