O'Brien and Slevin grab more holiday glory as San Salvador prevails

Saturday: Punchestown

The Grade 1 victory of Home By The Lee at Leopardstown already ensured a memorable Christmas for Joseph O'Brien and rider JJ Slevin, but it was enhanced further by San Salvador in the feature Grade B Tara Handicap Hurdle.

This race was salvaged from the abandoned Navan fixture two weeks ago, which was controversially not rescheduled, and Slevin seized the initiative on his mount after the second-last.

He quickened clear on a horse who had travelled well, and drew the sting from his opposition. The only rival to get close was Captain Conby, who was a length and three-quarters adrift at the line with the rest ten lengths away.

O'Brien said: "The race worked out lovely for him. He was able to get a lovely position and, apart from one mistake down the back, he jumped very well through the race.

"He'll probably go up plenty for that and he might have to go up a bit to get into a race like the Coral Cup, but he'll be going for another good pot somewhere in the spring."

It completed a double for Slevin after partnering the Seamus Neville-trained Notice To Close to a narrow, front-running success in the 2m7f handicap chase.

Sam on the move

Reverting to hurdles looks as though it might bring out the best in Saint Sam after the Willie Mullins-trained gelding made all for an impressive success in the 2m3½f conditions hurdle.

Saint Sam: could be aimed at the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran ParkCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The horse pulled his way to the front under Paul Townend and quickened clear from the second-last to win by an easy six and a half lengths.

Mullins said: "We decided that coming back over hurdles with him was the right thing to do, and also to go out in trip with him.

"He likes to get on with things, so Paul let him do that and he produced some great jumps. I also think he settled a little better today, so hurdling might be his career for the near future.

"He is bred to stay and he does still race a little keenly, but I think he will settle down once he gets used to racing over further. He'll improve and a race like the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park might be an option."

The winner won easily, but as many eyes will have been drawn to the performance of runner-up Any Second Now, staying on well in the closing stages for Denis O'Regan.

Last season's Grand National runner-up was cut to 14-1 from 20 by Paddy Power for Aintree.

Trainer Ted Walsh said: "He ran well. He was due to run at a couple of the cancelled meetings, so he might have been a bit fitter than normal. He'll have a similar campaign to last year."

Results, replays and analysis

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