Fairyhouse report: Imagine makes polished start over fences

Gordon Elliott’s Imagine looks set to go on to bigger and better things judged on a successful start to his career over fences in the opening race at Fairyhouse on Tuesday.

The Punchestown bumper winner won only one of his six hurdling starts last season, but was placed in Graded and Listed company and was not beaten far when fifth in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

He faced a far from straightforward task in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase, with Paul Nolan’s Albert Bartlett third Sandor Clegane and the talented Inothewayurthinkin from Gavin Cromwell’s yard both in opposition.

Jack Kennedy sent 9-4 favourite Imagine into the lead from the off, though, and some accurate jumping kept the pressure on his rivals in behind.

After seeing off his long-time pursuer Sandor Clegane, who can be expected to go back up in trip next time, Inothewayurthinkin charged home from an uncompromising position after the final fence, but Imagine was well on top as he passed the post with two and a half lengths in hand.

Of the winner, Elliott said: “It was a good performance, I was happy with him. I thought there would be plenty of improvement in him.

“Jack said he had a good blow going to the second-last. He jumped well and he’s not a bad horse.

“We might look at something like the Craddockstown at Punchestown. I’d say there is improvement in him.

“He ran to a good level last year and he can go up a bit in trip.”

Elliott doubled up with the Robcour-owned Absolute Notions, who landed odds of 1-12 under 5lb claimer Danny Gilligan in the Fairyhouse Membership 2024 Hurdle.

“To be honest, he’d probably have done more going around the gallop at home, but it was a nice opportunity for him,” the trainer added.

“He’ll have an entry in the Lismullen Hurdle and we’ll see what it’s like.”

An Tobar also carried the Robcour colours to victory on his rules debut for Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore in the Winter Festival 2nd & 3rd December Maiden Hurdle.

A wide-margin point-to-point winner in January of last year, the six-year-old was the 8-13 favourite for his first outing since and was not hard pressed to score by four and a quarter lengths.

“He’s been doing everything nicely at home. He got a little bit of a setback last year, so we had to ease off him,” said De Bromhead’s representative Robbie Power.

“He’s a big horse and in the long run it might have been the best thing that ever happened to him, to give him a bit of time to develop and grow into himself.

“We were hoping he’d go and do that today. We’ll have a look at options but he’ll be put into the Royal Bond and there is also the two-and-a-half-mile novice hurdle at Navan.

“It’s nice to get that out of the way.”