AFTER a low key summer, Liz Doyle’s string have been enjoying a striking run of form lately and the trainer’s first double of the season made it four winners for the yard in the last fortnight.
The first to strike for Doyle was the J.P. McManus-owned Envol Pierji in the maiden hurdle over just short of two and three-quarter miles. The five-year-old son of Martaline was returning from a 177-day break but was an utterly compelling choice on the form of his placed runs in maidens at Naas and Fairyhouse last season.
Hereditary Rule briefly threatened after two out but the 2/5 favourite responded to Mark Walsh’s promptings to put the result beyond doubt and finish with five lengths to spare on just his third racecourse outing.
A step up to three miles for a handicap hurdle or a rated novice hurdle could be next for the victorious grey.
Doyle then sent out the Listowel runner-up Silk Worm (11/4) to take the lady rider’s bumper under Maxine O’Sullivan.
By the time the last race was run the chopped up nature of the ground meant that a number of contestants were trying to keep as wide as possible for better ground and quite a few of these were in with chances entering the last half-mile.
Silk Worm, who cost her owner John O’Connor €6,000 at the 2018 Tattersalls Ireland August National Hunt Sale, was always well placed. The daughter of Fame And Glory got to the front inside the last quarter of a mile and went on to defeat Infinite Glory (who was a place behind her at Listowel) by a length and three-parts.
A listed bumper at Navan next month could be on the winner’s agenda.
GAVIN Cromwell could have an improving type on his hands in Alfa Mix who brushed aside the odds-on Email Rose to run out a commanding winner of the two-mile maiden hurdle.
Alfa Mix (11/4) has taken a little time to find his feet on the track but a fourth to Tomric at Roscommon last month was encouraging and he followed that with by far the best effort of his brief career. Jonathan Moore’s mount loomed upsides the favourite with two to jump and he asserted readily on the run to the last to hand out a nine-and-a-half-length beating to the market leader. He looks a horse on the up for Cromwell and owner Eoin Hughes who lost the useful dual-purpose performer Highland Fling last year.
It has already been a varied season for the Willie Mullins-trained Golazo who gave a fine exhibition of jumping in the two-and-three-quarter-mile beginners’ chase for horses who had never won over hurdles. A bumper winner on the second day of season and then placed on two of his three runs over hurdles, this 7/2 chance took really well to chasing under David Mullins.
He jumped superbly and looked to have done enough to prevail nearing the last fence which he reached for somewhat. The chasing First Class Return, who was possibly held at the time, was brought to a standstill by an error at that same obstacle which settled the outcome and allowed the Stellar Football Partnership-owned winner to prevail by 17 lengths. Golazo holds an entry in a Goffs UK sale at Doncaster on Wednesday.
Enright and Doyle join forces
PHILIP Enright and Eoin Doyle teamed up for their second winner in six days when the first-time-blinkered Macho Mover produced his best effort since going jumping in the 80-95 rated two-mile handicap hurdle. A dual flat winner for Mick Channon and a half-brother to the Arlington Million runner-up Fanciful Angel, the four-year-old ran with credit at Downpatrick last week and, suited by the soft to heavy going, he stepped forward from that effort to defeat Deauville Society by two and a quarter lengths. The 4/1 chance carries the colours of Deirdre Maguire.
Conor McNamara was banned for two days for failing to weigh in on the sixth-placed Athloman Cottage.
Also enjoying a good week is Liam Quinlan who rode his second winner in three days when Ask Heather, a triple point-to-point winner last season, edged a cracking conclusion to the two-mile novice chase which was restricted to horses rated 109 or less over hurdles. Declan Queally trains the consistent daughter of Ask for her breeder Michael O’Donovan and she was able to justify 9/4 favouritism on her first run since May despite the trip being well short of her best.
In a finish where less than two lengths separated the first four home, Ask Heather ran on well from the last to defeat the recent Downpatrick winner Mohart by three-parts of a length. The winner drifted right late on but a stewards enquiry left the placings unchanged, although the rider picked up a one-day careless riding ban.
An encouraging reappearance when fourth at Gowran Park earlier in the month suggested that the John Joe Walsh-trained Golden Glen could make her mark before long and she duly obliged in the 80-109 rated handicap hurdle to reward those that backed her from 8/1 into 11/2.
The Richard Walsh-owned daughter of Gold Well, who was taking a significant step up in trip from two to two and three-quarter miles, was kept wide for the best of the ground by Brian Hayes. Golden Glen led from two out and did enough on the run in to contain the effort of Minx Tiara by a length.