CORK conditional Shane Fitzgerald, steadily making an impression since going professional in May, took it to another level on Tipperary’s all-chase card with a hat-trick achieved in successive races. The treble came in at eye-watering odds of 1,436/1.
The Buttevant jockey set the ball rolling on 12/1 victor Avec Espoir, for O’Brien brothers Val and Sean, in division one of the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Chase.
After Avec Espoir came home at his ease by 19 lengths from Mister Bells, trainer Val remarked: “It took him four years to win and now he’s won too well!”
Favourite Gold Creek (7/2) was pulled up, and reported by her rider Cathal Landers to have failed to operate on the going.
McManus winner
For the sponsor, J P McManus, in division two of this extended two and three- quarter miler, Fitzgerald combined with handler Conor O’Dwyer to take the honours with I’m Not Alone (16/1).
After an issue with aspergillus O’Dwyer’s yard is back in business now, and I’m Not Alone easily accounted for Pat Coyne by three and a quarter lengths.
Formerly top of the tree twice in the novice rider ranks in the point-to-point fields, Fitzgerald rounded off a never to be forgotten afternoon on Forged In Fire (11/2) in the Packie Downey Memorial Rated Novice Chase.
Successful trainer here, Joseph O’Brien, was also on the mark on the day with I Siyou Baby and Emphatic Answer at the Curragh, and he has care of three and a quarter length scorer Forged In Fire for Gigginstown House Stud.
Kevin Brouder sustained a suspected pelvic injury after a horrible fall from Alpine Cobra in this race.
THE featured Tipperary Town Plate Handicap Chase began seven minutes behind schedule as Kevin Brouder was being taken to hospital in Limerick
The later off time mattered little to owners, the Final Reminder Syndicate, trainer Denis Hogan and jockey Shane Mulcahy as their contender Funky Dady (13/2) triumphed nicely by four and a half lengths from Ya Boy Ya.
“I’ve won on him three times and have been placed numerous times and hopefully Galway could be a possibility,” said Mulcahy.
De Bromhead brace
Third there with favourite Popong, Henry de Bromhead had been quick out of the blocks earlier with a double in the beginners’ chases at the start of the programme.
Jockey Darragh O’Keeffe also had a brace, and he combined with de Bromhead to take the Walter Hennessy Auctioneer, Valuer And Estate Agent MIPAV TRV MCEI Mares Beginners Chase courtesy of hot-favourite Havingagoodtime (8/15).
The Michelle Doyle and Sean Barton-owned Havingagoodtime came a second time after being headed before the last by Heliers Bay (jumped right there). Three and three-quarters of a length eventually split them.
O’Keeffe replaced the injured Rachael Blackmore on the winner, and de Bromhead reflected: “I’m delighted for Sean (Barton) and Michelle (Doyle) who have been very patient with her - she had a bad year last year and lost her form completely but it is great to see her back.”
Half-an-hour on and it was Sean Flanagan in the Richard Frayne silks who guided home de Bromhead’s The Cathal Don (8/1) by eight and a half lengths in the Tipperary Racecourse Beginners Chase.
“I’m delighted for Richard Frayne who let me go chasing with him – I just hoped he’d improve for a fence and it looks like he has,” reflected de Bromhead, after his Westerner gelding convincingly beat off Poseidon.
Interference
An incident involving Stephen Mahon, authorised representative and travelling head lad for Pat Kelly, trainer of third home, Stormey, post-race, was referred on to the CEO of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board for further investigation.
Avena O’Keeffe, veterinary assistant, ultimately failed to get a urine sample from Stormey due to Mahon’s alleged interference during the process.
Hungry Tiger pounces for Plummers
DARRAGH O’Keeffe bagged a second winner of his own on the afternoon, donning the red and yellow silks of the Plumbers & Oil Rig Partnership (Aberdeen-based) to land the Jim Ryan Racecourse Services Handicap Chase on Hungry Tiger.
This well-backed 11/2 chance moved smoothly to the front three out on the way to defeating Just A Normal Day by four and a quarter lengths.
Patrick Griffin trains Hungry Tiger, and he also had market-leader Give Me A Moment (4/1) in the mix. That fellow finished sixth of the seven to complete.
Griffin’s son James reported that Give Me A Moment didn’t handle the going. At an improvement in form enquiry James Griffin stated that Hungry Tiger had some good form over shorter trips and did not see out the two miles, six furlongs at Limerick on July 10th. The drop back in trip here was thought to have helped in bringing about the apparent improvement in form. The stewards noted the explanation given.
Breeder Bertie Mannion owns Thisonesforollie (20/1) with Brendan O’Grady and they’ll have enjoyed watching their Scorpion mare notch up her third racecourse win in the Racing Again August 6th Beginners Chase.
Point-to-point winner
Achieving a first win over racecourse fences at the 19th time of asking, the nine-year-old had shown her prowess over larger obstacles with a point-to-point victory at the beginning of her career in February 2017.
Here bridging a gap going back to October 2018 since her last victory, the Denise Foster-trained and Denis O’Regan-ridden Thisonesforollie came home in front by a length and a half from An Droichead Eile.
“She has been placed very well to win today and she had a very good run here back from a break. She liked the track and I still got there too soon on her but the race fell apart in front of her,” said O’Regan.
“She wants good ground so it wasn’t ideal today. She deserved her turn.”