'It's brilliant to get him back' - Allaho returns with power-packed performance in Clonmel Oil Chase

Dual Ryanair Chase winner Allaho returned from an 18-month spell off the track to deliver a typically power-packed performance in the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase under Paul Townend, shaping as if his top-class engine could well be still intact despite suffering a serious injury earlier this year.

The nine-year-old was last seen blitzing a top-class field of chasers by 14 lengths in the Punchestown Gold Cup 561 days ago, adding a fourth Grade 1 success to his CV.

The Willie Mullins-trained gelding suffered from a bleed on his spleen which ruled him out of action last season, but he showed himself to be firmly back on track at the Tipperary venue, travelling and jumping with his usual vigour en route to a cosy nine-length success over stablemate Janidil.

Townend dictated affairs on the 1-4 shot from flagfall and, although he showed a slight tendency to drift left in the early stages, he was assured and precise at the majority of his fences. After getting in slightly tight to an obstacle, he demonstrated his trademark power and agility when clearing the final two fences on the first circuit in superb fashion.

He subsequently greedily hunted down each obstacle, skipping over them like he'd never been away. Townend allowed his mount to stretch a shade clear before they turned for home and it was clear that Mark Walsh and Janidil didn't have the necessary gear to get remotely within striking range. Two more typically dynamic leaps followed at the final two fences and Townend pushed his mount out to record a dominant victory in energy-sapping conditions.

Allaho and Paul Townend in action in the Clonmel Oil ChaseCredit: Patrick McCann

Janidil stuck to his task admirably to claim second, while the John Ryan-trained Grange Walk finished a remote third to complete the trio of runners after French Dynamite was declared a non-runner by trainer Mouse Morris earlier in the day.

It was a case of job done as far as Townend was concerned. He said: "I suppose he was a bit rusty early on. He had a look at the first couple of fences but I wasn't going to start revving him up that early. It was straightforward and it was job done back on the track.

"When I grabbed hold of him, he jumped straight. He's a big horse to try to organise and you kind of just let him do his thing. He's massive and I was chatting to Rachael [Blackmore] not that long ago as she won the Ryanair [in 2021] on him as well – he just covers so much ground. You would think you're just lobbing along but he puts a lot of horses under pressure. He's just a big animal and it's brilliant to get him back.

"The engine looks to be still there. Willie can make a plan for him now he's back. It's hard work out there and every horse is finishing tired today and he was entitled to given he was off the track so long. He took a blow so there's plenty to work on."

Paddy Power trimmed Allaho into 7-2 (from 4-1) in his bid to land a third Ryanair Chase, while he remains unchanged at 7-1 for the King George VI Chase with the same firm.

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