O’Keeffe and Allen saddle high priced winners
Richie Condon was first off the mark at Gowran Park on Saturday where Enchanted Magic scored a surprise 20/1 success in the opening maiden hurdle. Trained locally by Eoin Doyle, the four-year-old made a winning racecourse debut when getting the better of 7/4 favourite Bynx by half a length. Doyle said, “He was just a big weak horse last year. He schooled well and Richie was happy that he stayed at it well there today. It’s grand to get the maiden out of him and he may go to the sales. He’s a Dark Angel so he could always run on the flat. It’s great to get a winner as the horses have been running well without winning and it has been a bit frustrating.” The Brian Hayes-ridden Macs Charm added to last month’s Navan success with a more clear-cut win in the handicap hurdle. A neck was the victory margin at the County Meath venue, but six and half lengths separated the Macs Charm syndicate-owned sevenyear-old from his nearest pursuer, Ernie McCracken, this time.
Paul Townend and Willie Mullins notched up two more winners together with Melon leading the way with a deserved success in the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase. In the familiar colours of Marie and Joe Donnelly, the 10-year-old made all the running to record a six-length success from the Jessica Harrington-trained Sizing Pottise. Mullins also captured the beginners’ chase with the JP McManus-owned 6/4 chance Blue Sari, which raced to a 13-length win over his main market rival and 5/4 favourite Grand Paradis. The Cheltenham Festival does not feature on the winner’s agenda with Mullins saying, “He might stay at home and we could look at the Grade 1 two and a halfmile novice chase in Fairyhouse at Easter. Easter is late so we may find something in the meantime.”
Killeagh trainer Ken Budds landed the concluding bumper with the Darragh Allen-ridden Bombay Sapphire. At odds of 28/1, the Barry O’Connor-owned five-year-old battled well to get the better of the Willie Mullins-trained Walk In The Brise by half a length on her debut. Budds said, “She’s always worked well but we could never get to the end of her. You would always think there was a bit more and today she showed that there was plenty. She’s tough and is from a staying family. She’s a real nice mare and we’ll see what happens after this.”
John Ryan and Littleton conditional rider Liam Quinlan combined to win the handicap chase on the day, with That’s Lifebuoy. It was all very straightforward for the seven-year-old as he raced away from Hollybank King from the final fence to win by five lengths at odds of 8/1.
Paul Townend and Willie Mullins landed the opening mares’ maiden hurdle at Clonmel last Thursday with Hors Piste and the mares’ novice hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival remains a possible target for the Marie and Joe Donnelly-owned five-yearold. An 8/13 favourite, she eased clear from the second last hurdle to win by 16 lengths from Little Token. The champion jockey commented, “If she was to go to Cheltenham, you’d imagine she would have to go straight there at this stage. It is heavy out there today so we’ll see what it takes out of her, but she did it nicely.”
Charleville’s Mikey O’Connor combined with Doneraile’s Darragh O’Keeffe to win the two-mile handicap hurdle with Lily Of Dromard. The 20/1 chance raced clear from the final hurdle to score by eight-and-a-half lengths from the Michael Winters-trained Rose Milan. It was O’Connor’s first success as a trainer since Awbeg Prince scored at Cork in August 2017. He said, “This mare was my 400th point-to-point winner in May of last year and I’ve been on a break from riding since, but I want to join Enda Bolger on 412 winners and then call it a day. I bought her out of a point-to-point and she is a good mare but just tied up the first day she ran over hurdles. Thank God she is after coming back right.”
The Grade 3 Surehul Mercedes-Benz Novice Hurdle went the way of the Rachael Blackmore-ridden Shantreusse which booked his place at the Cheltenham Festival with a fivelength success for trainer Henry de Bromhead and owner Tony Head. A tilt at the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle is very much on the cards according to the Knockeen trainer. The six-year-old was sent off the 7/5 favourite and went clear after the final hurdle to beat Eye Van in convincing fashion.
Shannon trainer Michael McDonagh landed a deserved success with Krabat which ran out a taking winner of the beginners’ chase. Ridden by Cathal Landers, the 11/4 joint-favourite eased clear between the final two fences to beat the Gavin Cromwell-trained Duchess Ravenwaves by all of 11 lengths with Willie Mullins’ Cavallino, the other market leader, only a moderate fifth.
Denis O’Regan landed the day’s finale when the Sam Curling-trained Enduring Love took the two and a half-mile handicap chase. The 7/1 chance, owned by the Enduring Love Syndicate, survived a mistake at the final fence and raced clear to beat the Denis Hogan-trained Quarry Girl and Shane Mulcahy by two and a halflengths.
Thurles trainer Hilary McLoughlin shared a Dundalk winner with Andrew Slattery as Evening Verse scored a surprise success in the second division of the 12-furlong handicap last Wednesday week. In the familiar colours of owner John O’Connor, the 40/1 shot held off the Jimmy Coogan-trained 5/4 favourite French Company by half a length. David Marnane won the concluding six-furlong handicap with the City Equine II Syndicate-owned Jared Maddox. The 5/1 shot came from a little off the pace under Oisin Orr to beat the Denis Hogan-trained Tawaazon by half a length, the second runner-up on the day sent out by the Cloughjordan trainer. The winning six-year-old was following up on last month’s course and distance success.
While Billy Lee recorded a winner on the all-weather. He teamed up with Curragh trainer Darren Bunyan to land the eight-furlong maiden with the Siobhan Ní Cheallaigh-owned Elzaam Blue. A well-fancied 5/1 chance on his debut, the fouryear-old, which cost 800 guineas at a breeze-up sale in England in 2020, got on top late on to win by a head from the Denis Hogantrained 13/8 favourite Jaafel.
OTHER RACING NEWS
The Joseph O’Brien-trained Fakir D’Oudairies became the latest Irish raider to claim big-race honours in Britain as he landed the Grade 1 Betfair Ascot Chase under Clane jockey Mark Walsh on Saturday. There has not been an Irish-trained winner of the race since Sound Man took the honours for Edward O’Grady in 1996, but Fakir D’Oudairies ended the 26-year wait in no uncertain terms. A strong 9/4 favourite, the JP McManus-owned seven-yearold took control after the final fences and scored by a length and three-quarters from 25/1 chance Two For Gold at the line. Walsh dedicated his victory to his uncle Michael, who died during the week.
UPCOMING FIXTURES
Thurles – Thursday, February 24 (first race 1.55pm); Dundalk – Friday, February 25 (first race 4pm); Fairyhouse – Saturday, February 26 (first race 2pm); Naas – Sunday, February 27 (first race 2.30pm).