FIVE times a winner on the flat, Yokkell (6/4) made an impressive debut over jumps in the Hovis (Prev. Premier Bakeries Ireland) Mares Maiden Hurdle.
Ridden by Alex Harvey and carrying the colours of Seamus Devlin, the daughter of Fast Company tracked the pace and headed market leader Born In Purple before the second last.
Yokkell had the race in safe keeping once negotiating the last where the fall of Born In Purple left her further clear and she passed the post 19 lengths to the good over Party Dress.
Trainer John McConnell said: “When we actually bought her, we bought her to go jumping. Things went so well on the flat, we have nearly waited a year to do it.
“She still has a bit to learn, but she has the aptitude and the guts and the will to do it.
“We have been waiting for her, she has probably reached her ceiling flat-wise.
“We could come back here for the mares’ novice in November and that could be an option. She probably wouldn’t go on winter, heavy ground, but she would go with some ease.”
Double
McConnell and Harvey doubled up when Dinoland (10/1) gained a first success on Irish soil in the Pilgrim’s Handicap Hurdle.
The six-year-old, a winner at Cartmel last month, made headway from mid-division to lead on the run to the second last and stayed on well to account for Beggars Rock by two and a half lengths.
Trainer McConnell owns Dinoland in partnership with Nigel O’Hare, Mark Devlin and Philip Smith, and said: “He is handicapped over fences too, so he will probably end up there sooner rather than later because he’s a big horse. He’s probably only coming to himself and I think he could improve again next year.
“He’s definitely not one for winter ground, he’ll be back up in Tyrone for the winter!”
Teriferma toughs it out
GOING to two out in the Dale Farm Dromona 3-Y-O Hurdle, outsider Jlow was the meat in a Joseph O’Brien-prepared sandwich and soon gave way as stablemates Inspire Hope and Teriferma (6/4 favourite) went on.
In unison over the last, the pair had a good scrap on the run-in before Killarney winner Teriferma, in the colours of Bronsan Racing, took command in the final 50 yards to score by half a length.
Winning rider J.J. Slevin said: “It was a good performance, giving all the weight away. He’s improving.
“Inspire Hope was a bit quicker over the last, but my lad got himself together at the back of it and stuck down his head and tried hard.He’s an exciting one and we’ll see what happens when the winter horses come out.”
Jinxs survives
Slevin completed a double when Jinxs Link (7/2) survived a stewards’ inquiry to land the Kerry Foods Handicap Hurdle.
The winner was one of three in contention from the second last and jumped left at the last, bumping eventual third Ah Remy Martin. Jinxs Link gained the upper hand on the run-in before tightening up the staying-on Eastmore in the last couple of strides. He scored by a neck from the latter and Patrick McCooey’s eight-year-old was duly confirmed as the ‘winner alright’,
Winning trainer Michael Rice, based near Dundalk, remarked: “It took us a long time to get him back on track. We knew we had him right and there is still a wee bit of improvement in him.”
A WINNER at Cork in March and runner-up in a Grade 3 at the Punchestown Festival when last seen in May, Mozzies Sister (15/8) took the Tayto Group Ltd Mares Flat Race under Ray Barron.
Barron kept tabs on front-running Love At Sea and his mount headed that one over two furlongs out before being ridden clear to win by three and three-quarter lengths from the staying-on market leader Dippedinmoonlight.
The Arctic Cosmos five-year-old is owned by the For The Love Of It Syndicate.
Trainer Declan Queally commented: “She’s a good filly, she works very well. We’ll go to Gowran for the Listed Mucklemeg bumper.
“We gave her a month out after Punchestown and I just said maybe a race before Gowran wouldn’t be a bad thing, so it has worked out.
“She was probably only maybe 85% (fit) coming here, but she’s a fair mare to gallop. If she runs well in Gowran, she would go hurdling this season. She’s a very good jumper.”
De Bromhead makes three
Tag Man (9/4) relished a new trip of three miles in the featured Pepsico (Walkers Snacks) Hurdle.
Roger Brookhouse’s eight-year-old, a third winner of the evening for Henry de Bromhead after a brace at Wexford, worked his way to the front on the run-in and outgunned odds-on favourite Run For Oscar by a length and a half.
Rachael Blackmore said: “He really did show a turn of foot at the end of three miles and it is great to get that with him. The step up in trip on good ground really helped.
“In parts, he got keen once or twice, but he settled then after, so happy on the whole. I loved the way he picked up past the last.”
Jury gets verdict
Fourth over a furlong further at Tramore on his previous start, Gordon Elliott’s Boston Jury (7/2) came good in the two-and-a-half-mile Linden Foods Maiden Hurdle.
Michelle Barry’s grey tussled with market leader How About No on the run-in but proved the stronger as he came home by a length and three-quarters in the hands of Jack Kennedy.
Assistant trainer Lisa O’Neill said: “I think the drop back in trip really helped him and it’s an easier finish here than at the likes of Tramore.
“He has progressed with every run and has plenty of filling into himself to do yet.”