A PAIR of 14/1 shots combined to give trainer Jimmy Finn and his niece, owner Amanda Finn, a 224/1 double in Downpatrick.
Dorkas got the ball rolling in the extended two-mile, seven-furlong C Russell Auto Sales Handicap Chase, when getting the better of He Knows My Name close home to win by half a length.
Afterwards, Finn said: “It was a great ride from Luke (Dempsey). I met him in the car park and said to him that this mare had a great chance with the drying ground.
“I’m delighted she won. The ground the last day here was tacky and holding. She much prefers good ground especially over the extended trip.”
This was a third career victory for the nine-year-old mare. She was the second leg of a 509/1 double for Dempsey, who made all on 33/1 outsider Two In One to land the Apple Recruitment Services Handicap Hurdle by a length and three quarters for his father Philip.
Dempsey snr said: “He got a dreadful fall and we actually had to send him down to Ger Kelly to operate on him and he got him back.
“We schooled him over fences but he was afraid for his life so we gave him a run over hurdles. He had been working well. There was no pace and he sat in front, he was very game.
“The Red Mans Cave Syndicate are all from Louth – they are all football mad and couldn’t make it as there is a match on.”
Banksoftheshannon, the 15/8 favourite, pulled up lame before the third hurdle.
Turbo (14/1) lived up to his name in the Molson Coors I.N.H. Flat Race with an all-the-way success to complete the Finns’ double.
The five-year-old gelding travelled powerfully and opened up on his rivals half a mile from home as they all came off the bridle. He stayed on strongly to win comfortably by three lengths.
Jimmy Finn said: “He works very well at home. He was very keen in Punchestown. He was unlucky not to win his point-to-point (in Tallow), he unseated at the last. James (Hannon) actually rode him and that’s why we got him today. He kind of knew him.
“He’ll go hurdling, he jumps exceptionally well. He’s a nice horse and it’s nice to see him go and do it. I’m very happy with him. I’d love to keep him but it’s up to the owner!”
Turbo had been well backed during the day and gave jockey Hannon his first racecourse double, as he also came in for a winning spare ride on Macs Legend (7/1) in the King & Boyd Solicitors Hunters Steeplechase.
Gerard Kelleher’s 10-year-old gelding made the long journey north from Co Cork and it paid off as he readily asserted after the last to take the spoils by six and a half lengths in the colours of Shane Prendeville.
Hannon said: “That’s my fifth winner on the track but I’m having a great year at the point-to-points. It was unfortunate for John Barry but his loss my gain.
BEST HORSE
“Gerard just said drop in and basically ride him like the best horse in the race. He came there very easy. He was expecting a big run.”
Barry was fined by the stewards for his non arrival having telephoned the trainer to advise that he was riding at a point-to-point and wouldn’t make it to Downpatrick on time.
Caro Des Flos (4/5) had been beaten at odds-on when he last visited Downpatrick in March but made no mistake this time in the Pat O’Hare Bookmakers Maiden Hurdle.
Once he got on terms coming to the third last his supporters had little to worry about. The French-bred six-year-old strode up the hill to come home nine lengths clear.
David Mullins, who was on board for Willie Mullins, said of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Syndicate’s 4/5 favourite: “He travelled great and loved the ground. They’ve done a fantastic job on the ground up here – it was lovely juicy ground. He just travelled a lot better on it.
“I’d say he is a bit better than his ratings suggest. He needs just a good trip and a strongly-run race and on good ground around here you get that. He’ll certainly get three miles and he’ll have no problem jumping a fence.
“He ran away with me pulling up down the hill and I was impressed with him.”
King Of Aran was very easy to back at 14/1 for the Paddy Galbraith Memorial Handicap Hurdle but made a mockery of his odds with a six-length victory.
Jockey Danny Mullins said: “He acts very well around here. He had a good run on the flat the last day. Michael (Grassick) is a very sharp trainer and I knew I was coming here with a chance.” This was the 11-year-old gelding’s third victory in Downpatrick for his trainer/owner.
Shark Hanlon and Rachael Blackmore teamed up to record a victory with Whatsinthecorner in the Roadstud Installations Beginners Steeplechase over an extended two miles and three furlongs.
The 7/1 chance was too strong up the hill for favourite Ri An Rian who gave best by a length and a half.
Hanlon said: “He’s a good-ground horse, ground is the key factor to him. I’m delighted to get that out of the way now because I was beginning to wonder would he ever win a race.
“The owner, TJ McDonald, is a farmer from Naas. He had another horse with me and he got hurt and we bought this one as a replacement.”
ACTING STEWARDS
R.W. Steele, T.L. Crawford, B.J. Fitzsimmons, J. Hunt, M.F. O’Donoghue
HORSE TO FOLLOW
FOLLY DAT (R.K. Watson): First-time cheekpieces, better ground and a change in tactics to set the pace saw a marked improvement in her performance.