Gowran Park: Willie Mullins nominates Sir Gerhard's likely Cheltenham target after chase debut win

The belated chase debut of last season's Ballymore Novices' Hurdle winner Sir Gerhard proved successful in the end, but it could have been very different after a bad early mistake.

Paul Townend had to sit tight as his mount ploughed through the third fence and ended up leaving a noticeable hole in the obstacle. Indeed, it took some time for him to get his jumping in order, but by the business end of the race it was a good deal better as he came home 38 lengths clear of second favourite Largy Debut in a race where the field was reduced to three by a couple of withdrawals.

Trainer Willie Mullins is now leaning towards the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase as the Cheltenham plan for the winner, although the Turners remains an option ahead of the Arkle. 

Paddy Power cut Sir Gerhard to 8-1 from 20-1 for the Brown Advisory, while he remains unchanged at 6-1 for the Turners.

Willie Mullins on Sir Gerhard's Cheltenham target: "We're not that well represented in the Brown Advisory so perhaps I'm edging in that direction"Credit: Patrick McCann

Reflecting on the performance, Mullins said: "My heart jumped when he made the mistake, he just stood so far back at it. He did well to stay up and Paul did well to stay in the saddle, but that's what novices do. It's good to make a mistake like that early in the race as it put manners on him and he jumped fine after that. Paul just gathered him up and got him going down to the next a bit faster.

"Sitting behind on his own he just wasn't racing so Paul sent him up at about the fourth-last and he did everything right after that, it was as if someone turned on the turbo chargers.

"He will be going to Cheltenham with very little experience, so we will probably head for the Turners or the Brown Advisory. They will be going that bit slower in the longer races and it will give an inexperienced horse more time to measure his fences. We're not that well represented in the Brown Advisory so perhaps I'm edging in that direction."

Moore still has it

Arthur Moore does not have many runners these days, but the traditionalists would have been delighted to see the veteran Caragh trainer team up once again with JP McManus for a winner on Thyestes day. Indeed, the champion owner's last Thyestes Chase winner was the Moore-trained Wylde Hide in 1995 and 1996, and they teamed up again here with Hands Of Gold, who landed the Connolly's Red Mills-sponsored ladies' maiden hurdle.

There was quite a scare when the Shantou gelding almost came down at the second-last and rider Aine O'Connor had to sit very tight, but it didn't stop him and in the end he ran out a convincing six-length winner.

Moore said: "He's a grand horse. This race was ideal for him, the conditions suited very well and I couldn't be happier. He has an engine and he's going to make a nice chaser in time. We'll look at the final of this series at Punchestown in April."

Read these next:

Thyestes Chase: Carefully Selected denies Dunboyne to land a Thyestes thriller for Willie Mullins 

Galmoy Hurdle: Teahupoo storms to top of Stayers' Hurdle market after easy Grade 2 success 

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