Delta Work (5/2) and Jack Kennedy claimed the feature race of the weekend for Co. Meath trainer Gordon Elliott, when victorious in The Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup ahead of Kemboy (5/4f) and Presenting Percy (100/30).
A first success in the race for both jockey and trainer, Delta Work showed courage and battling attributes to hold off Kemboy and Presenting Percy by a length-and-a-half and three-and-a-quarter-lengths respectively, to win his fifth race at the highest level over fences.
🥊 Delta Work vs Kemboy vs Presenting Percy – three warriors, one fine finish
Delta Work wins the Irish Gold Cup for @gelliott_racing & @jackkennedy15 at @LeopardstownRC
🏆 Grade One Savills Chase
🏆 Grade One Irish Gold Cup✅ Double completed… next stop Cheltenham pic.twitter.com/tEX89HE7vy
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) February 2, 2020
Wave Of The Sea (12/1) won a dramatic running of The Tattersalls Ireland Spring Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1), a race which saw Cheltenham Triumph Hurdle favourite, Aspire Tower, crash out at the final hurdle. The Joseph O’Brien-trained winner crossed the line a length-and-a-half ahead of Gavin Cromwell’s Wolf Prince (10/1), with another O’Brien inmate, Cerberus (6/1) a neck further back.
A dramatic race with changing fortunes!
Following Aspire Tower’s fall at the final flight, A Wave Of The Sea thunders home under Barry Geraghty to land the Grade One @tatts_ireland Spring Juvenile Hurdle @LeopardstownRC for @JosephOBrien2
Results ➡ https://t.co/glajGV55GR pic.twitter.com/rg2j31YaNV
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) February 2, 2020
Aspire Tower (1/3f) received a relieved round of applause from patrons when he rose and walked in front of the stands post race.
Willie and Danny Mullins teamed up to take The Chanelle Pharma Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) over 2 miles with Asterion Forlonge. The Maria Donnelly-owned gelded son of Coastal Path was a decisive nine-and-a-half length winner over Gordon Elliott’s 5/4 favourite Easywork with another four-lengths to Mt Leinster.
👀 @WillieMullinsNH & the G1 Chanelle Pharma Novice Hurdle @LeopardstownRC:
🏆 2020 – Asterion Forlonge
🏆 2019 – Klassical Dream
🏆 2017 – Bacardys
🏆 2016 – Bleu Et Rouge
🏆 2015 – Nichols Canyon
🏆 2014 – Vautour
🏆 2013 – Champagne Fever
🏆 1999 – Alexander Banquet pic.twitter.com/iBsuNGqndj— Racing TV (@RacingTV) February 2, 2020
The winning trainer was tasting success in the top-level contest for the seventh time in eight years, and the eight time in total, having previous won the contest with big names such as Bacardys, Nichols Canyon, Vautour and Alexander Banquet.
Treacysenniscorthy (8/1), under Kevin Brouder, made every post a winning one, in a career-best effort to win The William Fray Handicap Hurdle (Grade B) over three miles, giving the rider a second big win of the 2020 Dublin Racing Festival.
The Robert Widger-trained victor has now won four-on-the-trot, having a length-and-a-half in hand on The Jam Man (16/1), with Column Of Fire (5/1f) a head behind in third.
Davy Russell was seen to his best when bringing Black Tears (14/1) up on the rail side to take The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap for trainer Gordon Elliott. The winner had two-and-a-half-lengths to spare over runner-up Our Roxanne (12/1), with Concertista (10/1) a further two-and-a-quarter lengths behind.
