Another shock result as 22-1 Croke Park lands Grade 1 Drinmore in thrilling four-way finish

It was one of those days; well, for a while. Croke Park was the outsider of the quintet in the Drinmore Novice Chase at 22-1, but he followed winners at 10-1, 33-1, 10-1 and 12-1 on the day when tenaciously fending off his four rivals under Sam Ewing.

It was probably the result Gordon Elliott least expected, too. Firefox was evens to supply an eighth win in the Drinmore, the race which provided the trainer with the first of his 97 Grade 1 wins when Jessies Dream scored in 2010, but he had to settle for third after being outbattled after the last.

Croke Park really wanted it and his stamina kicked in to repel the late surge of the 155-rated Heart Wood, who was having his final start in novice company, by a neck. There was just a short head to Firefox in third, and half a length further back to Gorgeous Tom in fourth.

Less than a length separated the first four home. It was a thrilling climax, although it might be worth applying a pinch of salt to the form.

Croke Park prevailed in an exciting finish to the Drinmore, with the first four home covered by just a length

Croke Park: toughs it out in the DrinmoreCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Elliott said: "Croke Park has been disappointing up until now, to be honest, and he wasn't cheap, but thankfully he's got his Grade 1 now.

"He probably won an average enough beginners' chase here the last day and I didn't know if the form was good enough, but that's why I run them in these races. Sometimes people say I shouldn't run as many, but if you're not in you can't win and that's what racing is about. This lad was 22-1."

He added: "Sam gave him a great ride and those are the races you want to see, where there are four or five within a couple of lengths jumping the last.

"They went steady but it was a great race. I thought Henry's horse (Heart Wood) would make the running and that Sam would sit second, but with those jockeys, if you are telling them what to do, you are telling them wrong. I just leave it to themselves."

Sam Ewing returns to the winner's enclosure on Croke ParkCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

There were eyebrows raised when Ewing wasn't switched to Firefox, as was the case with Teahupoo when Jack Kennedy was ruled out after breaking his leg for a sixth time on Saturday, but instead Keith Donoghue got the call-up for the hot favourite.

Elliott said: "[Owner] Michael [O'Leary] had asked if I wanted Sam to get off Croke Park and on Firefox, but I didn't think it was fair as both owners have a lot of horses in my yard. You have to be fair to every owner and I just didn't feel it was the right thing to take him off Croke Park. Sam might have been disappointed, but that's the game we're in and you saw what happened."

Ewing said: "I'm blessed to fall in to ride these horses but I'm absolutely gutted for Jack; he's my best friend. Hopefully, he won't be out for too long."

Croke Park was cut to 16-1 (from 50s) for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, while Firefox drifted to 12-1 for the Arkle with William Hill. A return to two miles is likely for him.

Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Cheltenham, March 12)
bet365: 5 Ballyburn, 10 Dancing City, Majborough, The Jukebox Man, 12 Better Days Ahead, 14 Caldwell Potter, Quai De Bourbon 16 Croke Park, Impaire Et Passe, 20 bar

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