'His jumping was fantastic' - Melon shows his class to break three-mile duck

Sunday: Cork
The classy Melon broke his duck over the three-mile trip in the feature Grade 3 Baroneracing.com Chase, with a convincing display of jumping and galloping under Bryan Cooper.

The manner in which he dealt with the distance on very sloppy ground would suggest he will not be dropping back in trip in the near future.

Setting out to make all, the son of Medicean put in an exhibition of jumping, regularly taking a length or two out of 2021 Grand National winner Minella Times at his fences, and with his beaming rider doling out several congratulatory pats, he came home eight lengths in front of Doctor Duffy.

Minella Times put in a flat effort 17 lengths further back in third of the four finishers.

Cooper, who had not stopped smiling by the time he dismounted, said: “I really enjoyed that. He got into a rhythm.

"This track really seemed to suit him as there’s a lot of jumping involved. Every time he saw a fence he accelerated into it. It’s a great bit of placing by Willie [Mullins]. He's won two races this season off his rating and it’s not easy to place him.

“I feel he got the three miles very well. I was able to boss the race and his jumping was fantastic. It’s great to win on a horse like this.”

Doyle has Aintree hopes for Bois

The Liz Doyle-trained Bois De Clamart took advantage of a 13lb lower mark over hurdles to land the Grade B Baroneracing Easter Handicap Hurdle, with the trainer expressing hopes of an Aintree raid next season.

The French-bred was following up an emphatic victory in a Grade B handicap chase at Gowran Park last month and this performance was the equal of that.

Challenging wide on the track under Richie Deegan, he travelled best to take it up before the second-last and was value for more than his five-and-a-half length victory over Happy Jacky.

Doyle said: “I had the option of waiting for a nice handicap chase at Punchestown on good ground, but I’m not sure that he would jump well enough on good ground around there, so we have been following the weather with him really.

"When I saw what the ground was like, I told Richie not to come off the outside rail, and he was excellent. It was worth four or five lengths at this stage of the day.

“He has won three valuable handicaps for us this season. He jumped beautifully the two times he won over fences at Gowran. He just takes the top off his fences and I wonder if he might be well suited by Aintree. The Topham or Grand Sefton could be a target next season.”

Irascible scores for Blackmore

Rachael Blackmore’s journey to Cork to renew acquaintance with Minella Times was not a wasted one, as she partnered last season’s good novice hurdler Irascible to a battling success in the 2m rated hurdle.

The grey son of Jukebox Jury got the better of a good scrap with the front-running Cash Back to win by a neck.

Blackmore said: “He's quite a lazy horse but he had some lovely form going back. It's great to see him get his head in front and I think he'll improve again when he sees a fence."

Results, replays and analysis

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