Royal Rendezvous lands thriller in absence of star chaser Put The Kettle On

There was almost a collective sigh of disappointment when Henry de Bromhead withdrew Champion Chase winner Put The Kettle On from the PWC-sponsored Grade 2 contest of the same name some 20 minutes before the off, but there was no shortage of drama.

The race was fought out from the last fence by favourite Royal Rendezvous and Hardline, who had been absent for a year since falling in last year's race. The lack of a recent run may well have come into play as he lost out in a real struggle with Danny Mullins just getting Royal Rendezvous home.

That was the second part of the excitement, as the winner's stablemate Easy Game unseated three out when he had every chance.

For Mullins, it was a first winner since returning from a vertebrae injury sustained in a fall at Limerick in July, and one he was entitled to enjoy.

He said: "I've been lucky to win on him a couple of times before and I knew once Put The Kettle On was out of the race I was on a horse who could win.

"Once I jumped the second-last I was gaining on Jack Kennedy [rider of Hardline] but I had to switch because he was not quite quick enough to go through on his inside. I thought I would win coming to the last."

Danny Mullins: back from injuryCredit: Alan Crowhurst

With trainer Willie Mullins at Longchamp, his assistant David Casey held the fort and commented: "He has had a habit of jumping right before now, which is why tracks like this suit him. He jumped great, jumped the last well and he really battled well. I would imagine something like the Clonmel Oil Chase might be there for him now."

A strong wind led to drying ground on the chase track, forcing the withdrawal of Put The Kettle On.

"The ground was just that bit better than we expected and we thought withdrawing her was the safest thing to do," said De Bromhead. A return to Cheltenham next month for the Shloer Chase, which she won last year, is now the plan.

The Dabbler takes advantage

Liam Cusack was happy the Captain Christy Novice Chase was relocated here from Clonmel two days previously, but revealed the drying ground almost caused him to withdraw The Dabbler.

It was lucky for him he resisted that temptation as the son of Presenting rewarded the trainer by staying on strongly to get the better of a good scrap with runner-up Clondaw Secret. It gave rider Eoin Walsh his second winner of the two-day meeting.

Cusack said: "I had given him a break after he won at Ballinrobe because I wasn't keen to run him on goodish ground again, but when I saw this race was transferred from Clonmel – three-mile-one, going right-handed – I thought it might cut up.

"I was close to pulling him out. I walked the course and thought the hurdles track was plenty quick on the rail and it was inconsistent. They did a better job on the chase track. I spoke to the owner Michael Heery and it was 50-50, but the pot was so good we had to run. Hopefully he's fine and we can take another one."

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