Jungle Boogie rallies to deny 2-5 favourite Classic Getaway in Grade 3

Henry de Bromhead landed the Grade 3 Savills New Year's Day Chase for the second year running as Jungle Boogie fought back valiantly to deny 2-5 favourite Classic Getaway.

Despite just turning ten, this was only the winner's fifth start and his second for the yard. He made his debut for Willie Mullins, landing all three starts for the stable and confirming himself an exciting prospect when running away with a Fairyhouse beginners chase on New Year's Day 2022.

Since then, the Malcolm Denmark-owned gelding has suffered his share of problems and he was not seen for 708 days before returning in the Hilly Way at Cork last month for his new yard, when he was beaten 15 lengths into fourth by Champion Chase favourite El Fabiolo over an inadequate trip.

Darragh O'Keeffe was determined to adopt more positive tactics over this longer trip and he led from the outset aboard the 10-1 shot, but his mount threatened to give up the lead at the fifth fence when he took an extra half-stride on approach and hit the obstacle hard. He seemed to shrug off the error and continued to bowl along at the head of affairs, tracked by the Willie Mullins-trained pair of Classic Getaway and Bronn.

Jungle Boogie and Classic Getaway had pulled a long way clear coming to two out and the favourite appeared to gain the upper hand as he jumped the fence with a length advantage and forged on by a couple between the final two. 

However, he began to wilt in the testing conditions while O'Keeffe galvanised his mount to renew his challenge and they jumped the last in unison before Jungle Boogie hit the front, grittily maintaining a length advantage at the line. The Gordon Elliott-trained Minella Crooner finished with a rattle, half a length behind Classic Getaway in third.

O'Keeffe said: "He was very good. Henry said to jump out and make the running. He jumped very well apart from the fence at the top of the hill when I gave him a squeeze and he kind of put down on me but other than that, he was really good. 

The jockey and trainer combination had finished runner-up in the first three races on the card so victory provided a welcome change of fortune.

"I'm delighted to win this race and I needed that as I had three seconds earlier on today! When I saw Danny [Mullins] coming to me, I said not again but thankfully my horse rallied and got back in front," added O'Keeffe. 

"When you go back and watch his run at Cork, he wasn't beaten that far against the best of the two-milers in Ireland. He stayed on really well and for a horse that wants a trip, he travelled well. He won today but I felt the track was plenty tight for him as he's a big horse. 

"Danny is tactically brilliant and every time I jumped on, I tried to slow it down and Danny was pressing me. Henry was adamant to go a nice gallop and he won his beginners doing that as well. For a ten-year-old, he's only had five runs and only been beaten once so he obviously has loads of ability."

Betfair introduced the winner into the Gold Cup market at 33-1.

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