ALPHA MALE
ALPHA DES OBEAUX gave Mouse Morris a third Clonmel Oil Chase victory when landing yesterday’s Grade 2 feature in Clonmel.
The seven-year-old led home a 1-2-3 for Gigginstown House Stud, beating A Toi Phil and favourite Balko Des Flos (made a number of mistakes) convincingly.
And the 7/1 shot was a significant winner for jockey Sean Flanagan, having only his second ride for Morris (who quipped “he fell off the other one”), but an important part of the Gigginstown operation as stable-jockey to Noel Meade.
“He deserved that,” said a delighted Morris. “He was sick last year, but had run two good races already this season.”
He added: “He’ll campaign in the big handicaps – he’s probably just short of the Real Mccoy. Two seasons back, he fell a bit short of the top level.”
Morris had previously landed the Clonmel Oil Chase with Belvederian (1994) and subsequent Cheltenham Gold Cup victor War Of Attrition (2005).
Gordon Elliott continued his superb form with a four-timer, bringing his tally to 13 winners in the last week, over four racing days.
He reached the 100-winner mark for the season when Warlike Intent (Lisa O’neill) justified favouritism in the bumper, after Elliott had left for the airport en route to Cheltenham.
Elliott-trained four-year-old Dinaria Des Obeaux, the 4/6 favourite, bolted-up in the listed TA Morris Memorial Mares Chase, proving the most impressive winner on the day.
Jumping with more enthusiasm than on her fencing bow in Wexford, Jack Kennedy’s mount cruised past Miss Eyecatcher before the second last and powered clear to triumph by 22 lengths.
Winning trainer
Elliott, right, said: “That was great, although getting all the allowances was a massive help. It was an important race to win with her, for breeding, and Jack was very good on her. “It all happened a bit quick for her in Wexford and she jumped much better today, going a bit further. We might run her in the (Grade 1) Drinmore (at Fairyhouse on December 3), getting all the allowances.” Elliott also won the Prior Park Service Station Clonmel Hurdle with 1/3 shot Hardline, final leg of a treble for Jack Kennedy, set the ball rolling for Elliott when dour stayer Folsom Blue, having his first run for the stable, got up late to beat favourite Westerner Point in the three-mile handicap hurdle.
NEITHER champion jockey Colin Keane nor Pat Smullen (in South Africa) will be in action in Dundalk tonight where Henry de Bromhead’s Bella Signora, third to Overcoming over a longer trip last time, is napped to open her account in the six-furlong Irish Stallion Farms 2-Y-0 Maiden.