Jockey Darragh O'Keeffe confirmed his breakthrough into the big time with a dramatic last-gasp Savills Chase victory on A Plus Tard at Leopardstown on Monday.
It was a first Grade 1 success for the 20-year-old rider who earlier this month memorably broke his duck at Cheltenham on the Mick Winters-trained Chatham Street Lad.
That was a handicap but Monday’s €150,000 highlight looked one of the deepest topflight contests run in a long time and crammed with potential Cheltenham Gold Cup contenders.
Much of the focus was on A Plus Tard’s stable companion, the 5-2 favourite Minella Indo, but he crashed out at the eighth fence.
At the very next fence the complexion of the race changed further when top-rated Delta Work unseated his substitute jockey, Seán Flanagan.
Minella Indo’s exit had trainer Henry De Bromhead admitting to some “choice language” until switching attention to the strong-travelling a Plus Tard.
Having just a second start at three miles, and ridden for the first time by O’Keeffe, the former two-mile Grade 1 winner tracked Willie Mullins’s pair, Kemboy and Melon, to the last where any suspect stamina would get found out.
Having briefly looked beaten, A Plus Tard rallied strongly to run down the Mullins pair and win by half a length at 15-2. Kemboy led home a pursuing Mullins quartet as the business of picking over the result for Gold Cup significance began almost immediately.
A Plus Tard was cut to as low as 10-1 for blue riband glory in March although he’s 8-1 in some lists for the shorter Ryanair Chase.
After such a stout finish De Bromhead suggested the Gold Cup is the target which looks to give him a third option alongside Monalee and Minella Indo.
“It was very frustrating to see Minella Indo fall so early but it’s amazing how things can change!” the Waterford trainer laughed. “I wouldn’t like to make any plans yet. We’ll enjoy this as this is a savage race to win.”
No race may ever feel as “savage” again for O’Keeffe who was having his first ride in a Grade 1.
Crowned champion conditional last season with a record 45 winners, the Cork jockey confirmed De Bromhead’s estimation as being the game’s “up and coming rider.”
He said: “I’m absolutely over the moon. I can’t thank Henry De Bromhead enough. It’s my first Grade 1 winner and my first winner for him. This lad had a real, live chance. There were questions about whether he stayed or not but he definitely stayed.”
The only slight blot on the day for O’Keeffe was a one-day ban for his use of the whip.
Delta Work was among the rides Jack Kennedy was forced to miss on Monday due to a collarbone issue aggravated by a fall the day before. He will have the problem reassessed to see if he can ride on Tuesday.
Having been sent for an x-ray in St Vincent’s Hospital before racing, Kennedy missed a number of rides before being cleared to ride Delta Work in the big race.
Shortly afterwards though, and following more medical advice, Kennedy was stood down for the day.
It was also a Grade 1 afternoon to remember for Jonathan Moore who broke his duck at the top level too after Flooring Porter justified his supplementary entry into the Christmas Hurdle with an all the way victory.
“To win a Grade 1 is everything – everything,” said the jockey following the winner’s six length defeat of The Storyteller.
Bookmakers reckon Flooring Porter’s rapid progress up the ratings may not be finished and he was installed a 12-1 shot for Stayers’ Hurdle glory at Cheltenham.
Willie Mullins endured frustration behind A Plus Tard in the big race but notched a four-timer on the rest of the Leopardstown card. With Ciel De Neige also winning at Limerick, the champion trainer’s Christmas haul to date is a dozen winners.
The trio of Gaillard Du Mesnil, The Big Getaway and Ramillies carried the Al Boum Photo colours of Mrs Marie Donnelly and all justified favouritism in style.
Paul Townend had to time it perfectly though to get the 16-1 shot Dandy Mag home in front in the Pertemps Qualifier.
