ALL eyes were on the smart Sutton Place as he made a belated chasing debut in the beginners’ chase, and the 4/6 favourite didn’t let supporters down when completing a double on the card for Gordon Elliott.
The J.P. McManus-owned Mahler gelding won twice at Grade 2 level over hurdles but signed off last term on a low when pulling up lame at the Punchestown Festival. He didn’t have things all his own way in this two-mile, five-furlong event but proved too strong for the front-running Kemboy on the run-in to score by three and a quarter lengths under Mark Walsh.
“Mark said he was a little bit novicey but it was his first run over fences, and they went a good, honest gallop.” said Elliott before adding, “He never does anything very impressive and just does what he has to do. Hopefully he’s okay after this and I’ll talk to the lads and see where we go then.” Paddy Power left Sutton Place unchanged at 16/1 for the JLT Novice Chase.
Elliott, who was also on the mark at Tramore to make it three winners on the day, views maiden hurdle winner Dortmund Park (11/4) as a long-term chasing prospect.
“He’s a nice big horse and a chaser in the making but he’s still raw,” said Elliott of the Gigginstown-owned gelding. “Davy (Russell) said that real heavy ground was a bit of a struggle for him there today but he’s a nice horse and a horse for the future.”
REPEAT WIN
Capture The Drama, one of just three horses in training with Aengus King in Newmarket-on-Fergus, took the featured handicap chase for the second successive year.
The Dushyantor gelding, who won six times for his owner/trainer in the space of 12 months up to last March, was as big as 20/1 earlier in the day before being backed on track from 14/1 into 9/1. Barry Browne adopted the normal front-running tactics and he dug deep from the last to beat Toubaloo by a length and a half.
King said: “We were a bit lucky with the ground as we thought it would be more holding and he wouldn’t be able to handle it but it’s quite loose. He ran in Limerick and it was very gluey and he just couldn’t handle it. He’s come back down to a similar mark that he won this race off last year.”
James Reilly (24), from Carbury Co Kildare, had a day to remember when partnering his first winner on Luckyinmilan, trained by his boss Oliver McKiernan, in the Donnelly Providers Ratoath Handicap Hurdle. The 10/1 chance was also up with the pace throughout, and had enough in reserve to hold the challenge of Corri Lindo in the straight by three-quarters of a length.
McKiernan said: “It’s great for James as he works for us, and gave him a grand ride. He’s a lazy horse at home and he wouldn’t light any fires under you with his work. He’s not a two-mile horse but the ground suited him. He’s just a staying horse and we said we’d let him bowl along. He’ll probably go for another hurdle and he has the option to go back over fences.”
DANNY’S DOUBLE
Danny Mullins rode his second double in the space of 72 hours when successful aboard Martello Park and Mystic Embarr. The former is trained by his mother Mags for the G S Racing Club, and the 13/8 favourite overcame a mistake at the penultimate flight to beat Sassy Diva by two and a quarter lengths in the mares’ maiden hurdle over two and a quarter miles.
“She deserved that and came back well from a little mistake. I think she’ll get three miles, and hopefully she’s good enough to go for a listed race. She’s real genuine and honest,” said the Goresbridge trainer.
Mystic Embarr provided Summerhill trainer David Broad with a welcome change of luck when getting the better of a protracted battle in the straight with Flemenstorm to eventually take the two-mile, seven-furlong handicap hurdle by three-quarters of a length.
“He’s been running well enough without winning and the extra furlong today helped. He’s a fun horse who can tip away in those races and maybe jump a fence in the spring. He’s probably improving and the blinkers helped him as well. It’s a good start to the new year!” said Broad. The 12/1 chance didn’t go unbacked and is owned and bred by Bernadette Colleary.
Dunvegan, trained by Pat Fahy and ridden by his son Conor, opened his account at the third time of asking in a bumper when making all for a very convincing six-length victory over Clinton Hill.
The 2/1 shot is owned in partnership by George Turner and Clipper Logistics Group Ltd, and the Leighlinbridge trainer said: “He’s improved at home from the last day, and just the way he was walking around I knew he was in great form. He might have one more run this season, and go hurdling next season.”
ACTING STEWARDS
R. Dore, T. Hunt, G.V. Magee, J. Rearden, P.D. Matthews.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
CATWALK KING (Liz Doyle): Cork bumper winner on testing ground last spring and again showed his liking for these conditions when runner-up in the 2m4f maiden hurdle despite meeting some trouble in running.