Vanillier put up a big performance as he ran out a wide-margin winner of the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle as the race went the way of Irish point-to-point graduates for the fourth year in a row.
The six-year-old, who won a Dromahane maiden for Sam Curling, was partnered by Mark Walsh, deputising for the injured Jonathan Moore who also missed Flooring Porter’s victory in yesterday’s Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle and the pair went on to record an impressive 11-length victory over fellow pointer Oscar Elite, who had also finished behind him in his point-to-point.
Cromwell said: “I wasn’t sure how he was going to act on that better ground; he’s been running on heavy ground in Ireland all year, and he’s quite a slow horse, but Mark [Walsh] said he travelled with loads of enthusiasm today.
“He lined him up good and handy, because we thought he might struggle to travel early, but he showed an extra gear there that he hasn’t shown before, and we know he stays really well.
“I’m not surprised he’s won, but I am surprised by the manner he’s done it in. The ground at Christmas at Limerick [when Vanillier finished second to Farouk D’Alene] was absolutely knee-deep and he got a little bit lost in the middle part of the race and stayed on very well at the finish.
“He subsequently had a small wind op, and went to the Dublin Racing Festival and ran no race. All my horses seemed not to run well at all there - they came home and they just weren’t right - but he’s bounced back great.
“He’s more than likely going to go straight to chasing next year. He’s a proper staying chaser.”
Colin Tizzard, trainer of runner-up Oscar Elite, who like Monkfish had started his career with Cormac Doyle, said: “He’ll be a lovely horse for next year, when he’s a bit older. We put the tongue tie on today because we need all of the help we can get, and I don’t think it ever has a negative effect.”
Jockey Jonjo O’Neill Junior added: “I’m delighted with that. That’s the kind of horse we thought he was and I don’t think there’s any fluke about it. It’s very hard to win around here but he’s run a very good race and he’s got what it takes to make a smashing chaser. He’s a lovely horse to look forward to.”
