Identify Thief lands another Punchestown win

Identify Thief produced another win to extend his unbeaten record over the fences in the Ryans Cleaning Craddockstown Novice Chase at Punchestown.

The 2/5 favourite was made to work throughout as stablemate Ordinary World, outjumped the eventual winner at numerous hurdles before finishing second, with Attribution running on for third.

Despite a lack of fluency over the fences, the grade one winner’s superior speed on the flat proved pivotal and jockey Bryan Cooper felt it was an important learning curve.

"He got the job done. The ground wouldn't be ideal and he'll be a better horse on better ground." Cooper told Sky Sports.

"To be fair, we went a proper gallop the whole way and he'll have learned a lot more than at Punchestown last time.

"He jumped with fluency. I would have won a lot easier if I'd asked him at the last but I went and popped it.

"That was a good education. We got a lead and I'm happy. I was never in doubt from the third-last. I felt I always had him covered, and it's another learning curve.

"Of what we could see of it he looked good. I'm delighted with Ordinary World as well; he ran a cracker. We always hoped he'd improve for fences, which he has," said De Bromhead.

"Identity was good. Bryan said he was good and he was very happy with him. He said he won comfortably.

"He said they went a good gallop the whole way and he jumped well.

"I think the two-mile-one at Leopardstown at Christmas is the obvious race for him and probably Ordinary World as well.

"We'll see, as I think there is a winners' race at Naas just after that so we'll see what Chris (Jones, owner of Ordinary World) would like to do. But for Identity Thief, I think definitely that.

"I'm delighted to get it out of the way and I thought it was a good performance."

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