3 minute read
Allaho made a winning return to the track after a 561-day absence in the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase at Clonmel on Thursday.
With French Dynamite a late non-runner, the Willie Mullins-trained Allaho took an early lead from his two rivals, pulling an eight length advantage as the trio passed the stands for the final time. With two fences left to jump, stablemate Janadil started to get a little closer but the pair both began to tire on their respective reappearance runs and Allaho remained in control all the way to the line under a careful ride from Paul Townend. The dual-Ryanair Chase winner made some minor jumping errors but appeared much the best in the field and is expected to improve considerably for the outing.
In an interview with Racing TV, Townend said: "It's brilliant to get him back on the track. Hopefully he's not finished yet but just to get him back on the racecourse was exciting and he duly obliged.
"I didn't want to light him up on the ground, it's very testing here today. He was off for so long, I didn't want to go setting him alight early. He actually jumped a little to his left and had a look at the first couple of fences but I was happy enough to let him do that.
"He's a big animal to be organising and when I wanted he was straight and true."
Allaho has been shortened to 7/2 favourite for the Ryanair Chase with Paddy Power and remains unchanged at 7/1 for the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park.