Jacob's Ladder may have earned himself a late call up to Gordon Elliott’s Cheltenham Festival squad with victory in the Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle at Naas.
Bought for £110,000 after winning in the point-to-point sphere last year, the six-year-old opened his account under Rules in a Down Royal bumper in November and came good over hurdles at the second attempt in a four-runner race at Navan last month.
Stepping up to Grade Three level under Sam Ewing, he looked to be travelling marginally better than the challenging Joystick when the latter made a mistake at the final flight.
Jacob’s Ladder asserted thereafter and the 5-1 shot had three and a quarter lengths in hand at the line.
Elliott’s representative, Lisa O’Neill, said: "He’s done it quite nicely in the end. Sam thought he was struggling with a circuit to go but in fairness to him he showed a lot of guts.
"Sam held on to him for as long as he could up the home straight as it’s really tough going out there. He needed a good jump at the last and he got it.
"It’s lovely for him to back up the win the last day and hopefully he can go on and build on it.
"He’s a nice, big horse and he’ll be a chaser for the future."
Declan Queally will resist the temptation to head to the Festival with Bacchanalian after what was a dominant victory in the William Hill Top Price Guarantee Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle at Naas.
The four-year-old had won two of his five previous outings over obstacles, with a course and distance success two weeks ago following a sixth-place finish in a Grade One at Leopardstown.
The four-year-old was the 6-4 favourite to strike at Grade Three level in County Kildare and never really looked in danger of being beaten, jumping well in the main on the front end under Sean O'Keefe before pulling 11 lengths clear of Kool One on the run-in.
"We were playing with fire running him at the Dublin Racing Festival and then back here a week later and again today. We’ll leave him out in a field for a week and maybe put him away for Fairyhouse or Punchestown. He definitely won’t go to Cheltenham as he’s had a hard race," he said.
"This was a grand opportunity for him as he likes heavy ground and we’re looking forward to him next season. He’s a decent horse and it’s great to have him."
Queally went on to complete a double on the card by steering 9-4 chance I’ll Sort That to victory in the William Hill Proper Prices (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race.
A winner at Fairyhouse last month, the five-year-old followed up with a seven-and-a-half-length verdict.
The Willie Mullins-trained Kalix Delabarriere opened his account over obstacles in the Lily & Wild At The Post Maiden Hurdle.
The Ballinrobe bumper winner was fourth on his hurdling debut at Leopardstown over Christmas and filled the runner-up spot at Naas four weeks ago.
Sent off the 8-11 favourite to go one better under Paul Townend, Kalix Delabarriere tracked the pacesetting Ivybrook for much of the way before quickening up on the run-in to score by a length and a half from Walk On The Beach.
Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father, said: "I’d say the hood helped him and I think being a Galiway, he’ll be better on better ground. He probably won despite the ground.
"I’d imagine we’re looking towards Fairyhouse and Punchestown and whether we go for a novice race or a handicap, we’ll have to see. We think he’s better than he’s looked on soft ground."
Duke Of Leggagh was a 9-2 winner of the William Hill Keep Your Raceday Positive Handicap Hurdle for trainer Mick Mulvany and and 7lb claimer Patrick O’Brien, while Will The Wise could be part of Gavin Cromwell’s Cheltenham Festival team after justifying 11-4 favouritism in the Pertemps Network Group Handicap Hurdle.
The final two races on the card were abandoned after the chase track was deemed unraceable following heavy rain earlier in the afternoon.
