Champion Bumper heroine Bambino Fever met with defeat for the first time after failing to reel in Oldschool Outlaw on her hurdling debut at Naas.
Winner of her only start in the point-to-point field, the Willie Mullins-trained Bambino Fever carried all before her in the bumper sphere last season, scoring at Punchestown and at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival before beating the boys in Grade One company at Cheltenham and Punchestown in the spring.
She was the 1-4 favourite to pick up where she left off in the Care At Home Services Mares Maiden Hurdle, with Paul Townend taking over in the saddle from his sister, Jody, but while the market leader jumped well in the main she was unable to peg back a talented and race-fit rival.
Oldschool Outlaw (3-1) had won a Listed bumper at Navan last month on her first start since joining Gordon Elliott and after taking the lead racing down the back straight, she kept finding for Jack Kennedy to keep the closing Bambino Fever at bay by half a length.
Elliott, completing a treble on the card, said: “You should never be afraid of one horse and if you were afraid of one every day you’d never run. In Ireland you can’t duck and dive – there is no hiding place.
“I thought it was a good performance from our mare, albeit we had fitness on our side. Jack said she wasn’t for passing and said she was very gutsy. He felt she was in front too soon.
“I think she’ll be better over a bit further. We knew she was jumping well at home and she had a couple of runs in point-to-points.”
Paddy Power cut Oldschool Outlaw’s odds for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham to 6-1 from 33-1, with Bambino Fever remaining their 7-2 favourite.
Elliott added: “We’ll probably keep her to her own sex, and I think she could be one for the mares’ race at Cheltenham. I’d imagine one more run and then straight to Cheltenham.”
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