AT the finale of Kilbeggan’s year, the most appropriate winner of the night was John Ryan’s Presenting Bonnie who came good on her second start over fences in the beginners’ chase over just short of two and a half miles.
Trainer John Ryan has enjoyed an excellent time of things at Kilbeggan over the last few months and this was his seventh success at the track this year. Even more impressive though was Presenting Bonnie’s Kilbeggan record for 2021 which stands at four wins from five starts.
The six-year-old was a first fence casualty when she last tried fences in early May but was clearly none the worse for that experience with an assured and willing effort for Bryan Cooper.
The Mules & Tools Racing Syndicate-owned mare was bearing down on Nero Rock at the last fence and finally overcame that tenacious rival in the closing strides to score by half a length.
“She’s a proper filly and I’d say she is better over fences than hurdles. Hopefully there’s lots to look forward to and she will head on to Listowel,” declared Ryan.
Took advantage
After being faced with the unenviable task of taking on Ballyoisin at Ballinrobe last time, in a race where he finished a creditable second, Exit Poll (6/1) took advantage of less exalted surrounds of the Kilsaran Handicap Chase over just short of two and a half miles.
Sean O’Keeffe’s mount didn’t help his cause with a notable error three out but he recovered to lead before the last and he then held off the favourite Ya Boy Ya by two and a quarter lengths. A handicap chase at Listowel could be next for the OMEGA Racing Syndicate-owned gelding.
The final race of the year at Kilbeggan was a bumper over just short of two and a half miles and victory went to the Patrick Hayes-trained Watergrange Jack (15/8) who had been placed on his four previous starts this year.
This son of Sinndar’s unraced half-brother Sintarajan made nearly all the running for Patrick Mullins and held off the last-furlong effort of One Last Tango who had finished a place in front of him when the pair met at Killarney last month.
Watergrange Jack is owned by his breeder Peter McLoughlin and was a more than deserving winner with his other efforts in the summer including a runner-up finish in a Galway Festival bumper.
Double figures for Gibney
THE autumn has only just begun but Tom Gibney is already poised for another impressive seasonal tally after Trixie Mc (7/1) propelled the trainer on to the 10-winner mark for the campaign in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.
This Thomas Geoghegan-owned mare, who was continuing a welcome change of luck for jockey Gavin Brouder, was already in charge when the chasing Bonarc got the last flight all wrong.
This left the keeping on Falak to lead the chase but he was still two and three quarter lengths adrift at the line.
Paul Flynn’s Railway Muice (12/1) took quite some time to register her first success but she got off the mark over fences at Limerick in May and her fortunes took another turn for the better in the first division of the 80-95 rated Belvedere House, Gardens & Park Handicap Hurdle over three miles.
In the colours of the Make Pigs Fly Syndicate, the daughter of Yeats was kept close to the pace throughout by Luke Dempsey and she lasted home gamely to see off Finding Joy by a head.
Deserved success
The second division of that handicap hurdle went to the Paul Power-trained and -ridden Game Catch (5/1) who was registering a deserved success having filled the runner-up spot in two of his last three starts.
The five-year-old, who is owned by the trainer’s mother Brid, overcame a slight mistake at the last to get on top in the closing stages and defeat Trouble And Strife by just under three lengths.
SOME decent winter form made Il Courra a formidable contender for the Pat Doyle Memorial Maiden Hurdle and the Wexford bumper winner took full advantage of what was his easiest assignment since he went jumping last December.
On his first run since April, the Cormac Farrell-trained six-year-old took over the lead well before the last in this near two-and-a-half-mile contest and he readily defeated the favourite Rebel Rose by four and a half lengths.
Adam Short was on board this son of Shantou who is owned by his breeder Mary Griffin.
“His form was in the book and the ground was the best he has run on but he handled it well. It was very straightforward and hopefully he can keep going now,” remarked Short.
Henry de Bromhead and Hugh Morgan took the other maiden on the card when Cornerkova broke a run of three runner-up placings in the Sean Hughes Maiden Hurdle over two miles. The Cloud Nine Syndicate-owned six-year-old was returned the 11/8 favourite and won convincingly. She led from two out and produced a better jump at the last than the chasing Tom McGreevy who went down by six and a half lengths.