Relieved Of Duties
There was a lot to like about the performance that Relieved Of Duties put up in winning the beginners' chase that opened proceedings at Fairyhouse on Saturday. Quickly into a nice racing and jumping rhythm for Jack Kennedy behind his main market rival Full Of Life, his jumping was very good for a chasing debutant. He moved up to join the leader at the second last fence, hit the front on the run to the last, and kept on well up the run-in to win nicely, probably with more in hand over a useful rival than that bare one-and-a-half-length winning margin, with the pair of them finishing nicely clear of their rivals.
You couldn't have asked for much more from Gordon Elliott's horse on his chasing bow. A point-to-point winner for Denis Murphy, he did well last season as a novice hurdler, he was impressive in winning his maiden at Cork in December and he wasn't beaten far by subsequent Grade 1 Top Novice Hurdle winner Salvator Mundi in the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Hurdle at Punchestown in January, when he travelled best of all around the home turn. His season petered out a little after that, and he was well beaten in the Galway Hurdle, but he was rated 134 at his peak over hurdles and, on this evidence, there is every chance that he can go even higher over fences. He will be of interest wherever he goes next, stepped up in grade. He can handle softer ground too.
Fairyhouse, 11th October 2025
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