The Patrick Ward & Company Irish Arkle Novice Chase
Grade 1, Leopardstown 14:10
Race Value: €125,000
5yo plus,
2m 1f, Class 1  
Saturday 6th February 2021

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1 Energumene 5/6F
2 Franco De Port 5/1
3 Blackbow 40/1
9 ran Distances: 10l, ¾l, 12l
Time: 4m 23.50s

Energumene set up a mouthwatering clash with Shishkin at Cheltenham next month with a brilliant front-running display here.

The seven-year-old had looked a natural in winning his first two starts over fences – and with trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Paul Townend having already landed the first two Grade Ones of the afternoon, Energumene was the 5-6 favourite to follow suit.

Sent straight to the lead, the Tony Bloom-owned gelding fenced fluently throughout the two-mile-one-furlong contest to keep the pressure on his chasing rivals, with the fall of nearest pursuer Captain Guinness at the second-last leaving the market leader with a clear advantage.

His stable companions Franco De Port and Blackbow attempted to bridge the gap from the home turn, but Energumene was in a class of his own as he passed the post with 10 lengths in hand.

Franco De Port pipped Blackbow to the runner-up spot to make it a Mullins one-two-three.

Coral made Energumene a 5-2 chance for the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham, with Nicky Henderson’s Shishkin remaining at the head of the market at 8-11.

Arkle Novice Chase
(Grade 1) 2m 1f, Race Value: €125,000
9 ran
Going: Soft, Yielding in places

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1      Energumene 7 11-12 W P Mullins Paul Townend 5/6F
2
10 Franco De Port 6 11-12 W P Mullins B J Cooper 5/1
3
¾ Blackbow 8 11-12 W P Mullins Danny Mullins 40/1
4
12 Embittered 7 11-12 Joseph Patrick O'Brien Donagh Meyler 40/1
5
I'm A Game Changer 9 11-12 Andrew McNamara Darragh O'Keeffe 200/1
6
Unexcepted 7 11-12 W P Mullins Mark Walsh 10/1
7
Darver Star 9 11-12 Gavin Cromwell Jonathan Moore 8/1
8
Felix Desjy 8 11-12 Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy 9/1
FELL Captain Guinness 6 11-12 Henry De Bromhead Rachael Blackmore 10/1

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