Kappa Jy Pyke leads all the way to land Clonmel Oil Chase

Willie Mullins registered his fifth straight win in the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase and his 11th success overall in the event at Powerstown Park last Thursday when Kappa Jy Pyke, the 2/9 favourite, successfully made every yard of the running to capture the spoils for the husband and wife duo of Richard and Michele Varmen from Cheshire in England.

The champion trainer had been expected to rely on last year’s winner Il Etait Temps but he was withdrawn from the feature event. Jockey Paul Townend switched to Kappa Jy Pyke instead and the partnership led throughout, sealing the issue with a good jump at the last for a comfortable one and three-quarter length success over Herja.

Said Patrick Mullins of the winner, “He’s a top-class horse who beat Salvator Mundi last year and also finished second in the WillowWarm Gold Cup.

“The Clonmel Oil Chase is a prestigious race, worth a lot of money to the winner so it’s brilliant for Richard and Michele as he’s their only horse. They hacked around, sprinted up the straight and any mistake at the last two fences would have meant ‘curtains’ but he was brave and jumped very well. He didn’t have a hard race of it and is very versatile ground-wise going forward.

“He could go to Sandown now for the Tingle Creek Chase but that could also be too quick for Il Etait Temps so we’ll just wait and see. The Hilly Way Chase at Cork is also there but Majborough could run in that so it will be Willie’s decision.”

Sean Connolly’s wife Therese, accompanied by Clonmel Oil’s general manager Declan Browne and Rory O’Dowd of Circle K, made the trophy presentation to Mr and Mrs Varmen and Kappa Jy Pyke’s jockey Paul Townend. Therese was later joined on the podium by her daughter Sile Condon and several of her grandchildren, including Riain Connolly who works in sales at Clonmel Oil; Rory, Keavy, Corey and Brady Condon, and Ria and Holly Kenny. A good time was had by all.

Dinoblue, winner of the Mares Chase at Cheltenham for the last two years, was a significant withdrawal from the listed T.A. Morris Memorial Irish EBF Mares Chase due to a temperature and that left the way clear for A Snow White Park, from the Mags Mullins yard, to complete her hat-trick over fences and her second success at black-type level, with a game front-running performance under the trainer’s son Danny.

A Snow White is owned by Molly and Paul Willis and new Scottish owner Jack Fyffe, and her trainer remarked “People said we were home and hosed but you still have to go out and do it and Danny was delighted with her. She doesn’t want deep winter ground and we’ll judge things as we go.”

Well-known racegoer Sean Dalton, who lives in Tipperary Town and was a former managing director of O’Dwyer Steel, was all smiles after 10/11 shot Rokanako’s comprehensive all-the-way three-quarter length defeat of 300/1 outsider Le Vent D’Ex in the Connolly’s Red Mills Irish EBF Auction and Median Maiden Hurdle.

The five-year-old has been knocking at the door and finally came good at his third attempt over hurdles for the trainer and jockey partnership of Eddie Power and Michael Kenneally. Sent off the 10/11 market leader, Rokanako stayed on well at the finish to reward his owner.

Power commented, “He deserved that as he has good form in winner’s bumpers. He’s a brilliant jumper at home but today he gave away a lot of ground jumping.

“He’s a better ground horse so we might give him a little break now and see what way the winter is. Sean, who is looking forward to seeing how Sunny South West runs for the stable at the Cheltenham meeting in November, would get as much enjoyment out of today as he would at Champions Day in Leopardstown and as the trainer of his horses it’s my job to give him as good an experience as possible.”

The first race, the incident-packed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle went to Gordon Elliott for the second year running, Josh Williamson’s mount Unflinching landing the spoils after the favourite Midtown Manhattan ran out when well in front.

Clonmel’s next meeting is the Jim Strang & Sons Peugeot Hurdle Day on Tuesday December 1, where the first race is due off at 12.20pm. Clonmel Racecourse Supporters Club annual badges for 2027, costing €100 each, are now on sale. Visit www.clonmelraces.ie