O'Keeffe nears 50 winner mark for season
Paul Townend partnered easily the most impressive winner at Punchestown on Sunday where the Willie Mullins-trained Dysart Dynamo ran away with the Grade 2 Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle. Unbeaten in two bumper starts last season and successful on his hurdling debut at Cork in early December, the six-year-old hardly saw another rival as he made all the running under the champion jockey to win by 19 lengths.
The Gordon Elliott-trained Gringo D’aubrelle chased the Eleanor Manning owned and bred winner home and assistant trainer David Casey said of the stable’s successful 4/9 favourite, “He was very impressive and we see that at home with him. He has a huge engine and you would have to be delighted. I don’t know what the plan is, but you would imagine that he will go straight to Cheltenham now. Paul said he did everything right for him and he had plenty left at the end.”
Townend and the champion trainer shared a second winner as the Blue Blood Racing Clubowned Whiskey Lullaby made a winning start for the stable in the beginners’ chase. Sent off at odds of 13/8 favourite, the seven-yearold picked up well to led at the final fence and she held the Oliver McKiernan-trained Difficult Decision by three-parts of a length. Robert Tyner was also a winner on the day as Feyan, in the colours of his wife, Mary, took the opportunity handicap chase by all of 18 lengths. A 15/2 chance in the hands of Jack Foley, the seven-year-old was clear before the final fence as she beat the Jimmy Finn-trained Be My Dream.
The season’s leading jockey Darragh O'Keeffe brought his tally to 47 winners with success on the Tom Gibney-trained Must Be Obeyed which scored an eightlength success in the mares’ handicap hurdle. Owned and bred by Frank Daly, the 12/1 chance was nicely clear when making a slight mistake at the final flight and she had loads in hand when beating Declan Queally’s Robyndeglory.
Rachael Blackmore’s prospects of further Cheltenham Festival success were greatly increased as Bob Olinger, one of her six Festival winners last year, emerged as one of the shortest-priced favourites for the March extravaganza with a clear-cut success in the Grade 3 Kildare Novice Chase at Punchestown on Sunday. Henry de Bromhead’s charge recorded his fifth straight win when beating the Willie Mullins-trained Capodanno by four and three-parts of a length in the two and a half-mile event. Blackmore did have to work a little to get her partner to the front between the final two fences but they were soon well on top and the seven-year-old is now the even money favourite to win the Turners Novices Chase.
FAIRYHOUSE SUCCESS FOR O’BRIEN
Blackmore had also ridden a winner at Fairyhouse on Saturday where the Henry de Bromhead-trained Innovated comfortably landed the two-mile maiden hurdle. The 4/1 chance led at the second hurdle and made the best of his way home to score by two and a quarter lengths from the Arthur Moore-trained 5/4 favourite Whowonthetoss. Blackmore said, “It was a great step up on his first run this season in Navan. He’s a lovely big horse and he should stay further. The further he was going, the better he was going. He handled that ground well.”
Cappoquin trainer Shane O'Brien won the two and a halfmile mares’ maiden hurdle at the Saturday meet with My Design. Ian Power made all the running on the well-supported 7/2 chance and the seven-year-old, owned and bred by Fiona O'Connor, readily held the late surge of the Willie Mullins-trained Hauturiere by threeparts of a length to give the trainer his second racecourse winner.
Meanwhile, Abbeyfeale's Paddy Harnett completed a double for trainer Joseph O'Brien at Dundalk on Friday night when partnering White Marlin to win the 12-furlong apprentice handicap. The 100/30 joint-favourite was never far off the pace and pipped 6/1 shot Picpoul by a nose to win for owner/breeder Morna McDowall. O'Brien had earlier won the two-mile handicap with First Blood, a first winner for Cian Horgan from Kilkenny.
Wesley Joyce teamed up with County Meath trainer Michael Mulvany to win the eight-furlong fillies’ maiden with the Get Up And Go Syndicate-owned Spirit And Glory. The strong 3/1 shot raced up with the leaders and held off the Adrian Murray-trained Sister Bridget by a nose. Mark Enright was also among the winners as he partnered Barbapapa to take the eight-furlong maiden. Trained by Henry de Bromhead, the 100/30 joint-favourite made much of the running as he beat the John McConnell-trained Brave Troop by three-parts of a length.
UPCOMING FIXTURES
Dundalk – Friday, January 21 (first race 4.45pm); Navan – Saturday, January 22 (first race 12.30pm); Thurles – Sunday, January 23 (first race 1pm).