With racing abandoned on Saturday at Newcastle due to the weather, champion Constitution Hill’s seasonal reappearance was postponed.
The remaining Group 1 was run at Fairyhouse on Sunday, the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, headlined by the seasonal return of last year’s Champion Novice hurdler Impaire Et Passe.
The unbeaten Willie Mullins runner was having his first start out of novice company and eased in the betting at race-time from 4/7 to 4/5.
Jack Kennedy was seen at his brilliant best aboard Teahupoo (Pic – Racing TV)
The six-year-old Teahupoo who had ended the great mare Honeysuckle’s 16-race winning sequence in this contest last season was the well backed 2/1 second favourite.
Stable jockey Jack Kennedy was seen at his brilliant best aboard the year-older second favourite.
First of all, despite the pace being slower than ideal for a proven stayer, Kennedy dropped his mount out so he could monitor the tactics of Paul Townend on the favourite.
He soon ascertained that Impaire Et Passe was racing in Townend’s hands, so after the second flight he advanced Teahupoo on to the favourite’s girth.
Suddenly Townend’s job became a lot harder as Impaire Et Passe fought for his head. In contrast, Teahupoo was lobbing along calmly, and thereafter Kennedy never gave Townend a moment’s peace.
When the pacemaker dropped away three out, Impaire Et Passe was left in front, and Kennedy could be seen hard at work on Teahupoo intent on staying right along-side the Mullins runner. In effect, making him race all the way home from four furlongs out.
In a contest that should not have been run to suit Teahupoo, he manipulated matters in his favour, with his mount Teahupoo outstaying Impaire Et Passe to win by a length.
“The plan is to go straight for the Stayers’ Hurdle now,” trainer Gordon Elliott confirmed.
Kennedy certainly enjoyed it. He was animated crossing the line, knowing full well he had seized another major scalp.
“Paul looked to be on it a bit and I was pushing him along a bit trying to make him do as much as he could,” he admitted. “I made sure I pressed him on early turning into the straight because my lad stays.”
“I enjoy riding this lad,” he said. “He gave me a great day here last year and I got a great thrill out of this.”
