A MARVELLOUS season for Darasso which began with a win at Killarney all the way back in May yielded a third blacktype success of the campaign as the ultra-reliable nine-year-old landed the Grade 2 Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Hurdle over two and a half miles.

Tanked

Joseph O’Brien’s charge tanked through this race for Luke Dempsey and he moved to the head of the field at the second last. The J.P. McManus-owned gelding soon surged into a commanding advantage and he went on to finish half a dozen lengths clear of Santa Rossa.

“He’s a great horse who turns up and runs his race every day. That’s all you could ask for,” remarked Joseph O’Brien. “He’s a little bit short of Grade 1 level but all you can ask for is that they do their best and he’s a joy to have around. Luke gave him a great ride.”

“You can go two miles, three miles in a chase or hurdle and you know what you are going to get with him. We put him in the Champion Hurdle at Punchestown and he might sneak around there and see what happens. We’ll see how he comes out of today though, this was his target.”

O’Dwyers combine

On a card where he brought the curtain down on his decorated riding career with a winner back in 2008, Conor O’Dwyer sent out Capilano Bridge (12/1), under his son Charlie, to pick up the Fairyhouse Steel Handicap Hurdle over just short of two and three-quarter miles.

From a long way out the winner and Silver Sheen stole quite a march on the field and when the Hugo Kane-owned Capilano Bridge set sail for home at the third he opened up an unassailable lead.

The seven-year-old did have to survive a last flight scare but he righted himself to get home by two and a quarter lengths from Silver Sheen who stuck to his task in commendable fashion to finish 11 lengths clear of the chasing pack.

“I told Charlie not to hang around and he took me at my word! This horse ran very well at Punchestown last year to finish second to Capodanno and he stays very well and he had a nice weight on his back too,” declared a delighted O’Dwyer.

FOR the second year in succession the Grade 2 Devenish Chase went to Easy Game and Brian Hayes, although the race was marred by a couple of nasty falls, one of which saw the winner’s talented stablemate Blackbow take a fatal one at the last fence with a circuit to go.

The odds-on favourite Janidil then took a crashing fall just before halfway and this threw the race wide open before Easy Game, on his first start since November, took charge after the original second last. The Nicholas Peacock-owned gelding soon left behind his stablemate Cilaos Emery to win by seven and a half lengths.

“It’s disappointing with what happened to Janidil and then Blackbow didn’t make it. He’s a big loss and sadly that’s the ups and downs or racing,” observed Willie Mullins. “I thought Easy Game would need the run but he jumped very well and finished out his race strongly. I’d say maybe he’s a better horse fresh.”

Double

Hunters Yarn made it a double for the trainer with a gritty display in the Leinster Reinforcements & Brazil Piling (Pro/Am) Flat Race where the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned gelding made it three wins in bumpers. The evens favourite responded well to the promptings of Patrick Mullins to get the better of The Mediator inside the last furlong and reached the line a length and a half ahead of the eye-catching newcomer Mellificent.

“He did that nicely. He’s improved all spring and is going to be a very nice novice hurdling prospect next season. I’d imagine we will put him away now,” commented Mullins.

The day kicked off with a 16/1 winner as the Michael Mulvany-trained Ideal Pal, who was as big as 50/1 when betting on the race opened, bagged the Farmhouse Foods Novice Handicap Hurdle over two miles.

A vastly experienced six-time winner on the flat, the six-year-old jumped like an old hand on his handicap hurdle debut as he made all the running for Jordon Gainford. The outcome of the race still hung in the balance at the last where Marvel Fan was pressing the winner, but that one crashed out to leave Ideal Pal to come home four and a half lengths clear of Celestial Horizon.

“The ground was a bit of a concern but he handled it well and that was a good effort in his first handicap. I’d say he might go on to Punchestown now,” reported Mulvany whose father Larry bred and owns the winner.

ALTHOUGH he had to settle for the runner-up spot in the National, Gordon Elliott signed off for this year’s Easter Festival with a double which began with Iberique Du Seuil who took a marked step forward the Grade 2 Donohue Marquees Juvenile Hurdle where the odds-on Icare Allen (4/11) could only manage third.

The Bective Stud-owned winner ran quite creditably in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham last time but still looked to have it all to do on ratings. A vastly improved effort was in the offing here though as Jack Kennedy had him stalking the pace throughout. The winner got tight for room turning for home but remained in contention and then came with a strong charge to pick off 33/1 outsider Innatendue on the run-in and carry the day by two and a quarter lengths, with Icare Allen a further two and a half lengths away.

“He got a lovely ride from Jack and I’d say getting tight for room might have suited the horse, and he definitely enjoyed the better ground,” stated Gordon Elliott. “Before today I was thinking in terms of the Lartigue Hurdle at Listowel but maybe we might look at the Galway Hurdle now.”

Elliott also struck with Defi Bleu who staged quite a resurgence in the beautybasket.ie Handicap Chase over three miles. This Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding has plenty of talent without being that reliable, but Shane Fitzgerald conjured quite an effort from the nine-year-old. The 20/1 chance was going well in the front rank from some way out and in the straight he gamely answered his rider’s every call to fend off the strong-travelling Donkey Years by three-parts of a length.

“I was wondering would the ground be too quick for him but he jumped and travelled well and Shane gave him a good ride,” remarked the trainer. “Punchestown may come a bit soon for him but he’s always shown that sort of ability and it’s good to see him back.”