Sackville remains the 10/1 second favourite for next year's Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup despite suffering a comprehensive defeat on his return to action at Punchestown this afternoon. The four-runner Dunstown Wood Chase turned into a one-horse affair when Zayta, the bottom weight, sprinted into a clear lead which she maintained over the two-mile race under the control of jockey Paul Maloney.
She looked a different horse from that which refused to jump off last week at Gowran Park behind Puget Blue as Maloney pulled out all the stops. "I thought if she jumped off she had a chance as she was pretty fit. She jumped to the left, but we may take her next to Down Royal for a similar event," said winning trainer Jessica Harrington.
Sackville was the 11-10 favourite to win his ninth race in a row but looked a little rusty coming home third three and a half lengths behind second-placed Grimes. "Our horse may need another run in a similar race to bring him on as he does little enough at home," said the eight-year-old's trainer Frances Crowley.
Meanwhile, Mick Kinane edged just two behind championship leader Pat Smullen in the title race after he conjured up a late rally from Ursa Minor to collar Virtuous Image in the closing stages of the European Breeders Fund Maiden. With Smullen currently on the 75-winner mark, Kinane on 73 and Johnny Murtagh on 72 it's all to play for during the closing stages of the flat campaign.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
