Son Of Walk In The Park Captures Drinmore Novice Chase

Croke Park (6g Walk In The Park – Toledana, by Protektor) came out on top in a thrilling finish to Sunday’s Grade 1 Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse.

Bought for £400,000 after winning a four-year-old maiden for Denis Murphy, Gordon Elliott’s recruit won a Grade 3 over hurdles and was last seen making a winning chase debut at Fairyhouse last month. The Gigginstown-owned gelding was partnered by Sam Ewing on Sunday and made all of the running. Ridden when challenged two out, he dug deep on the run-in to win by a neck, with another short head back to the favourite Firefox (Walk In The Park) in third.

“Sam gave him a great ride,” the winning trainer said. “Those are the races you want to see, where there are four or five within a couple of lengths jumping the last.”

The win saw Croke Park shorten in price for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Bred by AV Bloodstock, the son of Walk In The Park is a brother to Grade 1-winning hurdler Farren Glory (Fame And Glory).