THE clash of It Came To Pass and Billaway, first and second in the Foxhunters at the Cheltenham Festival last March, was the highlight on this all amateur riders card but the pair were outshone by a rejuvenated Stand Up And Fight in the INHS Committee Celebrating 150 Years Hunters Chase.
Trained by Enda Bolger for J.P. McManus, he promised plenty a few years ago when placed in a Grade 2 over hurdles and was sent off third favourite for the Foxhunters at Cheltenham in 2019 when a creditable sixth to Hazel Hill.
The Flemensfirth gelding was pulled up on three of his four outings since but still attracted support here from 40/1 into 16/1.
Aine O’Connor’s mount led approaching the penultimate fence but looked vulnerable as Billaway threw down a strong challenge at the last. However, the latter blundered badly and despite rallying on the run-in was making little headway in the closing stages, going down by a length and a half. Mighty Stowaway was 10 lengths back in third, while It Came To Pass could find no extra from before the last finishing fourth.
Surprise
Bolger said: “That was a pleasant surprise. Obviously Aine has found the key to him as his last couple of runs were very disappointing. We had notions about him before and brought him to Cheltenham but there has been a question mark about him ever since. We did all kinds of tests but nothing showed up.
“We put blinkers on him today and they have done the trick. We were lucky with the mistake of Billaway, but they are there to be jumped. We were thinking of going for a cross country race at Punchestown with him but it looks like he’ll have to stay hunter chasing now.”
Eugene O’Sullivan was far from disheartened by the performance of It Came To Pass saying: “I’m delighted with him as he’d have hated the ground. He badly needed the run and to be honest that’s as good as I expected him to finish today. Maxine said that everything went according to plan but that he hated the ground.
“We might give him a run in a point-to-point just to be easy on him somewhere along the line on a nice track with decent ground. Cheltenham, Fairyhouse and Punchestown is the plan and maybe finish out in Killarney.”
KANTURK trainer Mick Winters and Chris O’Donovan combined for a double on the eight-race card as Rose Milan and Sayce Gold both scored in impressive style.
Rose Milan took the opening Berkshire @ Kedrah House Stud Mares Maiden Hunter Chase in runaway fashion.
Successful in a mares’ maiden at Belharbour earlier this year, the 7/2 shot headed the front-running Sliabh Mhuire Lass at the second last and soon stretched clear for O’Donovan to beat that rival by a facile 16 lengths.
Winters said: “She’s been in training for about eight months and was super fit. She’s honest and tough but I don’t know where we’ll go with her now. She’s owned and bred by a Waterford man, Mark Walsh.”
Sayce Gold (2/1), winner of a mares’ maiden at Boulta 12 months ago and third to the useful Carrigeen Lotus in a Cork bumper last winter, made all in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Point-To-Point Flat Race beating The Mean Queen by five lengths with the minimum of fuss.
“She has a bit of class and got a canny ride from Chris. She was a bit free going to the start and that was the plan to make it if nothing went on,” said Winters before adding, “Trevor (Hemmings, owner) was next door to us long ago and where we are living now we got it off him. He’s been good to us. I’ll have to talk to Mick Meagher (racing manager) and see what they want to do.”
The other bumper on the card, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C & G) Point-To-Point Flat Race, was also taken in decisive fashion by Anglers Crag. The well-backed 6/4 favourite led early in the straight here for Darragh Allen before drawing clear inside the final furlong to beat Split The Bucket by six lengths.
“To be honest I was hoping for that but we haven’t had a winner for a while and sometimes when that happens the confidence goes,” said Carrigtwohill trainer Terence O’Brien.
“He works nicely and won his point-to-point well. He just stays galloping and is a gorgeous big chasing horse. He belongs to Derrick Mossop who is after sending me a couple of young horses.
“He’s based in England so he might go to David Pipe at some stage. We might have him for the season and if we do he could go to Leopardstown for a two-and-a-half-mile bumper.”
JOEY Dunne looks a name to note after a polished performance to partner his first winner aboard Delirious Love in division one of the Fairyhouse (QR) Handicap Hurdle.
The eight-year-old only joined Gavin Cromwell after being snapped for £5,000 at Doncaster in July, and justified 7/2 favouritism when quickening to the front before the last to beat Pino Boy by a length and three quarters.
“That’s my first winner and I’d like to thank Gavin and Darren Cahill (owner) for letting me up on him,” said the 17-year-old from Dunshaughlin. “I’m full-time with Gavin and also in Noel Meade’s one day a week. I got loads of experience pony racing and rode winners at that.”
Division two of the extended two-mile, three-and a-half-furlong event went the way of Mystic Embarr (100/30). Trained locally by Eddie Cawley for owner/breeder Bernadette Colleary, the nine-year-old led early in the straight and kept on well to provide Cathal McCormack with a third winner under rules in the past three months.
Er Dancer, trained by Sean Doyle for his brother Donnchadh, justified some support (25/1 to 14/1) in the INHS Committee Supporting Point To Points Maiden Hunters Chase. The dual point-to-point winner was making his debut on the track and led before the last to score by four lengths under Rob James.
Eoin Mahon and veteran Cloughjordan trainer Willie Austin landed the John Thomas McNamara Series (QR) Handicap Hurdle with Beating The Odds. The 16/1 shot overcame a mistake at the last to peg back Optum for a half-length win.