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SIR DES SEES OFF STAR

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...e&sub=&day=Sat

Sir Des Champs finally got the better of Flemenstar to claim Grade One glory in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

The Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old, ridden by Davy Russell, outstayed Peter Casey's stable star, who seemingly failed to last out the three miles despite being held up for most of the journey.

Quel Esprit set the pace in a four-horse affair, but the race developed into a duel between the big two over the last two fences. Andrew Lynch hung on to Flemenstar until after the last, but he could not quicken to go past Sir Des Champs (11-8), who prevailed by a length and three-quarters.

Sir Des Champs is two from two at the Cheltenham Festival and was cut to 9-2 second-favourite with Stan James to make it a hat-trick in the Betfred Gold Cup, for which the Nicky Henderson-trained Bobs Worth is 3-1 favourite.