Outlander’s fall lets Alelchi Inois in to take win at Clonmel

Alelchi Inois looked a fortunate winner of the Clonmel Oil Chase after Outlander took a crashing fall at the final fence.

Outlander – having his second start for Gordon Elliott since leaving Willie Mullins – appeared to have done everything right in the race.

He travelled sweetly for Bryan Cooper behind the strong pace set by Dromnea and hit the front going to the second last.

Around three lengths clear running down to the final fence, Cooper asked for a long one but Outlander put down and took a heavy fall. Thankfully, Cooper and Outlander were both quickly on their feet.

Alelchi Inois – sent off the 2 to 1 favourite under Ruby Walsh – was booked for no better than fourth turning into the straight but had begun to stay on strongly and was left in front after the last, coming home five lengths clear of Clarcam.

Let down

Monksland was once more let down by his jumping, staying on too late into third.

“I don’t know if it was all over, I’ll have to watch it again,” said Walsh. “I was picking up well, but I don’t know how much Bryan had left. Willie thinks we were lucky and he’s usually a good judge.

“He likes good ground so he’s limited through the summer but that was a good performance.” Mullins said: “We had fortune on our side and he was probably jumping a bit slow for that type of contest, but he jumped safe and it paid off in the end.

“The rain probably hadn’t soaked into it yet being the first race on the track and everything played into his hands.”

Boylesports introduced the winner at 33 to 1 for the Randox Grand National, and Mullins added: “We might go out in trip with him. We were thinking about going the cross-country route, but possibly the Aintree National is an option next year.

“After his run in Italy we were happy he’d stay and he wants further than that (two and a half miles) – the reason we were going cross-country was to get better ground on those tracks.

“Once the ground turns we won’t have much for him.”

Westerner Lady returned to winning ways in the EBF TA Morris Memorial Mares Chase to give Mullins and Walsh a quickfire big-race double.

Having lost for the first time in seven races last time out, the six-year-old had to fight really hard to get her head back in front. She flew the last when needed to and the even-money favourite held off Thanks For Tea by half a length.