“BY far my biggest winner,” was the description Co Kildare-based trainer Shane Nolan gave to his Grade A Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase victor Charlie Stout at Fairyhouse last Saturday.
It wasn’t entirely unexpected either as the Barry Potts, Patrick Walsh and Michael Mulligan-owned nine-year-old was backed into 10/1 from 12/1 on track, and from bigger earlier.
Conor McNamara doubled his score aboard Charlie Stout, having ridden the opening winner on the card, Wolf Prince.
Charlie Stout was never far away and he led travelling well entering the straight.
Ridden after two out, and a length up at the last, he kept on well on the run-in to beat Avenir D’Une Vie by two lengths.
“I’m just delighted for the horse to have come back because he was lost there for a while, but we figured out what was wrong with him and got him right,” said Nolan. “I’m delighted for the lads that own him. He has a couple of new owners in him as well so I’m delighted for them.”
For his part, McNamara revealed: “It’s great and definitely my best ever day. I did have a double before at Clonmel but this is even better.”
Double triumph
An excellent afternoon was set in motion for young Limerick rider McNamara when he triumphed for his main backer, trainer Gavin Cromwell, on Wolf Prince (9/10 favourite) in the ITM Stallion Trail Hurdle.
In the red and white silks of Patrick Sheanon, McNamara was confident on Wolf Prince. His faith in the Pour Moi gelding was spot on, as the now dual Fairyhouse two-mile winner bettered the commendable effort of outsider, Hammersmith, by a length and a quarter.
“He’ll probably get an entry in the Triumph but is more likely to go to the Fred Winter. I don’t see much point in going and taking on Henry’s horse in the Triumph,” said Cromwell.
Wolf Prince has already been placed twice, but well-held, behind Henry de Bromhead’s Aspire Tower, one of the stars of this juvenile hurdling division.
Mullins weighs in with a treble led by Jazzaway
WILLIE Mullins supplied the beaten favourite in the feature, Blazer, but the champion trainer did weigh in with an 82/1 plus treble on the day.
The Beswick Brothers Bloodstock Partnership sent Five Bar Brian (9/2) to Mullins, the six-year-old having one previous piece of form to his name.
In the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Auction INH Flat Race, he built on a Newcastle second-placing for Tim Reed 749 days previouslty to defeat Harry Alonzo by a length and a quarter.
Patrick Mullins did the steering.
Hat-trick
Jazzaway (9/10 favourite) initiated the Closutton hat-trick in the hands of stable jockey Paul Townend in the Book Easter Festival Tickets Online @fairyhouse.ie Mares Maiden Hurdle.
An early faller, the loose Trixie Mc played a role in the closing stages here.
Runner-up Strange Notions suffered worse interference than Jazzaway.
However, the Whitegrass Racing Syndicate’s well-bred five-year-old was a good three-and-a-half-length winner at the line.
Mullins also had a one-two in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase as Susannah and Rich Ricci’s Annamix (7/1) led home stable companion Voix Des Tiep (9/4 second favourite).
Mistake
Mullins’ nephew Danny was aboard the chase debutant Annamix, who overcame a mistake two out when making all, with Townend on Voix Des Tiep.
A margin of 11 lengths separated them at the end of this two-mile, one-furlong event and there was a 29-length break back to the third, Valdieu.
Acorn provides the Craic
THE Here For The Craic Partnership and Tony Martin combined for success as At The Acorn and Phillip Enright (3/1 favourite) bolted up in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Rated Novice Chase. The winner held off The Long Mile by two and a half lengths.
Owned and trained by James Nash, Alohamora (5/1) is another to keep on the right side of. In first-time cheekpieces she followed-up on a Christmas Limerick handicap chase win, with victory in the Fairyhouse Members 2020 Handicap Hurdle.
It was easy for Gavin Brouder’s mount as she crossed the line by eight and a half lengths from Thunder Down Under. The winner has plenty of options.