Heart Wood shines for De Bromhead at Tramore

Heart Wood shone at Tramore to take the O’Driscoll’s Irish Whiskey New Year’s Day Chase for Henry de Bromhead giving him a third win in the race in four years.

The eight-year-old was ridden by Darragh O’Keeffe for owners Robcour and lined up the 2-1 joint-favourite alongside Willie Mullins’ Champ Kiely for the Grade Three.

The winner led from the drop of the tape and gave connections very little to worry about throughout the race, jumping with aplomb and eventually sauntering to an easy eight-and-a-half-length triumph from Ile Atlantique.

De Bromhead said: “That was great. He got a great ride from Darragh and I’m delighted for the Achesons (of Robcour).

“It’s a race we love to try to win and it’s great to get it. He was tough and jumped brilliantly. Darragh said his jumping was electric, short or long.

“I left the tactics up to Darragh. He said if there was pace that he would sit in, and it was just up to whatever he thought.

“He’s had three runs this season and I’d say he’ll miss the Dublin Racing Festival. We’ll see though, we’ll enjoy today. This was a big plan and it’s great to get it.

“He was second in the Ryanair last year but I wouldn’t say for sure that he’ll go there again. We’ll get him home and you’d imagine the Ryanair would be the race for him, but I suppose we have to try him over three miles again sometime.

“We’ll freshen him up now and see. He’s had a great season already and we’re delighted.”

De Bromhead and O’Keeffe were in the money elsewhere during the afternoon, winning the Jimmy Shanahan Memorial Handicap Hurdle with Captain Ryan Matt at 13-8.

Gordon Elliott took the David Flynn Construction Maiden Hurdle with 100-30 shot Stede Bonnet and then won the Ryans Cleaning Services Maiden Hurdle with American Jukebox at 3-1 – both of whom were ridden by Danny Gilligan.

A jockey not seen through the afternoon was Paul Townend, who was replaced on his rides after suffering a fall from Ballygunner Castle at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve.

Mullins said of his stable jockey: “Paul is sore and said he wasn’t going to ride today but hopefully he’ll be back by the weekend.”