Image © Healy Racing
Ryehill certainly put himself in the Cheltenham picture when he came out on top of a competitive edition of the QuinnBet Hunter Chase at Naas on Saturday.
Ryehill certainly put himself in the Cheltenham picture when he came out on top of a competitive edition of the QuinnBet Hunter Chase at Naas on Saturday.
Sent off as a 6/1 shot having chased home the former Cheltenham Festival-winning mare Angels Dawn at Dromahane on his seasonal re-appearance, Lee Shanahan had initially jumped off towards the rear of the field as it was the outsider King Alex who brought the field along.
That 66/1 shot was joined by the Down Royal victor Big Interest by the fourth fence, with Barry O’Neill’s mount going on six fences later.
As the race began to develop along the side of the track, the eventual winner almost came a cropper at the third-last obstacle, where a bad error here saw him almost part company with his rider, but they were able to maintain the partnership and swiftly loomed as a big threat in the home straight.
Striking the front after the penultimate fence, the eight-year-old found plenty for pressure as he opened up his advantage on the climb to the line, ultimately returning 12 lengths clear of the former Munster National winner Ontheropes.
Last year’s victor could only manage third on his second start of the campaign, with Big Interest weakening into fourth.
This was a second victory under rules for the improving bay on just his fourth outing on the track, having won a maiden hunter chase at Cork by 17 lengths, and his locally based handler Ross O’Sullivan will now target him at the St James’ Place Hunter Chase in Prestbury Park next month.
