VERAWAL created quite an impression when bolting up by 12 lengths in the two-mile maiden hurdle for three-year-olds at Down Royal.
The Willie Mullins-trained newcomer to the National Hunt game travelled well and eased into the lead after the third last before powering clear upon jumping the penultimate hurdle. He had been nicely supported from 5/2 in the morning to 5/4 joint favourite. His three runs on the flat had yielded a best finish of fifth.
Jockey Paul Townend said: “He did it nicely and always travelled well. They went a nice even gallop and everything worked out for him. He jumped well for his first time over hurdles.”
Townend brought up his double on Bose Ikard in the two-mile six-handicap hurdle. The six-year-old gelding was all the rage in the betting ring being backed from 5/2 to 7/4 favourite. He was driven clear by Townend to win by six and a half lengths. The previous evening he won a three-mile handicap hurdle in Bellewstown for which he was given the mandatory 4lb penalty.
Trainer Noel Meade said: “You never know how much it takes out of them running them back-to-back. Today’s race was worse than yesterday’s. He’ll have to have a few weeks off now. We’ll regroup, but he can go over fences. He’s very much a summer horse who likes good ground. He has turned the corner lately.”
Shane Shortall sustained a broken collarbone in this race when he took a fall from Rockshandy at the third last. The jockey had better fortune beforehand as he steered Tony Martin’s Pires (7/4f) to victory by two and a quarter lengths in the Kerry Foods Rated Hurdle. The veteran 10-year-old moved strongly into contention at the second last and could be called the winner at the final flight.
Martin commented: “He loves that sort of ground. He was rated to win the race, with Shane’s claim on top. At this stage of his life he seems to like a bit of room. He’ll potter away on the flat, over hurdles and chases.”
Shortall added: “I rode him with loads of confidence as he was the class horse. He always travelled very well. The gap closed on the inner before two out so I switched him out. I got a great jump at the last. He won here in 2012 and he enjoys it here.”
Pat Flynn’s Storm Away, with Davy Russell up, was another for favourite backers as she put four and a quarter lengths on her main market rival What Lies Ahead. The winning Camphor Syndicate comprises John Carroll, John Arnold, Michael Morrisey and Harry Gray all from Co Waterford.
John Carroll’s brother Thomas represented him and he said of the 5/4 shot: “She was bought as a three-year-old. She won her bumper first-time out in Tramore. She’s promising and she’ll maybe go to Listowel if it doesn’t come too soon for her. If it is too soon, we’ll put her away as we hope she’ll be a Galway horse next year.”
Cristy’s Call responded to Danny Benson’s urgings to prevail by three parts of a length in the two-mile handicap hurdle. This was Benson’s third winner over hurdles after 15 on the flat. Although Cristy’s Call was returned at 20/1, his success wasn’t a complete shock to trainer Gavin Cromwell who said: “The ground is the key to him. He has won and been placed several times this year. His owner is from Dundalk so he’ll be aimed there. If the ground stays good though, we’ll go for another one of those.”
Owner Frank Lynch was in attendance and revealed his success in a different sporting code: “I played left half forward on the Louth All Ireland winning team in 1957 and I was the youngest on the team. Cristy’s Call’s colours are alright! (red and white). And he’s trained by a Meath man!”
Shark Hanlon’s Clondaw Farmer was a warm order for the two and a half mile maiden hurdle. He duly supplemented his Galway bumper win when staying on well to hit the line three lengths to the good at 8/13.
Hanlon commented: “He came out of his Galway race very tired. He was only coming back to himself in the last 10 days. He’ll go novice hurdling and he’ll get a good break. I think he’s a good horse. I’d say he wants further, but we’ll stick to that trip for now.”
The first three home in the bumper were separated by a length and a half, but it was Our Sox (9/2) who kept on gamely to score by half a length under Steven Clements. Handler Brian Hamilton said: “He’s tough out, he’s hardy and keeps going. He got into a bit of traffic in Roscommon and ran a bit green. I thought two miles might be a bit sharp for him today but Steven made plenty of use of him. He’ll be a nice horse in time and he’s for sale. I used to ride horses for the owner Denis Reddan.”
Meade fined: The stewards interviewed trainer Noel Meade over his failure to declare a winner’s penalty on time for Bose Ikard. Having heard the evidence, the stewards were of the opinion that the trainer was in breach of Rule 194(ii)(a) and having considered his record, fined him €130.
ACTING STEWARDS
R.S. Martin, N.B. Wachman, M. Cosgrave, A. Millar, M.F. O’Donoghue
HORSES TO FOLLOW
GOLD TANTRUM (S. Fahey): She showed her first form for a long time when second in Down Royal. She made good headway from racing in rear and kept on for second.