Trainer Elliott takes two Grade One Leopardstown wins
Trainer Gordon Elliott takes two Grade One wins on the second day of racing at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival as jockey Sam Ewing takes secures victories in two of the major races of the day.
Solness and Skylight Hustle secured wins in the Grace One races on day two of the Christmas Festival at Leopardstown on Saturday.
Solness (8-1) repeated his victory of 12 months ago in the Club Chase Steeplechase as he edged out Marine Nationale (2-1) by half a length.
The two horses were involved in a thrilling four-way battle at the front as they jumped the final fence, with Sam Ewing's mount proving an effective frontrunner for trainer Joseph O'Brien.
Having his first race of the season, Barry Connell-trained Marine Nationale overcame the setback of hitting the third of the 11 fences, with jockey Sean Flanagan doing well to stay in the saddle and then get his horse into contention on the run-in.
"He's tough as nails and he loves racing at Leopardstown," winning trainer O'Brien told RTE after the race.
Pre-race favourite Majborough (6-4) finished third.
Meanwhile Skylight Hustle took full advantage after Talk The Talk fell at the final fence to clinch a success in the two-mile Novices Hurdle.
Jack Kennedy had moved the eventual winner stylishly into contention but his mount looked booked for second when Joseph O'Brien's challenger quickened impressively to lead by half a length going to the last.
Just as Ewing was poised to be beneficiary of two Grade Ones on the card stepping in for the concussed JJ Slevin, Talk The Talk landed too steeply and was unable to keep his balance.
That misfortune left the 3-1 favourite to come home with five lengths to spare over Carrigmoornaspruce (12-1), with Love Me Tender (4-1) in third.
"The horse travelled like a dream the whole way and jumped like a buck," Elliott said on RTE.
"I thought looking at it live that we were beat, but when I looked at the re-run, I wasn't sure [with] the way my lad galloped from the last to the line.
"Jack said when he came in 'I can't guarantee I would have won but I definitely wasn't beat'. He said he really liked the way he went from the last to the line.
"It happened to us yesterday [when El Cairos fell when in front at the last] but that's why it's called jump racing.
"He's a good horse and I think he'll stay further as well. I'd imagine he'll come back here for the Dublin Racing Festival."