Etoile regains sparkle
Accordion Etoile got his career back on track and gave Paul Nolan his first Grade One success in the Swordlestown Cup Novice Chase at the Punchestown Festival.
The long-time ante-post favourite for the Arkle Trophy fluffed his lines at Cheltenham when crashing out at the eighth fence before a mistake at Aintree knocked him out of contention in the Maghull Novices’ Chase.
But, not to be defeated, Nolan has schooled the seven-year-old extensively in the last two weeks and it paid off as the well-backed 9-4 chance accounted for 13-8 favourite Justified by two and a half lengths.
The latter was soon in command but just as when landing the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse last week, the mount of Tony McCoy jumped markedly out to his left throughout.
Despite that, Dusty Sheehy’s charge still led the field into the home straight but John Cullen was sitting pretty in behind and unleashed Accordion Etoile heading to the second-last.
The seven-year-old battled past Justified on the run to the last and although McCoy’s mount ploughed through the top of the fence, Accordion Etoile was always going a stride better and redeemed his reputation in fine style.
Nolan said: “The wheels are back on the bike and he’s got a Grade One under his belt now.
“He travelled super and jumped so quickly. I said to John the number one priority was to get round and it all came down to the last and we just got away quicker.
“He’s schooled over hurdles since Aintree and we’ve always thought he was a natural jumper.
“We were thinking we might not have made the right decision to send him over fences but he’s proven himself today and you have to consider if we had kept him over hurdles what would he have won.”
Accordion Etoile’s price was cut for the Queen Mother Champion Chase with VC Bet going 14-1 from 20-1 and William Hill 16-1 from 25-1.
“The Champion Chase is the plan and hopefully he will get his good ground there,” Nolan added.
Cullen was full of praise for the horse and trainer, and said: “It all went great. He travelled well and jumped super. Paul had him in great form.
“We have done a lot of work on his jumping since Aintree and we have always known that he is very good so it is nice to get a big win out of him.”
Sheehy was satisfied with Justified’s performance but conceded his charge is probably in need of a step up in trip.
“The ground was too fast and Tony said he was always on his head,” said Sheehy.
“He probably does want softer ground and will probably want a trip on this faster surface.
“We will step him up in distance next season as he seems to stay well.
“I don’t know if the mistake at the last cost him the race, Tony didn’t think so, but he was coming back at him towards the line.”
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