O’Dwyer’s horses in super form
WEXFORD TOWN native, Conor O’Dwyer, continued his resurgence with his fourth winner in three weeks when Don’t Let Go (5/4f) romped home in the mares’ maiden hurdle at Ballinrobe on Monday under Ricky Doyle.
Horses trained in Kildare by the double Cheltenham Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle winner are worth noting during this rich vein of form.
J.J. Slevin was second on Joseph O’Brien’s Thomas O’Malley (2/1) in the three-year-old maiden hurdle, beaten by his less fancied stablemate, Pronounced (9/1), owned by Joseph’s mother, Anne Marie, and ridden by Jody McGarvey.
Jamie Codd had another bumper second to Pat Mullins on Gordon Elliott’s Youghal By The Sea (9/4), three lengths behind Diamond Hill (4/6), trained by Willie Mullins.
Seán Flanagan marked the opening of Tramore’s four-day festival on Thursday evening with a handy success for Henry De Bromhead in the €15,000 novice chase on Mullinavat (11/10f).
On Friday night at Dundalk, well-known Wexford town bus operator, John Kehoe, sent out Captain Vancouver (evens fav.) in the €20,000 auction maiden; trained by Michael O’Callaghan and ridden by Pat Smullen, they had to settle for second one and a quarter lengths behind David Marnane’s Freescape (14/1), having being headed entering the final furlong.
On day two at Tramore, point-to-point champion Barry O’Neill had a convincing win in the bumper aboard Dasmyhorse (9/4jf) for trainer Robbie McNamara, with the other joint favourite, Some Day Soon, third for Pat Flynn under Jamie Codd.
Don Cashman from Rathgarogue got second in the 80 to 109 handicap hurdle with War of the Pennys (11/10) under Eddie Keating after making up ground from the rear but unable to catch Brian O’Connell on Eoin Doyle’s Ardera Cross (6/1).
Thirteen-years-old veteran, Tomcoole Lad (12/1), scored his second career win for Wexford owner Donal Doyle and trainer Dick Donohoe from Gowran under Brian Hayes in the handicap chase; he may have been a bit lucky as Dorkas (8/1) fell at the last under Brian O’Connell when looking like a winner, but he stuck on well to hold off Naughty Molly by a neck to win his second race in 37 outings (including 18 point-to-points).
There were no Wexford winners on the closing day of the Tramore Festival on Sunday, run off in miserable conditions, but there were a few near things and it was a bit frustrating for J.J. Slevin.
Two heads divided the first three in the 80-95 handicap, with Slevin having to take third on Miracle Cure (11/2), behind Athloman Cottage (7/1) under Ambrose McCurtain and Boytonrath (11/1) ridden by Davy Russell.
Slevin was second in the €20,000 featured chase on Burndown (10/1) for Henry De Bromhead and Gigginstdown, well beaten by Davy Russell on Sir Jack Yeats (11/4f).
Russell came close to providing a Wexford winner in the two-mile handicap chase, just beaten by a neck after a strong finish on Bellgrove (5/1), trained at Bree by Pat Cloke, He just failed to peg back Paul Townend on Line View (7/2f).
Aidan O’Brien continued to hoover up most of the big prizes in Ireland last week. At Gowran on Wednesday evening, he picked up the €55,000 listed Hurry Harriet Stakes with Alluringly (7/4f) under Seamie Heffernan. Not to be outdone, Jim Bolger had a nice 64/1 double on the card with Solar Wave (7/1) and Panstarr (7/1), both ridden by Kevin Manning.
O’Brien and Bolger had a winner each at Leopardstown on Thursday evening: O’Brien scoring with odds-on favourite, Nelson, under son, Donnacha, while Bolger won with Maincin (8/1) in the apprentice handicap under Danny Redmond.
At the Curragh on Saturday, O’Brien’s Order of St. George (1/2) won the €63,000 St. Leger trial for the third year in a row under Ryan Moore, well clear of son Joseph’s Rekindling (13/2).
He is sure to make a bold bid for the final British classic of the season at Doncaster.
On Sunday at the Curragh there were many withdrawals due to the ground conditions, but O’Brien ran three of the five runners in the €130,000 Group 2 Futurity Stakes and they duly finished the top three.
Winner by a short head under Ryan Moore was Rostropovich (11/8), pipping Coat of Arms (7/1) with Berkeley Square (4/1) third.
It was almost the same story in the €115,000 Group 2 Breast Cancer Research Stakes with O’Brien’s trio taking first, second and fourth places.
He won with the outsider of the three, Magical (11/1), ridden by son, Donnacha, from Happily (6/4) under Ryan Moore, and September (11/10f), only fourth under Seamie Heffernan.