IT has already been a fine campaign for Brian Hayes and a double at this fixture left the rider just two short of his previous best 18-winner tally for a season while the jockey’s second winner of the day, Buck Rogers, might well contribute further to his haul over the coming months.
A winner of a Wexford maiden hurdle in October, the Michael Bowe-trained Buck Rogers is a half-brother to Fayonagh and also comes from the immediate family of Solerina.
The five-year-old has some way to go to match the exploits of those relations but he is heading in the right direction and he shapes like he will progress further.
Buck Rogers is owned by the trainer’s brother John, he led coming away from two out and finished powerfully to win by five and a half lengths. He was also very clever when getting in tight to the last flight.
“He loves heavy ground so he could be back here at Christmas. His jumping is getting better and he got a great ride from Brian,” commented John Bowe.
Earlier Hayes was struck aboard the Philip Fenton-trained Carrolls Cottage (5/6) in the maiden hurdle over just short of two-and-a-half miles.
Debut second
A Dromahane point-to-point winner in October, this Mike Neville-owned son of Mahler came here off an excellent debut second to Thedevilscoachman in Cork maiden hurdle nine days previously.
The victorious four-year-old was firmly in charge when he shook off Hardwired early in the straight and he reached the line with seven lengths to spare over Wasdale Park.
“The step up to this trip was a help, he did win a point-to-point and he stays well. He got a little lonely up front but he picked up when the runner-up came to him. He’s a very good jumper of a fence and should make a lovely staying chaser,” stated Hayes.
Allbarone (8/1), who got within a length of Buck Rogers at Wexford in October, registered his first success in the handicap hurdle over three miles. Rachael Blackmore was on board this Roger Brookhouse-owned gelding and the former point-to-point winner appeared to relish the step up to this distance.
Henry de Bromhead’s charge had work to do from third on the approach to two out but he stuck to his task in determined fashion to get on top late on at the expense of Young Dev.
THE progressive Ballyshannon Rose notched up her second win in five days in the John Thomas McNamara Series (Q.R.) Handicap Hurdle but the major talking point from this race and the day was the 10-day suspension handed out to Liam Gilligan for his ride on the runner-up, Oneknightmoreihope.
The latter caught the eye with his effort in second and the stewards took a rather dim view with Gilligan given a hefty sanction after a running and riding enquiry deemed that the horse was not seen to have been the subject of timely, real and substantial efforts. After hearing evidence from the rider and trainer Noel Glynn, who expressed his satisfaction with the ride, the stewards found Gilligan in breach of Rule 212 (A)(ii).
Meanwhile, the Fiona Hughes-owned Ballyshannon Rose was a first ride over hurdles for Aaron Fahey who is the son of winning trainer Paul Fahey. The trainer reported that the 4/1 favourite, who finished with five and a half lengths to spare, could return here at Christmas.
The card concluded with another winning favourite as Padraig Roche’s Patty D bagged the Irish EBF-sponsored mares’ bumper for lady riders. The 6/5 chance came off a good second to Cailin Dearg at Wexford in October and under Aine O’Connor won nicely. She came home five and a half lengths clear of Granny Lowrie who lost a Kilbeggan victory on a technicality last week. Shauna Larkin, who rode the fifth-placed Blue Hen, picked up a three-day whip ban.
“She’s owned by my mother (Noeleen) and she is named after my late grandmother Patty Dunne who loved racing so it’s great she has won. We might come back here for a mares’ maiden hurdle at Christmas,” commented Roche.
More success for Costalot
COSTALOTMORE, who won a bumper at the Listowel Festival by the best part of a furlong, once again showed that he possesses quite an engine with another pillar to post tour de force in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle.
The Richard O’Keeffe-trained six-year-old was backed from as big as 12/1 in the morning into 5/2 for his hurdling debut and produced a fine display under Mikey Fogarty.
Costalotmore was never afforded the sort of leeway that he got at Listowel but this mattered little.
He jumped fluently and maintained a punishing tempo from some way out which ensured that he had the measure of the favourite, En Beton, from early in the straight.
At the line, the Desmond Ellard-owned and bred son of Primary had eight lengths to spare over Mount Melleray.
“He gets into his own rhythm, he jumps well and he loves that ground. He clearly has an engine and he handles that sort of ground very well,” said the winning rider.
After showing up well against juveniles the calibre of Duffle Coat and Zanahiyr the Noel Meade-trained Crassus (13/8) got his turn in the three-year-old maiden hurdle where he turned over the odds-on Palm Beach.
Denis O’Regan was board this John Hunt-owned son of War Command whose previous experience counted for plenty as he produced a particularly quick jump two out which enabled him to maintain a useful lead over the favourite who went down by a length and a half.
“His form stacked up. It was just a question as to whether he would go on the ground, which wasn’t ideal, but it was the first race of the day and he got away with it. His jumping was very good,” observed O’Regan.