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One-time Stayers’ Hurdle runner-up returns to winning ways

Alpha Des Obeaux rediscovered the winning trail with victory in the feature event of the afternoon at Thurles.

The eight-year-old was a high-class performer over both hurdles and fences for Mouse Morris, notably filling the runner-up spot behind Thistlecrack in the 2016 Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, while his most recent win came in last season’s Clonmel Oil Chase.

The Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding joined Gordon Elliott prior to the start of this season and after making a promising start for his new trainer when fifth in the Munster National, he finished second to leading Ladbrokes Trophy hope Kemboy when defending his Clonmel crown last week.

Turning out just seven days later, Elliott’s charge was the 4-9 favourite to see off two rivals in the Boomerang Animal Bedding And Boomerang Horse & Country Store Chase, and was sent straight to the lead by Davy Russell.

Henry de Bromhead’s triple Grade One winner Valseur Lido and Francis Casey’s in-form veteran Eight Till Late both closed up on the run to the final fence, but Alpha Des Obeaux jumped it well and landed running to prevail by a length and a quarter.

Valseur Lido beat Eight Till Late to the runner-up spot by a short head.

Russell said: “He is a credit to everybody and it was a lovely opportunity for him, for him to get his head back in front was great. Obviously Mouse has done a marvellous job with him.

“You couldn’t ask for much more and he jumped great, but the ground was as lively as he wanted