LEOPARDSTOWN REPORT: JOCKEY JOHN CULLEN turned into a 12 to 1 Santa Claus for Leopardstown's bookmakers as he forced Follow The Plan past the odds-on favourite Tatenen in an epic finish to the St Stephen's Day feature.
Before the €120,000 Durkan New Homes Novice Chase the only plan most people wanted to follow was to row in behind the British champion trainer Paul Nicholls, who in the morning described Tatenen as a "good thing". Not unreasonably, the view took general hold that what's good enough for Nicholls would do for most everyone else too and Tatenen was heavily backed down to 4 to 6.
With an 11lb age allowance, and a two from two record over fences, the logic for such a gamble looked perfectly reasonable. But logic can be cold comfort when a favourite is under pressure and so it proved as the outsider Follow The Plan emerged best from a prolonged battle with Tatenen up the straight.
"I got a great jump at the last but it's all about winning, especially in a big race like this one," Cullen beamed afterwards.
Bookmaker reaction was to lengthen Tatenen's Arkle odds for Cheltenham out to 5 to 1 and to give Follow The Plan some festival quotes of his own at a general 16 to 1. However, Cheltenham doesn't look like figuring on the Irish horse's plans.
"It's the furthest thing from my mind. You don't know how much travelling can take out of them and they have to settle in: the Powers Gold Cup will be a lot closer to home," said trainer Oliver McKiernan.
If Follow The Plan was a novel Grade One success for his connections then the polar opposite was the case in the day's other top-flight contest, the Juvenile Hurdle, won by Lethal Weapon.
The chestnut carried the JP McManus colours to a decisive victory over the favourite Tharawaat, which provoked bookmakers to cut him to as low as 14 to 1 for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.
"Whether we will go for the Triumph is debatable. We are all wondering if these horses are good enough - we hope they are," said Lethal Weapon's trainer Christy Roche.
Tharawaat's trainer Gordon Elliott was of a similar view but could run his horse in a Grade Three at Punchestown next month. Elliott reported: "He would have liked the ground a little softer. The jump at the last didn't make the difference but it didn't help either."
Nothing looked like it would make a difference in the opening maiden hurdle as the 4 to 9 hotpot Cousin Vinny steamrolled his opposition to win his first race over jumps. The Cheltenham and Punchestown bumper champion tanked through the race and quickened clear of inferior opponents to win under jockey Patrick Mullins. There was enough in it, however, for one firm to go as low as 7 to 2 about the Supreme at the festival.
"The horse jumped fantastic and he fiddled the last which was great to see," said Willie Mullins who praised his son's riding. "It was a big pressure ride for Patrick and he handled it well. He has done nothing wrong on him so far."
Mullins continued his remarkable run of form later in the day as Irish Invader reversed previous form with Savitha by half a length under Paul Townend in the two-mile handicap chase.
