The Enabler provides Gordon Elliott with landmark win

The Enabler resisted the late surge of I Am Lorenzo to provide Gordon Elliott with his 2,000th Irish National Hunt winner in the Grant Fit Out Maiden Hurdle at Leopardstown.

A field of 10 runners went to post for the opening contest on the fourth and final day of the Christmas Festival, with Argento Boy the 8-13 favourite for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend in the colours of Galopin Des Champs.

However, he was a spent force from the home turn, whereas The Enabler – second to Argento Boy’s Champion Bumper-winning stablemate Jasmin De Vaux at Navan three weeks ago – galloped on strongly up the straight in the hands of Sam Ewing.

I Am Lorenzo was the one finishing best from the final flight and almost joined The Enabler on the line, but the judge confirmed the latter had held on by a short head.

“He was good and just got a bit close to the last. I’m not sure what his trip is as he wasn’t getting home over three miles and two miles looked too short,” said Elliott.

“Michael and Anita (O’Leary) are racing here today and it’s great to get them a winner. He looks a chaser for next year.”

On reaching his latest milestone, the trainer added: “You dream about doing something like that but it’s a testament to all the owners and our staff.

“We have a great bunch of young horses and we have been rebuilding for the last couple of years.”

Ol Man Dingle completed his hat-trick in some style in the SIS Supporting Irish Racing Irish EBF Novice Handicap Hurdle.

Despite successive October wins at Clonmel and Wexford respectively, Eoin Griffin’s charge appeared to a face a stiffer task on his return to action and was priced up accordingly at 20-1.

However, the five-year-old continued his progress with a dominant display under Ricky Doyle, scoring by four and three-quarter lengths from 11-8 favourite Taponthego.

“Brian (Caherty, owner) has a big crowd down with him from Armagh and I’m delighted for him,” said Griffin.

“We had him kind of laid out for this race. He hadn’t run for a while as we gave him a little break. You are always a little bit apprehensive if you have done enough or given him too much time off, but I couldn’t have been happier with him coming here.

“This was his mid-season target, so we’ll have to reassess things from here.”