Take Cover storms home
IT was meant to be all about gaining experience of competing in another country when three young Cobra-Kan students travelled across the water to take part in the Bristol Open - but instead they came home with medals and trophies galore.
Brother and sister team Lisa and Liam McCabe battled through their chosen sections which are based on their age and weight. Liam, who earlier this year became an Irish Open champion, received gold in the Under-9 Boys -28kg light contact, bronze in the -28kg point fighting and another gold for the -32kg point fighting.
Meanwhile, big sister Lisa fought in the 10-15 girls -45kg point fighting and claimed the gold medal.
Meadhbh Duffy has had a whirlwind year, culminating in an Irish Open title, and she also travelled to Bristol and claimed gold in the 10-15 girls -30kg point fighting and three bronze medals for the Under-9 -28kg light contact, +28kg light contact and +28kg point fighting.
Another title that was up for grabs at the Bristol Open was the kids Under-9 tag team and this time Liam McCabe and Meadhbh Duffy joined forces and battled their way through the rounds to take home yet another gold.
The three musketeers arrived home and back to training on Tuesday night last with their haul of hardware and were greeted with delight and applause by their coach and club founder Patricia McQuillan along with the remainder of their fellow students. ON a night when Storm Brian tried to interrupt racing, the evergreen Take Cover was an aptly-named winner of the €47,500 Al Basti Equiworld Mercury Stakes, a race he also won in 2015.
Given a beautiful ride by David Allan, the ten-year-old nudged ahead inside a windswept final furlong to win by a neck from Darren Bunyan’s Hit The Bid and take his career earnings to nearly £630,000.
Winning trainer David Griffiths, who is based in Yorkshire, commented afterwards: ‘That was great. He’s remarkable and as good as ever. He’s won three Listed races and a Group 3 this year. That’s it for this season but we’ll be back to try and win this race again next year.’
Michael O’Hagan was on hand to present the winner’s trophy on behalf of Al Basti Equiworld’s founder, Mahli Al Basti, who was Meadhbh Duffy (left), Liam McCabe and his sister Lisa McCabe. enjoying the race from the warmth of Dubai.
Take Cover’s win was a sixth in the race for Britain in the last ten years. His performance was one to stir the blood on a wet night at the track. That said, good racing keeps the enthusiasm dry and there was plenty of that to be enjoyed.
Storm Has Broken was another appropriate winner in the nursery, ensuring that trainer Darren Bunyan went home with a win as the Leigh Roche-ridden gelding, owned by the Do Well Syndicate, gained a first career success on what was his first run in a handicap. He was backed from 25/1 into 14/1 so his victory was clearly not a surprise.
Having begun the evening seven behind Colin Keane in the Flat Jockeys Championship, Pat Smullen reduced that to five with wins on Katiymann and Massif Central, both of them owned by Paul Rooney and both trained by Curragh-based Michael Halford.
In a thrilling finish, Katiymann got up close home to win the €26,000 Book Your Christmas Party at Dundalk Stadium Handicap, while Massif Central won the card’s mile maiden.
The latter, a three-year-old son of Arcano, was purchased at the sale that preceded racing on Irish Champions Weekend at Leopardstown in September and was having his first run for new connections. He looks talented and, also, to own a very good temperament, the weather conditions not phasing him at all.
The first division of the seven-furlong Crowne Plaza Hotel-sponsored handicap went to Boxer Dunford, who is owned by Denis Coakley and Arthur Connick, trained by Denis and was ridden by his son Ross, and the second to Bouquet Garni, who is trained by Edward O’Grady, owned by his wife and was ridden by Billy Lee.
The opening race, the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Apprentice Claimer was won by Joseph O’Brien’s Thomas O’Malley who, ridden by Sean Corby, followed up a recent Turf win at Ballinrobe in good style.
The final race went to a rejuvenated My Direction. Having won at Dundalk on September 29th, he came from nearly last to first here to get up close to win under Oisin Orr.
The winning Kilkenny-based trainer Ellemarie Holden said afterwards: ‘I didn’t think he had any hope turning in, but he flew home. Oisin knows him inside out. We’ll keep him on the go here and pick out something in two or three weeks.’
This Friday’s racing will feature the €55,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Cooley Stakes (for fillies and mares aged three or older). Another quality night of racing, minus the presence of Storm Brian, looks assured.
Race 1 Shelone Gem won in 28.79 for Patrick Malone & Patrick Sheehy (Navan)
Race 2 Santro Vic won in 21.60 for owner/trainer Gary Silcock (Lurgan)
Race 3 Stefans Dazzler won in 28.95 for Shea Campbell and Armagh trainer Aidan McVeigh
Race 4 Prince Of Steel won in 28.48 for John Cornally and Castleblayney trainer Catherine Kerr
Race 5 Tyrur Jacob won in 29.01 for Master Martin McDonagh and Tuam trainer John McDonagh
Race 6 Dromrich Blackie won in 29.33 for owner/trainer John Durrigan (Ardee)
Race 7 Ballycannon Duke won in 21.70 for Nicole McLoughlin (Drogheda)
Race 8 Newlodge Frank won in 29.33 for Stephen Munroe (Newry)
Race 1 Courtlough Cindy won in 21.61 for owner/trainer Anthony Rooney (Balbriggan)
Race 2 Ronans Baby won in 21.96 for Philip Fitzpatrick and Oldcastle trainer Philip Oliver Fitzpatrick
Race 3 Saratoga Oak won in 29.19 for Paul McDonnell (Castlebellingham)
Race 4 Melvin Charm won in 22.04 for Liam Donnelly (Coalisland)
Race 5 Shes Packinspeed won in 21.81 for Raymond Heaney & Neil Saward (Newry)
Race 6 Valeries Master won in 29.09 for Michael Doyle & Thomas Butterly (Drogheda)
Race 7 Messan Meadow won in 21.58 for Gordon Haslett (Lisburn)
Race 8 Cherrypark Music won in 29.32 for Brendan Monaghan and Carrickmacross trainer Laurence Jones
Race 9 Toems Tyler won in 21.57 for Owen Martin Millar (Lurgan)
Race 10 Valeries Express won in 29.11 for Michael Cunningham (Drogheda)