Nolan’s dream day
Three runners, three wins, for 80/1 treble
PAUL NOLAN’S Davidstown stable had a perfect day out at Wexford races at Bettyville on Saturday, with three wins from just three runners for an 81/1 treble.
This followed on a winner and two seconds at Cork the previous evening and gets Nolan off to a flying start to the new season.
Ever since Christmas his horses have been running consistently well, giving every signs that the stable was at last coming out of a downturn that had afflicted it for a couple of seasons, and he can surely look forward to the rest of the year with some optimism.
The weather was kind on this occasion and there was a reasonable Saturday crowd in attendance to see lots of local horses going quite well on the soft going.
Jockey Bryan Cooper rode two of the Nolan winners on his way to a 108/1 treble, and perhaps he is also working his way out of a slump and back into the top ranks.
Nolan and Cooper struck first in the €20,000 Coast Hotels and Resorts rated hurdle over two miles when the John Brennan-owned Monotype (2/1f from 6/1 in the morning) responded to a fine Cooper ride to get home by half a length from Philip Enright on Edward O’Grady’s Great Khan (6/1).
Nolan praised his jockey: ‘Bryan was brilliant on him, he is a topclass jockey. His good jump at the last was really important. The horse was gutsy and he might make a nice staying chaser next season.’
The pair struck again an hour later in the €16,500 Freddie Doyle Memorial and Liz Doyle Racing hurdle over three miles on Castafiore (8/1), owned by Philip Byrne.
Cooper took it up two out and kept on well up the finishing hill to out-battle Roger Loughran on Toushan (8/1) by half a length, with Benefit of Magic (6/1) third just a head back under Robbie Power for Jessica Harrington.
Liz Doyle’s Nerual was wellbacked from 10/1 into 4/1f to win the race honouring her father, under Seán O’Keeffe (Taghmon) and this one was in contention but faded into sixth of 14.
Nolan said of Castafiore: ‘I was disappointed with her in Fairyhouse but Bryan was very good on her and kept her nice and wide today and she saw it out well to the line. I think she’ll be better over a fence but we will probably leave her off now for the summer.’
Nolan’s treble came up in the concluding mares’ bumper with another John Brennan runner, and it was significant that Patrick Mullins chose to ride their Chisholm (2/1f) rather than his father, Willie’s, Ifyoucatchmenow (5/2). Patrick’s judgement proved correct and he strode out up the straight to win by 3.75 lengths from his father’s runner.
Chisholm was fifth behind Relegate at Leopardstown in February and that run looked better when Relegate went on to win the Champion bumper at Cheltenham under Katie Walsh.
Nolan said: Patrick gave her a super ride…she will appreciate nicer ground and she jumps well. We’ll mark out a summer campaign for her.’
Bryan Cooper had initiated his treble in the opening Coast Kilmore Quay maiden hurdle over two miles four furlongs aboard Andrew McNamara’s Falmingo Court (well backed 3/1f).
There was a notable run in second by Denis Hickey’s (Foulksmills) Mag Brady, ridden by Seán O’Keeffe, a rising young seven-pound claimer from Taghmon.
There was a tense finish with lots of Wexford connections to the Coast Rosslare Strand handicap hurdle over two miles. Winner by a neck was Officers Mess (7/1), ridden by Ricky Doyle for former Wexford Cheltenham riding hero, Conor O’Dwyer.
He had just a neck to spare over Lady Mangan, owned by Courtown Peugeot dealer, Pat Doyle, trained by Ger Murphy at Ballygarrett and ridden by seven-pound claimer, Conor Murphy (Ramsgrange). This was probably the horse’s best run since winning a point-to-point at Tinahely last January.
The Beginners’ Chase over two miles was won by Fintara (3/1), trained by Jessica Harrington, and the only Wexford link was with the jockey, Robbie Power, son of former showjumping star Con, from Fethard, and Margaret Latta, Enniscorthy.
The Bolands Mercedes Benz handicap chase provided the easiest winner of the day in Fergiethelegend (7/1), which cruised home by eleven lengths, ridden by Cathal Landers for John Carr from Maynooth. Mosie McCabe’s (Adamstown) Asitsohappens (16/1) had his best run for a while to be third under Jonathan Moore.
Paul Nolan had shown his horses to be in good form at Cork racecourse (Mallow) the evening before when Karl Sexton rode his Rooster Byron to a comfortable third success in a row in a €22,000 two-mile four handicap hurdle, justifying 5/2 favouritism. Nolan will be giving him a break now and hopes he can become a nice staying chaser next season.
He also had seconds with Baboin (20/1) in a maiden hurdle, and Quamino (7/2) in a novice hurdle, both ridden by Bryan Cooper.
Nolan and Cooper were the undoubted stars at Wexford on a Saturday afternoon that provided some good racing and exciting finishes. Here’s hoping for more of the same when action returns to Bettyville on Wednesday evening, May 23.