Jack Kennedy matched Paul Townend’s earlier success when partnering The Niffler, trained by Eamonn O’Connell to win the two-mile three-furlong handicap hurdle at Naas on Tuesday. Townend landed the opening maiden hurdle on the Willie Mullins-trained 6/4 favourite Icare Desbois but the season’s leading jockey regained a four-winner lead in the championship race as the 6/1 chance headed the front-running Chosen Saint after the final hurdle and stayed on strongly to hold the late surge of the Sean Byrne-trained 3/1 favourite King Kali by half a length.
Kennedy and Gordon Elliott recorded their first winner of the weekend as Favori De Champdou narrowly landed the Grade 3 Hugh McMahon Memorial Novice Chase at Limerick on Friday evening. Another in the Gigginstown House Stud colours, the 8/13 favourite was all out at the finish to beat John Ryan’s Donacheady Gale, a 9/1 chance, by a neck.
The jockeys’ championship is still very much up for grabs and Kennedy brought his tally for the season to 119 and extended his lead over Paul Townend to five as the 30/100 favourite Barrier won the opening two-mile maiden hurdle at Tramore on Sunday. Gordon Elliott’s four-year-old beat the Emmet Mullins-trained Malbay Madness by two and a quarter lengths.
Upcoming Fixtures
Tipperary – Tuesday, April 23 (First Race 1.50pm)
Gowran Park – Tuesday, April 23 (First Race 4pm)
Gowran Park – Wednesday, April 24 (First Race 4pm)
Bellewstown – Wednesday, April 24 (First Race 4.45pm)
Bellewstown – Thursday, April 25 (First Race 4.45pm)
Tipperary – Thursday, April 25 (First Race 3.50pm)
Wexford – Thursday, April 25 (First Race 4.05pm)
Cork – Friday, April 26 (First Race 2.15pm)
Downpatrick – Friday, April 26 (First Race 4.40pm)
Navan – Saturday, April 27 (First Race 1.45pm)
