French Dynamite proves best at Punchestown

Alan Magee
October 16, 2024 3:57 pm

Mouse Morris-trained nine-year-old makes race fitness count.

French Dynamite produced an impeccable round of jumping to land the BetVictor Chase at Punchestown.

Mouse Morris’ nine-year-old was second in the Grade Two PWC Champion Chase at Gowran 11 days ago and made his fitness tell to come home ahead of Minella Indo by two and a quarter lengths at 7-2, with Hewick back in third.

Race favourite Conflated parted company with Jack Kennedy when sprawling on landing after the first fence, with French Dynamite and Minella Indo taking up the early running.

French Dynamite had a length advantage going over the last and pulled away from Minella Indo on the run-in to win by an eased-down two and a quarter lengths under Mark Walsh, with Hewick unable to pick up the leaders and finishing four and half lengths adrift in third.

Morris said: “The horses seem to be back in form, and I was hoping the fact that he was fit would help.

“I asked Mark to be very handy and Conflated going at the first was a help, but that’s racing.

“The fact that he gets the three miles opens up a lot of other options. We’ll see how he comes out of this and what the lads want to do.

“He won’t go on bottomless ground, but I think he’ll go on soft.”

Jordans got up to claim victory for the first time in the care of Joseph O’Brien in the other Grade Three on the card, the BetVictor Novice Chase.

Beaten by stablemate San Salvador on his debut for the yard at Listowel he made it count at the second time of asking.

Air Drop made the early running and led by as much as 10 lengths at the halfway point before being reeled in by the field.

Air Drop pecked and unseated Sam Ewing two out when beaten and 11-4 favourite Jordans hit the front going over the final fence.

Monbeg Park laid down the challenge but the former French trained Jordans held him off under Richard Deegan to land the spoils.

Deegan said: “I thought that he’d go away and win at the second-last, but he just pricked his ears a bit in front.

“I was in front a bit soon. He popped the last and it just gave the other horse a chance to come back to us, but I never felt like I was going to be headed.

“He jumped well and will improve again.”