THE Busy Fool provided 7lb claimer Tiernan Power Roche with his biggest success to date, when making virtually all aboard the Philip Rothwell-trained gelding in the featured Brown Lad Handicap Hurdle.
The 11/2 chance, absent since winning on handicap debut at Tipperary back in April, was strongly pressed after the penultimate flight in this two and a half mile event, but found plenty under pressure on the run-in to beat Park Of Kings by three-quarters of a length.
Rothwell said: “They (Seamus Carthy and Tony Murray) are great guys to train for and have been very lucky - we’ve had a lot of winners. They’ve been very patient with this horse, who is a big backward fella. I think Tiernan will be very important to me this year for some of those handicaps. He got a very easy lead and came up the home straight the first time, with his ears pricked going a nice steady gallop.”
De Bromhead double
Quilixios lowered the colours of the odds-on Marine Nationale, when making all in the Grade 3 Barberstown Castle Chase, completing a 75/1 double on the card for in-form trainer, Henry de Bromhead.
The Cheveley Park Stud-owned gelding kept on well from two out and was driven out on the run-in by Darragh O’Keeffe to stretch further clear for a seven-and-a-half length verdict at odds of 7/2.
De Bromhead said: “He jumped brilliant, and I thought Darragh was brilliant on him. It’s lovely to see him back to form again - he’s got a lot of class.
“We said we’d come here and just see where we were and, obviously, we’ll look at all those better races now. There is the Tingle Creek or the race at Leopardstown.”
One better
Farren Glory, runner-up to de Bromhead’s Inthepocket at Wexford last month, went one better on his second start over fences, when landing the odds in the beginners chase.
The Easyfix-owned gelding, a Grade 1 winner over hurdles last season, also made all in this two-mile event and despite hesitating at a few fences, got well on top for Jack Kennedy in the closing stages to beat Ho My Lord by seven and a half lengths.
“Jack said his best was from the last to the line and it took him a good while to pull up. He said it was actually slippy and he slipped a bit and then was a bit careful,” said trainer Gordon Elliott of the easy-to-back 4/6 favourite before adding: “I’d imagine he’ll head straight on to the Drinmore now.”
MISS Tempo set a successful trend on the day for front-runners and also put in a fine round of jumping to lead home a 1-2 for the de Bromhead yard in the opening novice handicap chase.
The 16/1 shot, a point-to-point winner for Harry Kelly, drew right away on the run-in under Mikey O’Connor to beat stablemate and 5/2 favourite, Ballybrack Wood by 12 lengths.
“Mikey gave her a super ride, really positive, and I’m delighted for the lads,” said de Bromhead, who trains the Milan mare for the Ferroandel Racing Syndicate that includes the Irish football team’s assistant manager, John O’Shea.
Opportunity
“She loves it here and it will probably be more handicapping, but if there was an opportunity to get blacktype, you wouldn’t be opposed it,” added the Knockeen trainer.
Pinot Gris, trained by Gavin Cromwell for Basil Holian, recorded a fourth career win when taking the novice hurdle in effortless fashion.
Keith Donoghue oozed confidence on the grey, who loomed up to challenge after two out, at which point 5/4 favourite Zariygann dropped away tamely.
Cruised clear
The dual-purpose gelding, fitted with blinkers here instead of previously worn cheekpieces, cruised clear in the closing stages to beat Palamon by three lengths, with the pair pulling 22 lengths clear.
“He’s a lazy, idle type of a horse and the blinkers worked a treat – they just made him concentrate. He had a wander around up the straight in the Lartigue and it’s a pity we didn’t have them on him then,” said Cromwell. “We’ll maybe look for a handicap somewhere and he’s big enough to jump a fence in time.”
DUAL bumper winner Lieutenant Mayne got his hurdling career off to the perfect start, when also making all in the EBF maiden hurdle on the card.
His task in this two-mile, three-furlong event was greatly eased by the withdrawal of a number of rivals due to the going (officially good to yielding), but the 1/4 favourite was in command from two out under Ben Harvey to beat Make Sunshine by 16 lengths.
“We knew he was a nice horse and anything he was doing in bumpers was going to be a bonus, as he jumps super,” said trainer John McConnell.
“We’ll go baby steps with him and try to find a novice hurdle, maybe across the water and then step him up in grade. The McNeills and Stones are very easy to train for and leave it all to me.”
Defying a drift
Spasiba defied a lack of market confidence, drifting on track from 2/7 to 1/2, when making all in the other maiden hurdle. His jumping was a bit of a mixed bag and showed a tendency to jump right, before being ridden out by Paul Townend after the last to beat Beauforts Storm by two and a quarter lengths.
“I’ll have to look at another half-mile for him and maybe going right-handed. He seemed to be leaning to the right, so a novice hurdle right-handed would be the obvious thing to do,” said Willie Mullins, who trains the dual-purpose gelding for the Friends Of Paolo Partnership.
Carrigmoornaspruce confirmed the promise of her debut in the bumper. The 5/2 chance, trained and ridden by Declan Queally, made headway from off the pace in the straight and quickened up nicely inside the final furlong to beat Galileo Springs by two and a half lengths.
Queally said: “I was trapped back further than I wanted to be and had to sit and suffer. To be fair to her, she got me out of a hole and is obviously a good filly. She’s owned by two gentleman, Micky Veale and Tom McCarthy, so it’s mighty for them.”