ON just her second day with runners from Cullentra House Stables, Sneezy Foster got amongst the winners as the former Cheltenham Festival third Defi Bleu recaptured some of his old sparkle to land the Tomcoole Farm Ltd. Beginners Chase.
The Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding was placed in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham a couple of seasons ago but hadn’t built on a reasonably encouraging chasing debut at Navan during winter.
However, Jack Kennedy’s mount relished both the testing ground and every yard of this extended three-mile trip to turn over the odds-on Opposites Attract. The latter loomed up menacingly with two to jump but could not find a way past Defi Bleu (4/1) who kept on doggedly to carry the day by two and a half lengths in a race where just two of the four runners finished.
“It’s great for Jack, the horse and the whole team at Cullentra House. It’s a great lift for the whole team who have been doing such a great job and I’m just delighted for each and every one of them,” remarked the trainer who was saddling just her third runner from her Longwood base.
The card also began with a reversal for odds-on punters as Socially Distant (14/1) upstaged Dreamingandhoping (10/11) in the mares maiden hurdle.
This pair were almost inseparable coming to the last but the favourite got that flight all wrong which handed the initiative to Bryan Cooper’s mount who went on to finish with 16 lengths to spare. The Philip Byrne-owned mare had struggled on her last two starts but this effort was much more in keeping with debut second to Royal Kahala at Fairyhouse in November.
“She is a very nice mare. Her first run was very good, then she was too free the second day and then we ran her too soon. Today she settled lovely and Bryan gave her a lovely ride. She handles this ground well,” commented Nolan.
The in-form Emmet Mullins made it an impressive four winners from his last seven runners as The Gossiper (5/4) made a successful racecourse debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Auction (Pro/Am) Flat Race.
A faller on both his point-to-point outings and returning from a year off, the 5/4 favourite picked up smartly in the straight for Patrick Mullins to quicken into a clear lead and he won nicely from the newcomer Learning Every Day.
John McEnery owns the six-year-old son of Dylan Thomas.
“He is a lovely horse who was very unlucky in his point-to-points when Sam Curling had him,” commented Mullins. “He is exciting and I’d imagine we will probably keep him as a novice for next season. When the ground gets better, he will improve again being by Dylan Thomas. It was probably just ability that got him through today.”
BYTHESAMETOKEN, who has been a model of consistency over the last 14 months, scooped a nice prize in the Micheal O’Murchadha Memorial Handicap Hurdle. As he extended a sequence that has seen him finish no worse than fourth in nine starts since December 2019, Ross O’Sullivan’s charge was recording the third success of his career in this two-mile affair.
On a day that served up its share of late drama, Take All came down at the last – there were actually three final-flight casualties – when holding every chance which left Conor Orr’s mount holding the call over the front-running Feelgoodisland whom he defeated by half a length.
“He had a little bit of a winter break and the main worry today was the ground and that’s why he had a break,” said O’Sullivan. “It was a lovely pot to win and he is a lovely horse to have. The smaller field suited him, he likes to be ridden patiently and to be passing horses.”
Martin Brassil, who will saddle a lively contender for handicap honours at Cheltenham next week in You Raised Me Up, has his team in rare order and made it three winners in nine days when Whispering Waters (16/1) won the Arctic Tack Stud Beginners Chase.
On just her second outing in Ireland, this daughter of Mahler was going nicely for Trevor Ryan when the runners filed into the straight. She was left in charge when the pressing Duchess Ravenwaves went at the last and went on to cross the line three-quarters of a length ahead of the favourite, Pepite De Belle. The winner is owned and bred by Breda Ryan.
“I had her in pre-training for a few months when she came back from England. She went on to Martin’s around the beginning of February and he has done a great job with her since,” reported the winning rider, who turned 27 on Wednesday.
“She’s family owned and it’s great to get a win in those colours.”
IT was a day to remember for jockey Mark McDonagh as he partnered Jody Ted (18/1), in the colours of his father (also Mark), to a most unlikely success in the Eoin O’Gorman Solicitors Maiden Hurdle.
Eoin Griffin’s first winner for two years was a remote fifth approaching the straight at which point the leader Howdyalikemenow was running on empty. Calthor then took over off the last bend and strode into a clear lead, but he just about clambered out over the last and stopped to a walk on the run-in while Jody Ted’s steady effort carried him to the front late in the day for a one-and-three-quarter-length success. Howdyalikemenow rallied for second, with Calthor only third.
Meanwhile, a fine season for Capture The Action (8/1) continued into the M2 Construction Wexford Novice Handicap Hurdle where Jimmy Mangan’s charge secured his third victory of the season.
Sean O’Keeffe’s mare was not found wanting on the testing ground and showed a splendid attitude in the closing stages to hold off Mc Alpine.
Mangan trains the daughter of Gold Well for Eileen Hodnett.