Cilaos Emery
It was great to see Cilaos Emery back, and he looked very good in winning the Grade 3 Poplar Square Chase. He travelled and jumped well through his race for Paul Townend, he took up the running from Ornua at the second last fence, and came clear over the last and up the run-in.
It was a fine performance from Willie Mullins' horse, to beat Ornua as easily as this. He was getting 11lb from Ornua, but Henry de Bromhead's horse is a 154-rated horse, a Maghull Chase winner who goes well fresh, and the winning time was good. It was an ideal start to the season.
Cilaos Emery is unlucky, in that he won his beginners' chase at Gowran Park last January before he was ruled out for the season, so he is not a novice now this season, despite the fact that he had raced just once over fences before Saturday. But he is a classy horse, he may well be able to compete in open company at the highest level this season, despite his inexperience. He was seriously impressive in winning that beginners' chase, when he had subsequent Arkle winner Duc Des Genievres behind him in third. He won the Grade 1 Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in 2017, and he could take a high rank among the leading two-mile chasers this season.
Naas, 9th November 2019
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