Place De La Nation makes winning start at Thurles

Last season’s Triumph Hurdle fifth Place De La Nation made odds-on backers sweat before eventually getting the job done on her seasonal reappearance at Thurles.

On the strength of her fine performance in finishing on the heels of the likes of Poniros, Lulamba and East India Dock at the Cheltenham Festival in March, the Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old was the 1-5 favourite to open her account in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle.

It was not entirely plain sailing for the French import, with Paul Townend having to get to work early in the home straight and particularly after the final flight, but Place De La Nation did respond to his urgings to get the better of Divaboriva by a length and a half.

Paddy Power pushed the winner’s odds for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham to 25-1 from 16-1, but Townend believes she will improve.

He said: “She knuckled down and class probably got her through in the end. She was jumping so well early, but I wasn’t able to use my ace card as I didn’t want to let her on, and to potentially then give her a proper grueller of a race.

“She took a couple of blows, but she handled the ground nicely and stayed the trip well. There is improvement in her and she jumps like a buck.

“Ideally you wouldn’t want to run this far on her first run back, but the race was there for her and there is a suitably sound surface here.”

Eagle Fang (7-1) looks set to have his sights raised after making a successful start to his career over fences in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase under Philip Byrnes.

Gary Bannon, assistant to winning trainer Bill Durkan, said: “Last year he was a four-year-old stepping into open company so we knew it would be tough, but he stepped up to the mark. He didn’t win a race but ran some good races.

“He hadn’t done a whole pile of schooling over fences and it has only been in the last few weeks that we decided to try it. He isn’t a big horse, but has a massive heart and is the best horse we have. He is our Tiger Roll and he could go for one of the Grade One novices now over Christmas.

“Three miles won’t bother him and I said to Bill yesterday that I’d love to run him in an Irish National.”

Henry de Bromhead and Darragh O’Keeffe combined to land the William Hill Each Way Extra Challenge Series Handicap Chase with 6-1 joint-favourite Stoneyford Lady, who was carrying the colours of owner Declan Landy made famous by Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Captain Guinness.

“Declan has been very patient with her and while she was entitled to win over hurdles, we didn’t so it was nice to see her win that,” said De Bromhead.

Reflecting on Captain Guinness’ disappointing return to action in the rearranged Fortria Chase at Navan on Sunday, the trainer added: “He is a bit in-and-out nowadays and pulled up in that race last year, having won it the two previous years.

“He has been fine since and hopefully he just hated the ground there. He’ll run wherever we get a bit of nice ground.”