Mengli Khan slashed to 7-1 for Racing Post Arkle after impressive chase debut

Mengli Khan, who won the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle last year before finishing third in the Supreme, was cut to 7-1 (from 14-1) for the Racing Post Arkle after a bloodless victory on his chasing debut at Punchestown on Wednesday.

The five-year old son of Lope De Vega could hardly have been more impressive and his lack of chasing experience did not matter one jot.

Davy Russell sent him to the front early in the back straight, and the three omitted fences in that part of the course probably didn't work in his favour.

Mengli Khan and Davy Russell clear the last at PunchestownCredit: Patrick McCann

However, after good jumps at the fourth and third last he began to extend away from his main pursuer Forge Meadow, who was left a clear second by the fall of Trainwreck, and Russell was able to let the winner pop the last two fences, so easily was he going.

Elliott said: "When he had something to aim at he winged the fences. Davy thought they weren't going quick enough down the back so he let him stride on and he jumped the fourth and third last very well.

"He got him in to pop the last two, which he'll have learned a bit from. It was no harm getting him to do that. I was happy with that and I thought it was a good performance."

Asked if he thought that he would be a better chaser than a hurdler, he replied: "It's hard to believe because he ran on the Flat as a two-year-old, but he's a big-boned horse and he looks like a chaser.

"He took to that well and the scope he showed down the back is what impressed me most. We'll go straight to Leopardstown for the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase – I don't think there's anything for him between now and then. "

Mengli Khan is now third favourite for the Racing Post Arkle, with Lalor edging favouritism at 5-1, just ahead of Kalashnikov, who is available at 6-1 in places.

Result, replay and analysis

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