Samurai serves up a Cracker with Down Royal victory
DROMARA trainer Caroline McCaldin supplied a local victory at Down Royal’s St Patrick’s Day meeting when Samurai Cracker ran out the convincing winner of the Novice Chase.
Jockey Richie Deegan clinched his first success since turning professional by steering the horse home.
Last for most of the race, Samurai Cracker made steady progress in the closing stages to lead at the second last where Hes a man of his word unseated his rider when beaten.
The result was a family affair with the winner owned by the trainer’s husband, Alan — former physio to the Ulster Rugby squad.
Deegan said: “With the drop back in trip and the ground, he was able to travel well into the race. Some of his best hunter chase runs were over two and a half. I was talking to John Barry (rider) before and he thought today would suit him.”
Some Man, trained in Derrylin by David Christiek, provided a double for local connections in the hunterchase.
Some Man, with Barry O’neill aboard, made all and had the race in safe keeping on the downhill run as favourite Complete Sizing struggled and came under pressure. The winner, owned by Belfast businessman Ray Nicholas, stretched clear on the run home.
Christie said: “We have never got him running on the ground he loves.
“He’s a very good horse but at two and a half miles or two six miles he is just different gravy to everything else. I’d nearly love to have a go at Aintree this year with him. We have to consider it.
“It warrants him getting an entry. Barry (O’neill) got off him and said, ‘I really enjoyed that, that has given me some buzz!’”
Denise Foster, currently enjoying her first taste of Cheltenham Festival success this week, also struck in the opening maiden hurdle.
Homme D’un Soir, with Denis O’regan aboard, was just behind the leaders prior to the jockey switching wide on the downhill run, led at the penultimate flight and out-gunned hot favourite Pont Du Gard.
O’regan said: “I just took my time on him as they went an honest gallop and he jumped well.
“His run at Punchestown was very good and a bit of dryer ground helped.”
Foster and O’regan doubled up in the Novice Handicap Hurdle when Papal Lodge proved the convincing winner having been left clear when American horse Baltimore Bucko crashed out at the last.
The winner sat second for most of the race prior to leading at the final flight.
Disappointing favourite Shanroe was under strong pressure from three out.
O’regan said: “He jumped well and travelled well. I would say he got confidence from his win in Punchestown and got away with the ground.
“It’s hard to know what would have happened at the last — it’s a possibility I could have got beaten but you have to jump them.”
No Thanks (14s to 8/1) proved the facile winner of the Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle for in-form trainer Matthew Smith with Dillion Maxwell in the saddle.
The task was made easier when challenger Wake The Giant ( 14s to 9/2) fell at the last.
The Tom Taaffe-trained Goose Man, with the trainer’s son Pat aboard, was the easy winner of the national trial over a marathon trip.
Trainer Arthur Moore seldom has runners in bumpers, but Me Too Please, with Northern Champion Amateur Noel Mcparland in the saddle, gave a game performance to claim the meeting’s finale.