Exotic Dancer makes lap of honour

Between the pain in his back, and the one in his backside, it is easy to excuse Exotic Dancer his procrastination in formally decorating his career at the top with a Grade One success. He has had to cope with chronic lumbar problems, and perhaps a still greater misfortune in being foaled the very same month as Kauto Star. For once, however, neither was an issue here yesterday, and he duly ran away with the Lexus Chase by 20 lengths.

If he owed that emphatic margin – if not the prize itself – to the departure of Neptune Collonges at the second last, then not even Paul Nicholls will begrudge those who have had to wait so long for this moment. Back in March, of course, Nicholls had saddled Neptune Collonges to complete a 1-2-3 for his stable in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham. Exotic Dancer finished fifth, his training schedule having again been interrupted by ligament trouble, but his long-term nemesis has been the runner-up that day, Kauto Star – without whom he would have won both the Gold Cup and the King George VI Chase the previous season.

Little wonder, then, if connections this time elected to stop banging their heads against a brick wall, and allowed Kauto Star his latest lap of honour round Kempton unmolested. Instead they saw their opportunity in the present dearth of staying chasers in Ireland, and were rewarded with such an unfettered exhibition that they could even wonder whether he might yet avenge himself on Kauto Star on the stage that matters most.

Tony McCoy, gratefully excused his contractual obligations to Glenfinn Captain, detached Exotic Dancer at the rear despite the early fall of The Listener, which left Ruby Walsh free to dictate the pace at his leisure on Neptune Collonges. Leaving the back straight, Exotic Dancer closed so easily that McCoy reckoned he could have done without Walsh's departure, which might conceivably have left him exposed in front. But the chances are he might have had too much pace for Neptune Collonges, albeit that horse still had a couple of lengths in hand and will always keep up the gallop. Either way, Exotic Dancer showed no inclination to idle this time, and left War Of Attrition toiling meekly in his wake.

McCoy was especially delighted for Jonjo O'Neill, suggesting that he would compete far better with the likes of Nicholls if only he had more horses of this calibre in his care. "This horse has been a bit unlucky. Frustrating would be a good word," O'Neill said. "He settled better today, compared with Haydock last time, and jumped real well. You never know what would have happened, had the other horse stayed on his feet, but you always need a bit of luck – and we got ours today."

O'Neill trains the horse for Sir Robert Ogden, whose racing manager, Barry Simpson, indicated that a return here for the Hennessy Gold Cup in February was one logical route back to the Festival. Others include the Aon Chase and the Cotswold Chase, though Star De Mohaison – trained for Ogden by Nicholls – will also have to be accommodated following his rejuvenated display at Cheltenham earlier in the month.

Walsh had already won two races, and even emerges from an anti-climax such as this with a touch of flair. Snowy Morning, representing his other chief patron in Willie Mullins, also came down two out and Walsh seized the reins, hauled himself aboard and escorted the horse back to safety, standing up in the irons like a cavalryman on the charge.

This was a rare blemish at the meeting for Mullins, who took his score to six through Kempes and Imperial Hills. "I'm a bit worried the horses are coming into form too early," he grinned. "Normally we're not in this sort of form until mid-February. I just hope they last the rest of the season."

It was not a flippant point. As a rule, it is Noel Meade who tends to dominate at Christmas, but his horses are seldom so formidable come Cheltenham in March. Mullins, conversely, has always seemed to work backwards from the Festival, but already he houses the three leading young hurdlers in Ireland. Mikael D'Haguenet recently brought Meade's young star, Pandorama, down to earth with a bump at Navan, while Hurricane Fly and Cousin Vinny have both impressed at this meeting. Their trainer confessed himself baffled as to why his horses should be getting ahead of themselves. "I don't know," he shrugged. "Maybe we're just getting better at the job."

Meade has been laid out for several days with back trouble, but did manage a Grade One success of his own when Casey Jones gamely ended Trafford Lad's unbeaten record over fences in the Knight Frank Novice Chase. It was a 25-1 turn-up but Dusty Sheehy, trainer of Trafford Lad, was adamant that the favourite had not failed for stamina, but simply idled after leading too early.

Today Meade is represented in the meeting's final big race by Aitmatov and Muirhead, but both would appear to have their work cut out against those seasoned champions Hardy Eustace, Brave Inca and Sublimity – never mind Sizing Europe, who remains one of the more plausible among the next generation of hurdlers. Unfortunately Sizing Europe has bruised a foot and Henry de Bromhead will only decide this morning whether he can take his chance.