'The best mare I've had' - Paul Fahey has Irish Grand National dreams for Rose

Sunday: Thurles

Farrier by trade he may be, but Paul Fahey can train a bit too and he savoured his biggest career success when crack mare Ballyshannon Rose landed the Grade 2 Coolmore NH Sires Mogul Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase, the most valuable contest on the card.

The daughter of Doyen had started off her chase campaign with an easy victory over course and distance in October before taking a heavy late fall in the Florida Pearl Chase at Punchestown the following month.

However, there was no sign the spill had left a mark on the mare as she jumped with fluency under Jack Kennedy and held off the game Jeremys Flame by half a length.

Fahey has enjoyed some success in the past, particularly with stable stalwart and prolific hurdler chaser He'llberemembered, who has a hurdle race at this track named in his honour.

Ballyshannon Rose is developing into a high-class operator over fences, and the Monasterevin trainer was far from surprised with her success in this €50,000 contest.

He said: "She came here for her beginners' and won it well. She then took a fall at Punchestown, which did affect her confidence a little. We were going to run her at Christmas, but she got a little infection and then we saw this race coming up.

"She's the best mare I've had and I thought we were coming here with a big chance.

"Training is a part-time thing for me. I ride her out myself in the morning. It's great to have a runner in a race like that, and to know, all things going well, that you're going to be competitive. She was bought for small money, and this shows there is room in this game for anybody."

On future plans, Fahey added: "She's not going to Cheltenham. The first day she won here I said that her target would be the Irish Grand National. She'll go for a Grade 2 at Limerick in March before that, and hopefully she'll get into the Irish National."

Gerri on target for Albert Bartlett

He was no more than workmanlike, but the Robcour-owned Gerri Colombe looks like going straight to Cheltenham for the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle after retaining his unbeaten record in the 2m7f novice hurdle.

The son of Saddler Maker provided Jack Kennedy with the first leg of his double as he overcame occasional lack of fluency in his jumping and the persistent challenge of 10-1 shot Idas Boy to justify 4-9 favouritism by a length and a quarter.

Gerri Colombe (Jack Kennedy) puts himself on course for the Cheltenham Festival with a win in the novice hurdleCredit: Patrick McCann

He was generally cut to 10-1 (from 12) for the Albert Bartlett, although some firms went shorter, as trainer Gordon Elliott confirmed he will be going there without another run.

Elliott said: "He won in spite of the track. We were worried about it and about the ground, but there are just a lack of races. We could have gone for the Grade 1 at Leopardstown, but he didn't have enough experience, and the only other race is the one at Clonmel next month, but if it got soft there it could turn into a real slog.

"I thought it was a good performance. He wants more of an ease in the ground. It was safe here, but Jack said it is about as good as he'd want it. We'll go straight to Cheltenham now."

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The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday