Espanito Bello shows his class in Leinster National to tee up big week at Cheltenham for Barry Connell

An exciting week for the Barry Connell yard started on a high when Espanito Bello landed the €100,000 Bar One Racing Leinster National at Naas in imperious fashion.

Connell's 7-2 shot, who had posted a promising fifth in the Thyestes at Gowran in January, could be called the winner from a long way out. He travelled easily under Michael O'Sullivan and was still on the bridle coming to the last before popping the fence and extending away to defeat History Of Fashion by seven and a half lengths.

The trainer-owner, who has big Grade 1 chances at Cheltenham with Marine Nationale and Good Land, was pleased to see Espanito Bello reaffirm his strong course form.

Connell said: "That’s what he was two years ago at this track. He beat Coko Beach and Longhouse Poet the length of the straight here that time and it has just taken us a little while to get him back to that. He loves this track and that’s his fourth win here.

"He's in the Irish National but we'd only run him if the ground was soft. He's entitled to step back into Graded company at some stage but this is a fantastic pot to win. His fifth in the Thyestes was a good run for a horse who had been off for so long and he travelled much sweeter today. He looked the winner all the way."

Pat Fahy's History Of Fashion ran a stormer in second and Henry de Bromhead's Gabbys Cross edged out the Paul O'Flynn-trained West Cork Wildway for third.

Graded double for Robcour

The Robcour colours were carried to a Grade 3 double by the Gordon Elliott-trained Irish Point and Journey With Me from the Henry de Bromhead yard. 

The latter went off 8-13 favourite in the 2m4f novice chase and showed a determined attitude to fend off a formidable challenge from Limerick Lace.

Having been pressed from two out, the pacesetting Journey With Me jumped the last more fluently and was going away at the line to win by three lengths.

Robbie Power, representing the De Bromhead yard, said: "It wasn’t ideal having to make his own running. He didn’t jump as well as he can because I think he was doing too much looking around him. He picked up well when Limerick Lace came to him at the second-last and I think he'll stay further.

"He could go to Fairyhouse over two and a half miles or to Aintree or Punchestown over three miles. He's entitled to take his chance in a Grade 1 now."

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