Irish Daily Star Salutes Our Frontline Heroes Chase report: The Storyteller wins at Punchestown

Matt Brocklebank · Tipster

Last Updated

16:03 · October 14, 2020 · 3 min read

The Storyteller put his match-sharpness to good use with a convincing victory in Punchestown’s feature Irish Daily Star Salutes Our Frontline Heroes Chase.

Runner-up in the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival in March, Gordon Elliott’s experienced nine-year-old was having his fifth start of the current campaign including two victories at Galway before a good second to Easy Game in Grade Two company at Gowran Park just 11 days ago.

Taking a slight drop in class and step up in trip for this three-mile Grade Three, the chestnut was ridden patiently by Keith Donoghue and crept into the contest from the home turn.

With three to jump he had old warriors Jett and Alpha Des Obeaux to aim at but Tout Est Permis was also travelling sweetly and the grey swept to the front.

He took the second last with an advantage but The Storyteller was only just moving into top gear and ultimately breezed past Noel Meade’s charge and, after a bold jump at the last fence, galloped away to justify 2/1 favouritism by seven and a half lengths.

The winner’s stablemate and former Grade One winner Shattered Love ran on from an unpromising position to take third.

Elliott who said: “He was getting all the allowances and he was fit, but he won well.

“If you go back to the Pertemps Hurdle form he was second and the second horse (Tout Est Permis) was third.

“Keith was good on him. He said he was going to drop him in, take his time and have one go on him.

“He’s a great money-spinner and I wouldn’t mind having a few more like him. He’ll probably go to the north now (for the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal).

“I could see him running over hurdles as well so we’ll mix and match with him.”

Rest of the meeting…

Eskylane had earlier extended Elliott’s excellent recent record in the Sherry Fitzgerald Brady O’Flaherty Maiden Hurdle.

Cheltenham Festival winners Labaik and Samcro won successive renewals for the team in 2016 and 2017, and Eskylane was the 8/11 favourite to follow suit on his first start since finishing fifth in last season’s Champion Bumper.

It was not entirely plain sailing for odds-on backers, with Eskylane displaying a tendency to hang under Donoghue, but he managed to hold the persistent challenge of Gabynako at bay by half a length.

“I’d say he probably wants two and a half miles. He has a bit of age, but he is still raw and a big baby,” said Elliott.

“He’ll step up in grade and could go to Navan for the Monksfield Novice Hurdle.”

Zarkareva (5/1) claimed Grade Three honours in the Idealgraphix.ie Branding Irish Racecourses Novice Chase.

A runaway winner at Sligo last month, Henry de Bromhead’s filly successfully stepped up in class as she came from last to first under Dylan Robinson and passed the post just over two lengths clear of Polished Steel, with hot favourite A Wave Of The Sea a close-up third.

“She gave me a great feel and when I asked her to quicken, she winged the last and did it all very easily,” said Robinson.

“Her jumping got better as the race went on. I was very impressed with her.”