Exotic Dancer lands Lexus success

Tony McCoy rode Exotic Dancer to a 20-length success in Sunday's Lexus Chase at Leopardstown after favourite Neptune Collonges fell two from home.

Exotic Dancer was going well in second when Ruby Walsh's mount crashed out and he raced away from 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition.

The Listener, winner of the race two years ago, fell at the first ditch.

Trainer Jonjo O'Neill said the 4-1 winner would return to Leopardstown for February's Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup.

He said connections had still to decide whether to run in the Gold Cup or the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, but bookmakers clearly feel he has a decent chance at the bigger of those two races.

Exotic Dancer was trimmed to 12-1 from 33s with Ladbrokes and the same price from 20-1 with Coral for the Gold Cup - a race in which he finished runner-up in 2007.

From the start of Sunday's three-mile test, McCoy settled Exotic Dancer at the rear of the field as Walsh took up a prominent position on the 5-4 market leader.

He set a sound pace up front as McCoy was happy to bide his time and let Exotic Dancer sit last of the nine runners before making steady progress in the second half of the race.

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"I am glad that Exotic Dancer finally bagged the Grade One he deserved"
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Coming to the second last, Neptune Collonges was still in front and appeared to have something still to give as Exotic Dancer, War Of Attrition and Cane Brake lined up to challenge.

However, Neptune Collonges crashed through the obstacle, leaving Exotic Dancer in front and travelling best of all.

McCoy just had to keep him going up the straight and after he cleared the last, O'Neill's charge was barely troubled to come home well clear of the tiring War Of Attrition.

"I'm delighted as the horse has been a little bit unlucky and frustrating over the last couple of years. He deserves that," said O'Neill.

"In the past things haven't gone his way but everything went to plan today. He didn't settle last time at Haydock and we planned to drop him in today. He settled better doing that and that is also how he won his handicaps.

"You never know what would have happened if Neptune hadn't fallen but you always need a bit of luck and we got ours here."

Lexus Chase
1. Exotic Dancer (A P McCoy) 4-1
2. War Of Attrition (P Carberry) 4-1
3. Cane Brake (D J Casey) 33-1
9 ran. Dist: 20, 10

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