Grade 1 winner Felix Desjy made a winning start to his career over fences when he landed a Beginners Chase at Killarney on Monday afternoon.
Since winning his four-year-old maiden at Dromahane for Eddie Hales in 2017, the French-bred has proven to be an effective front runner since joining Gordon Elliott, making all of the running to land the Grade 1 Betway Top Novices’ Hurdle at last year’s Aintree Grand National meeting.
Following an early departure in the Galway Hurdle in July, having been sent off favourite, the now seven-year-old had his first start over the larger obstacles when returning from a late-summer break at Killarney on Monday afternoon.
Taking up his customary front-running role in the Avenue Hotel Beginners Chase, Jack Kennedy’s task was simplified when his main rival Raya Time came to grief, as the son of Maresca Sorrento eased to a 31-length defeat of Port Rashid, justifying his price of 1/5 favourite.
“He is a very high class horse so you would be hoping that all he would have to do is jump around and he did that very well. He was a little bit long at the last down the back alright but he has plenty of scope and put in a great round of jumping, so we are looking forward to him in better races now,” said the winning rider.
“He was very relaxed today but he does like to get on with things and that suits him, he enjoys running that way. Even if he did get a bit lit up I wasn’t going to be too worried about taking him back.
“He won a point-to-point and even the way he jumped hurdles he was a bit brave, he was always going to be better over a fence and he had schooled well at home so I was looking forward to riding him.
“Gordon (Elliott) will place him now and hopefully I will be on his back again anyway. I think he will be a very good two-mile chaser and I think he will take a bit of beating in those two-mile chases.”
Easy - Grade 1 winner Felix Desjy warms to his task and strikes in nice style first-time up over fences for @gelliott_racing at @KillarneyRaces @jackkennedy15
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 5, 2020
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