English/Ire
Authoritative Nathaniel Lacy win for Steinberg
Doctor Steinberg landed his first Grade 1 in dominant fashion, travelling keenly at times but delivering decisively in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle.
The six-year-old arrived in Dublin with an unbeaten hurdles record to protect and enhance. He had opened his account in the discipline with a comfortable success at Galway, then took a significant step up in class to land the Grade 2 Tote Guarantee, Never Beaten By SP Navan Novice Hurdle on his most recent start. That form has since been boosted: the four-and-a-half length runner-up Thedeviluno subsequently earned his own Grade 2 honours in the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places River Don Novices' Hurdle.
Yeshil , with Double Green retained rider J J Slevin aboard, set a steady tempo in the early stages. With around six furlongs left in the 2m6f contest, the field remained tightly grouped - no more than six lengths covering them - and Yeshil still dictated. Once the pace lifted, however, the leader faded quickly and the keen-travelling Doctor Steinberg swept into the lead with minimal effort.
As the race developed from the second-last, several key rivals came under pressure. Santo Sospir was ridden along, while Kazansky and Riskaway were also being driven to hold their positions. In contrast, Paul Townend remained composed and largely motionless on Doctor Steinberg, who continued to travel strongly and lengthened clear without visible urging.
Turning for home, Doctor Steinberg widened the gap as those behind toiled. A bold, attacking jump at the last underlined how much he had in hand, and he powered up the run-in to score decisively.
At the line, he was eight lengths clear of Kazansky, with a further six lengths back to third-placed stablemate Love Me Tender. The victory followed the recent pattern of authoritative winners in the race - such as Final Demand and Dancing City - and secured a record-extending eleventh success in the contest for Willie Mullins.
Winning trainer Mullins said: "It was very impressive on that ground, it's very tough.
"Every time we've gone up in trip, he seems to like it. He's out of a Cyborg mare and that's all stamina.
"I think we bought two off Walter (Connors) that year, Kopek Des Bordes and this fella so it's a 100 per cent record in Grade One's which is fantastic.
"It was probably going to the last the first time before he relaxed. There was a horse up his backside everywhere he went and he was very free, but he kept galloping - the fact that he could pull like that and still be galloping at the end of two-miles-six on very tough ground.
"We thought he was a summer horse first so he goes on all sorts of ground, but he seems to be better when he has tougher conditions."
When asked about his credentials for the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle he added: "He does everything right."
Paddy Power cut Doctor Steinberg into 2-1 favouritism from 5-1 for the aforementioned Albert Bartlett, and made him 7-2 joint favourite from 12-1 for the Turners Novices' Hurdle.
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