BLACKMORE ON TOP OF THE WORLD
The dominance of Irish jump racing was very much in evidence at Aintree where the trailblazing Rachael Blackmore stole the show with her historic winning ride on the Henry de Bromhead-trained Minella Times in the Grand National on Saturday. Remarkably, 10 of the first 11 horses to cross the line were trained in Ireland and in all, six different Irish trainers sent out seven winners over the three days of the festival.
In addition to the Grand National success, Denise Foster was responsible for two Irish-trained winners, Abacadabras and Tronador, both ridden by Jack Kennedy. Arthur Moore took the Grade 2 mares’ bumper with the Blackmore-ridden Me Too Please, Peter Fahey and Kevin Sexton shared Grade 1 success with Belfast Banter, Joseph O’Brien and Mark Walsh scored with Fakir D’oudairies and Willie and Patrick Mullins were winners over the Grand National fences with Livelovelaugh.
Pineapple Express became the latest winner for Andy Slattery and his son Andrew when landing the nine-furlong handicap at Gowran Park on Wednesday week. Owned and bred by Dr Ronan Tynan, the strong 4/1 favourite came from the back of the field to beat the Rodger Sweeneytrained Matilda With Me by two and a quarter lengths. The successful trainer commented, “She was unlucky a few times in Dundalk and got it right today. She never travelled early on and seems to like to be ridden that way. It worked out well in the finish. She’s a winner now and her owner is happy. He also bred her but lost the dam only last week. It’s grand that she has won now for him.”
Pat Flynn got on the scoresheet at Gowran Park on Thursday where Aunty Audrey won the opening division of the 13-furlong handicap. Alan Persse was in the saddle as the 25/1 chance held off the Ado McGuinness-trained Stellify by a neck to win for owner Simon Girvan. It was Persse’s first winner for Flynn and he said, “It’s good to get a winner for Pat as he’s been loyal to me since I’ve gone down there over a year ago. He’s given me plenty of opportunities.”
Reinduff trainer Ken Budds was among the winners at Wexford on Friday when he took the two-mile handicap hurdle with the Sean Flanagan-trained Getaway Queen. The strong 4/1 chance beat Andy McNamara’s 2/1 favourite Just Another Lady by two and a half-lengths in the colours of owner Mark Landers.
Ben Coen and Johnny Murtagh continued their strong start to the new Flat season with two winners at Gowran Park on Thursday last. The pair took the opening auction fillies’ maiden with 100/30 chance Create Belief, which races in the colours of the winning trainer’s wife Orla and doubled up when the JP Murtagh Racing-owned Ottawa Fire won the eight-furlong handicap at odds of 2/1 favourite. Both horses won by two and a quarter lengths. Cahir’s Shane Crosse gave Joseph O’Brien another success when winning the three-year-old handicap over eight furlongs on Visualisation. The gambled-on 6/1 chance scored a two and three-parts of a length success over the Andy Slattery-trained Rock Etoile.
EASTER SUCCESS
Conna trainer Seamus Spillane recently recorded his first racecourse double, when Goulane Chosen and Wrong Direction scored at Cork on Easter Monday. Barry Foley was in the saddle as the Mary O’Donnell-owned and bred Goulane Chosen romped to a ten-length success over the Louise Lyons-trained Espion Du Chenet in the two-mile handicap chase. The 12-year-old was returned at odds of 10/1. Foley headed back to America for their jumps season after the win, his fifth in Ireland since Christmas.
Spillane followed up when the Johnny Hurley-ridden Wrong Direction recorded a four-length win in the John Thomas McNamara Series Maiden Hunters’ Chase. It was pretty straightforward for the 5/6 favourite, which beat the Ross O’Sullivan-trained Easca Mor in good style to give Hurley his second winner on the racecourse proper.
John Kiely and Ian Power were among the early winners where Master Artist took the two-mile handicap hurdle, a race dominated by those strongest in the betting. Owned by the Express Racing Syndicate, the 11/2 joint-favourite readily got the better of his fellow market leader, the John Burke-trained Toms Courage by a length and a half.
Eugene and Maxine O’Sullivan won the Jack Tyner Memorial Hunters Chase with the Trevor Hemmings-owned Warriors Tale. The 18/1 chance led at the final fence and beat 4/6 favourite Winged Leader by two and a half lengths and will reappear at the Punchestown festival.
Sean Aherne rounded off a great meeting for the county’s trainers as he won the concluding bumper with the David O’Connell-trained Cobblers Dream. Ridden by Tallow amateur rider, James Hannon, the 12/1 shot beat Gavin Cromwell’s Midnight It Is by four lengths. The Tallow jockey brought his racecourse tally to nine winners with this success.
Youghal-based Pat Fitzgerald took the novice handicap chase with Champagne Beauty, a horse that he bred, owns and trains himself. Ricky
Doyle got the better of his BoyleSports Irish Grand National winning trainer Dermot McLoughlin as the 4/1 chance lasted home to beat The Echo Boy.
UPCOMING FIXTURES
Limerick – Thursday, April 15 (first race 1.55pm); Ballinrobe – Friday, April 16 (first race 4.20pm); Curragh – Saturday, April 17 (first race 1.30pm); Dundalk – Sunday, April 18 (first race 1.45pm); Tramore – Sunday, April 18 (first race 2pm).