Enigmatic chaser Yorkhill strides to first victory since 2017

Enigmatic, idiosyncratic but ridiculously talented. Unfortunately, we have seen more of the former traits recently and it was difficult to know what to expect when Yorkhill lined up under Paul Townend in the Watch Racing TV Now Chase on the final day of the Galway festival.

He got the job done but not without some drama. He was racing right-handed, which never suits, and he did jump and hang left, although it was not as pronounced as it has been.

Townend was able to find something on his outer when jumping and even made good use of a loose horse in the back straight. Once he coasted to the front after the final two fences there was nothing to prevent him from going in a relatively straight line in the final furlong to beat his staying-on stablemate Some Neck by three lengths.

“It's good to get him back winning," said Willie Mullins, who ended the week with ten winners. "We'll probably go for the Kerry National and get him going left-handed.

“The week worked out better than expected, as I didn't think we had the same firepower this year. A lot of things went our way which didn't always happen and we managed to have a decent spread of jockeys riding winners for us which is always good.”

Keane saddles valuable winner

Gerry Keane saddled the most valuable winner of his career when Laughifuwant made almost all of the running in the feature Irish Stallion Farms EBF "Ahonoora" Handicap.

Ridden by Seamie Heffernan, the four-year-old won with a bit in hand by three quarters of a length from On A Session, while Colin Keane finished eighth on favourite Saltonstall.

“He grows another leg on this ground," said Keane, who was happy with the arrival of rain. "We tried to sell him after he won his maiden last year. I don't know whether he can be a stakes horse now."

Rider Darragh O'Keeffe rounded off a very good week with a double for JP McManus aboard Ilikedwayurthinkin, winning for the second time this week, and the Joseph O'Brien-trained All The Answers.

O'Brien also won the 1m6f handicap with Linger, who became the fourth horse to win at least twice during the week.

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