Footpad has now put up an impressive start to his campaign with an overlapping victory ay Thurles in the Boomerang.ie Chase on November 21st.
The seven-year-old horse will be looking like the next superstar for the Willie Mullins team, who has been his trainer, after achieving victories in his five starts as a beginner over fences two campaigns ago – having put up quite an impressive performance in the Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival.
He was unable to reignite his impressive form last season as he put up three poor performances, and he was reported to have been on a recovery track when he reappeared in Count Tripperary, where he did not let the crowd down on his return to the season. Supporters should be checking out Winners Enclosure for the best odds when the seven-year-old takes on another race or for another race and many more.
Given a 8-11 favorite to win, Footpad was settled in the third position for most of the race, which was a two-mile-six-furlong journey, while Jetz and Balko Des Flos, who won the 2018 Ryanair Chase, compete over the lead.
With the Footpad always jumping when travelling through the tracks with so much skills, in no time he took the lead swiftly with no uproar.
Having taken the lead from Jetz and Des Flos, Mala Beach came from behind to try put up a challenge to Footpad, who showed no signs of leaving the number one spot as he gracefully passed the post with some 10 lengths space to the second.
Daryl Jacob, who rode Footpad, said after the win via Sky Sports: “It is lovely to see the horse back on the racetrack and he had plenty of enthusiasm and jumped and travelled very, very well. It’s a great starting point for him and he never missed a beat the whole way around.
“Today’s trip wasn’t a problem for him and ideally going a little bit quicker early door would have suited him, but he is nice and fresh and it was good to see a performance like that this early in the year.
“It was mission accomplished today.”
