Hearts And Spades lays down an early marker

Image © Healy Racing

Hearts And Spades made an impressive start to his hunter chase campaign when comfortably accounting for nine rivals in the INHSC Supporting Point-To-Points Hunters Chase at Fairyhouse on Tuesday.

The reigning champion point-to-point horse arrived at the Meath venue following a successful seasonal reappearance at Damma House nine days earlier, and he proved much too strong for his rivals under Eoin Mahon.

Sent off at 5/2, the Ian McCarthy-trained seven-year-old was initially held up towards the rear before making progress to track the leaders after the third fence.

The son of Maxios moved to the front after four out and quickly began to draw clear from the third-last, with Mahon only having to push him along after the penultimate fence to put the race beyond doubt.

There was one late moment of concern when Hearts And Spades made a significant mistake at the final fence. However, he swiftly recovered his balance before keeping on strongly to defeat the Gavin Cromwell-trained Everest The Brave by 11 lengths.

Big Interest finished a further six lengths away in third for David Christie, with Bartlemy Boy taking fourth. 

Christie’s My Life Be Like, the 11/8 favourite following his wide-margin victory at Tinahely last month, weakened on the run-in to finish fifth.

Explaining the final fence error: Eoin Mahon commented: “He just landed down on it,” Mahon said of the error at the last. “A bit indecisive from both now, I'd say. I was just sitting up on him, thinking he'd pop it, but plenty left. He just went down and left fly at it and landed in the middle of it.

“I think he could be a good horse now, even for them spring festivals and that. He could be a lovely horse going forward.

“You know, he's settling a bit better. He was a bit on it today now, but I think in a stronger-run race and that, he'd be lovely.

“And, you know, he's a big, strapping horse, and even his jumping today was way sharper than what it has been. So he could be a nice horse in the springtime, yeah.

“In fairness, Ian is doing some job on him. He's unbelievable with them horses, even him and Fountain House now. He's top man at his job, like.

“Even the red hood on him today now, but he was very settled going down to the start.

“I think he's just getting better every day, and plenty racing. He's just smartening him every day, yeah. He's getting there now.

“It was a great year with him last year. Sure, he won his maiden this time last year, so that'll tell you where he's come from.

“You know, he's built it up all the way and, you know, he was all nearly on the bridle the first few days, just... But he's learning every day, and he could be a nice horse, yeah.”

Tuesday’s decisive victory confirms Hearts And Spades as an exciting addition to the hunter chase ranks and leaves him on course for the traditional St Stephen’s Day contest at Down Royal.

“He was a maiden going into last season when he ended up being champion horse of the year, so he's come a long way in the space of 12 months for us,” McCarthy said.

“He takes a good bit of minding mentally, and it took him a long time to mature. So we left the hood off him today. He still ran with the choke out a little bit, but they went slow enough considering the ground early, so Eoin said he would have preferred if it was a stride quicker.

“But look, we'll step him up again and we'll take baby steps and see where he takes us.

“If we get a run in a point-to-point in the meantime, well and good. If not, we'll go straight to Down Royal.

“And yeah, sure look, he probably does qualify now for the Foxhunters. It's a long, long way away yet, like, but it would be a dream now to get him there.”