08 January 2023 , 16:40
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Appreciate It sparked a notable treble on a mixed day for master trainer Willie Mullins at Naas on Sunday.
The 2021 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle hero cruised to victory at odds of 1-9 to remain unbeaten over fences.
Mullins also won the Grade One Lawlor of Naas Novices’ Hurdle but not with odds-on hotpot Grangeclare West.
The £430,000 recruit, who was unbeaten in two starts under rules, flopped badly and it was stablemate Champ Kiely who did the business.
Both Appreciate It and Champ Kiely were trimmed in the market for their respective Cheltenham Festival targets – Appreciate is now 11-2 (from 6-1) for the Arkle Trophy with Betfair and Champ Kiely 7-1 (from 16s) for the Ballymore.
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Mullins completed a treble with 1-4 shot Hunter’s Yarn in the maiden hurdle, who could also go to Cheltenham.
Appreciate It wins at Naas under Paul Townend (©INPHO/Morgan Treacy)Jockey Paul Townend was thrilled with Appreciate It in the Rathmore Stud Irish EBF Novice Chase.
He said: “You'd love to get a lead on him. He's idle in front and I was trying to teach him today, and win, without doing something silly.
“He showed me the last day that he's there when I need him. It's grand to get him out again and you'd have to be happy with everything he's doing.”
Of Champ Kiely and Grangeclare West, Mullins' assistant David Casey said: "I'd say tactically the race didn't work for Champ Kiely in Fairyhouse. We're back to what he's good at today and I'd say the step up in trip was a help as well, and soft ground.
"It all fell right and Danny said he was very happy with him, he gave him a great ride."
Of Grangeclare West, he added: "It looked like he travelled all right and didn't seem to get home for whatever reason. I'll speak to Paul [Townend] and we'll get him checked out and see."
Appreciate It's race was marred by the fatal fall of Gordon Elliott’s Top Bandit.
His rider Jack Kennedy, 23, was also taken to hospital after suffering a leg injury in the incident.
Kennedy, who has suffered more than his fair share of injury setbacks, missed the rest of his rides.
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Dr Jennifer Pugh, of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, said: “Jack Kennedy is being transferred to Tallaght Hospital for further assessment on a leg injury.”