'He's lazy as sin but that's what you want in a staying chaser' - Dancing City 4-1 for Brown Advisory after convincing win

A rewarding day for owners Joe and Marie Donnelly after victory for Anzadam in the feature got even better when Dancing City made it two from two over fences in the Grade 3 Finlay Ford At Naas Novice Chase. 

A three-time Grade 1 winner as a novice hurdler last season, the imposing eight-year-old showed he is ready to step up to that level over fences with an authoritative victory in a 3m1f contest with plenty of strength in depth. 

The manner in which he pulled away from market rival Bioluminescence after the final fence in testing ground was the most impressive aspect of the three-and-a-half-length win, with Paddy Power cutting him to 4-1 (from 6) for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Winning trainer Willie Mullins said: "He gallops and jumps. He's lazy as sin, but that's what you want from these staying chasers, horses that do exactly what you want them to do. He probably got beaten once or twice early on in his career because of that. That was a very good performance on very testing ground. He will go straight to the Brown Advisory." 

The opening leg of a treble for Mullins and jockey Paul Townend came when French import Charlus produced a workmanlike performance in the 2m juvenile maiden hurdle. Paddy Power cut him to 20-1 (from 25) for the Triumph Hurdle. 

Mullins said: "He's had a couple of little setbacks this season and we’re hoping he’ll improve enough to merit his entry in the Triumph Hurdle."

Kayf has the answers

Terence O'Brien's stable star Answer To Kayf defied his opening mark over fences when successful in the 2m4f novice handicap chase.

A dual winner over hurdles last season, as well as finishing fourth in the Martin Pipe at the Cheltenham Festival, Answer To Kayf had shaped with promise in two beginners' chases and jumped and travelled well on his handicap debut to score by 12 lengths under regular rider John Shinnick.

O'Brien said: "It shows how good those beginners' chases are with Willie's horses. They can be closer to Grade 1 chases than beginners' chases. He appreciated the drop in class and that soft ground is a big help to him. I'm thrilled with the way he did it. Handicap company is his level for now, but with more experience he might take on better company by the end of the season.

"We would love to go back to Cheltenham, the owners got a great kick out of going there last year. The only race he can run in is the novice handicap chase, so we might go there and hopefully it will rain for the week leading up to it."

Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (March 12)
Paddy Power: 7-2 Ballyburn, 4 Dancing City, 9-2 The Jukebox Man, 10 Lecky Watson, 12 Impaire Et Passe, 14 Ile Atlantique, Jango Baie, 16 bar

Read more . . .

Anzadam waltzes to effortless Nass success - but Willie Mullins expresses doubt over Champion Hurdle bid 

In-form amateur jockey eyeing €100,000 Dublin Racing Festival prize with bumper star trained by his father 

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