DECLAN Queally equalled his previous best seasonal tally of 20 winners when sending out a double highlighted by the Grade 3 success of Bacchanalian in the William Hill Top Price Guarantee Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle.
The Shane Wilson-owned Siyouni gelding repeated a victory over course and distance just over a fortnight earlier when again making all under Sean O’Keeffe and keeping on dourly from the penultimate flight to beat Kool One by 11 lengths.
“We were playing with fire running him at the Dublin Racing Festival and then back here a week later and again today. We’ll leave him out in a field for a week and maybe put him away for Fairyhouse or Punchestown.
“He definitely won’t go to Cheltenham as he’s had a hard race,” said Queally’s son and namesake of the 6/4 favourite. “This was a grand opportunity for him as he likes heavy ground and we’re looking forward to him next season.”
Family success
Queally junior was aboard I’ll Sort That (9/4) who also successfully adopted front-running tactics in the William Hill Proper Prices (Pro/Am) Flat Race, staying on powerfully inside the final furlong to beat Strong Link by seven and a half lengths.
“Conditions are very tough out there, but I had a good walk of the track beforehand, and I picked the ground I was going to take,” said the winning rider.
“David (Needham, owner) is a joy to train for and just lets you pick the races and make a plan.
“He’ll probably go back to Fairyhouse for a winners’ of three and then he’ll go out to grass. You’d be looking forward to him next year. I think his ideal ground would be yielding to soft, but he has the engine to cope with anything.
“You wouldn’t risk him on good ground.”
Jacob is climbing the Ladder
JACOB’S Ladder took the other Grade 3 race on the card when following up a Navan maiden win the previous month in the Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle.
Trained by Gordon Elliott for Gigginstown House Stud, the 5/1 shot took full advantage of a mistake at the last by Joystick when staying on strongly under Sam Ewing to beat that rival by three and a quarter lengths.
“He’s done it quite nicely in the end. Sam thought he was struggling with a circuit to go but in fairness to him he showed a lot of guts,” said stable representative Lisa O’Neill.
“Sam held onto him for as long as he could up the home straight as it’s really tough going out there. He needed a good jump at the last and he got it. He’s a nice, big horse and he’ll be a chaser for the future.”
KALIX Delabarriere, trained by Willie Mullins for the Slaneyville Syndicate, added to a Ballinrobe bumper win last May when successful on his third start over hurdles in the Lily & Wild At The Post Maiden Hurdle.
The 8/11 favourite was prominent throughout and overcame a slight mistake at the last before driven out by Paul Townend to beat Walk On The Beach by a length and a half.
Mullins’ son Patrick said: “I’d say the hood helped him and I think being a Galiway, he’ll be better on better ground. He probably won despite the ground.
“I’d imagine we’re looking towards Fairyhouse and Punchestown and whether we go for a novice race or a handicap we’ll have to see. We think he’s better than he’s looked on soft ground.”
Wise winner
Will The Wise booked his ticket for the upcoming Cheltenham Festival when getting the better of a protracted battle with Maxi Mac Gold in the Pertemps Network Group Handicap Hurdle Qualifier, asserting in the closing stages under Conor Stone-Walsh to score by two and a half lengths.
“I was very unsure how he was going to handle the ground. He travelled and jumped and dug deep from the last,” said Gavin Cromwell, who trains the 11/4 favourite for the Have No Clue Syndicate.
Paddy Power cut the winner into 7/1 (from 12/1) for the Pertemps Final but the Well Chosen gelding has a number of options with Cromwell adding, “He’s in the Albert Bartlett as well so we’ll see where we go from here. We’ll have to see what the handicapper does as well.” Tiernan Power Roche was given a two-day ban for careless riding aboard fifth-placed Cato’s Revenge following an incident after the last involving Patter Merchant.
Impressive
Duke Of Leggagh narrowly won here earlier in the month but was a lot more impressive when following up off a 7lb higher mark in the William Hill Keep Your Raceday Positive Handicap Hurdle.
Patrick O’Brien again took the mount and the 9/2 chance asserted before the last and kept on strongly to beat Gabbys Cross by eight lengths.
“It was ideal conditions for the horse. He hit the last two the last day and fell in, but he jumped a lot better today. We’ll probably go back to the flat with him now. “He really does like that ground,” said Mick Mulvany, who trains the hombred son of Tough As Nails for his father Larry. I knew he had improved from the last day, but I didn’t think he had improved that much!”
Following further heavy rain before the fifth race, the concluding two chases – the William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Nas Na Riogh Novice Handicap Chase and the Grade 3 DAR Golf Newlands Chase – were both cancelled as parts of the track were waterlogged.