THE Cheltenham Trials Day card at Naas often proves informative ahead of next month’s big Festival meeting and it once again highlighted a number of contenders including Dinoblue who landed the featured BBA Ireland Limited Opera Hat Mares Chase.
Just three went to post for this two-mile listed event with stablemate Allegorie De Vassy sent off a marginal favourite at 5/6 and adopting her usual front-running role. Dinoblue challenged in the straight and the pair, separated by the width of the track, fought out a protracted battle from the second last with the J.P. McManus-owned 11/10 chance just coming out on top by a neck in the hands of Mark Walsh.
Champion trainer Willie Mullins was delighted with both of the principals saying, “The two of them went a great gallop the whole way. There was no hiding place even though there was only the two of them involved. They will both go for the (Mrs Paddy Power) Mares Chase at Cheltenham and I’m very happy with both of them.” The sponsors cut Dinoblue into 5/2 (from 100/30) favourite for the Cheltenham target.
Walsh was also successful in the McManus colours aboard Lovely Hurling who cruised to the front before the last in the Cavan Developments Supporting Kill GAA Maiden Hurdle to easily beat fellow 9/4 joint favourite Autoportrait by four lengths.
“He’s only run on soft ground and is a big chaser in the making. He has plenty of size and scope. He’d get you out of bed in the morning!” said winning trainer Colm Murphy before adding, “I’m not sure what the plan is now but we’ll see how he is after this and what is there for him.”
Ticket secured
Ryehill (6/1) booked his ticket for the St James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase after an impressive display in the Quinnbet Hunters Chase.
The Mahler gelding overcame a blunder three out and took control from before the last under Lee Shanahan to beat Ontheropes by 12 lengths with 4/7 favourite Its On The Line, narrowly beaten at Cheltenham last year, a further five and a half lengths back in third.
“The plan was to go to Cheltenham and still is. He’d a nice run the last day behind Angels Dawn, and we were hoping for a good run today,” said trainer Ross O’Sullivan.
“He was a homebred of the Monroes that the lads put all their friends (Outback Syndicate) into and there is a great gang of them involved. He’s been a horse that took a bit of time because he’s so big but he’s after strengthening up and seems to keep improving. He likes soft ground and three miles and two furlongs will be no problem to him.”
BACCHANALIAN found Grade 1 company too hot at the Dublin Racing Festival but got back in the winner’s enclosure just a week later when making all in the PSIL Property Maintenance Supporting Kill GAA Rated Hurdle.
Trained by Declan Queally for Shane Wilson, the 7/2 chance asserted to go three lengths clear before the last before holding on by a diminishing neck from Murcia.
“He settled away in front lovely, jumped really well and I was able to get a nice little breather into him. He picked up again in the straight and was doing enough to hold off the other horse near the finish,” said winning rider Sean O’Keeffe.
Paddy Power go 10/1 (from 16/1) for the Boodles Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.
Gordon Elliott saddled a 49/1 double on the afternoon with Scalpnagoon and Eternal Echo. Scalpnagoon defied market weakness (4/1 overnight and sent off 11/1) when adding to a Thurles maiden win in the Connolly’s Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Novice Hurdle.
Danny Gilligan’s mount headed the front-running Attaboyarchie after the penultimate flight and kept on well to beat the 13/8 favourite Koori Star by a length and a half.
“I was a bit worried about the ground, but it was a good performance. He showed a good attitude and is a big strong horse that will jump a fence in time,” said Elliott.
“Michael (Hanrahan, owner) is lucky and anything he sends to us seems to win. He’s qualified for the final of this series at Punchestown and knowing me, he’ll probably run again before then!”
JUST four went to post for what proved a slowly run Christopher Dunne Memorial (Pro/Am) Flat Race and the debut of Apples Jane, the first foal out of the top class racemare Apple’s Jade, peeked plenty of interest.
In what eventually turned into a sprint, Eternal Echo led about a furlong out and kept on well for Harry Swan to beat stablemate Apples Jane by three-quarters of a length.
“He’s a nice horse and shows a bit of pace at home. It’s great to get the support from Maurice Regan, Newtown Anner, and he’s a horse that could definitely go back and win on the flat. He could be a dual-purpose horse,” said Elliott of the 16/5 winner. “I thought she (Apples Jane) showed a good attitude as well. They didn’t go that fast and she’s picked up and galloped.”
Duke Of Leggagh did his best to throw away the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle with mistakes at the final two flights but Patrick O’Brien’s mount showed a good attitude on the run-in to hold off Fairyland Opera by a neck.
“He ran well the last day and on his flat form he was entitled to be there or thereabouts in a race like that,” said Mick Mulvany, who trains the 11/1 winner for his father Larry. “He battered the last two hurdles, but he stuck at it well. He’s a hardy little horse and guts won it for him. He can mix it between hurdles and the flat and wants the ground like that.”