YOUNG jockey and college student Mark McDonagh enjoyed a day he will cherish forever as Birchdale provided him with his biggest winner to date and his first success over fences when claiming the €125,000 Bulmers Secret Orchard Leopardstown Handicap Chase for Enda Bolger and J.P. McManus.

A very smart sort when trained by Nicky Henderson, Birchdale ran an excellent sixth in the Paddy Power Chase. The promise of that coupled with a drop back in trip to an extended two miles, five furlongs and his rider claiming a very useful 7lb off bottom weight ensured that Birchdale was returned the 9/2 favourite in search of a first win over fences.

Contention

Under a cool McDonagh, the winner picked his way into contention over the last mile and loomed up on the inner travelling best of all on the run to the final fence.

Birchdale took over in front coming away from that obstacle and first fended off fellow McManus-owned runner Winter Escape before reaching the line with a length and a quarter to spare over the 33/1 chance Foxy Jacks whose jockey Jonathan Moore was given a two-day whip ban.

“He always had the ability and got a great ride from Mark. He used to come in and ride out for us and he was outstanding,” reflected Bolger. “This was the plan and this is a prestige race to win so I’m not sure where he go now but it’s marvellous to win this.”

Lily battles

The meeting concluded with a battle royal for the Grade 2 Coolmore N.H. sires Santiago Irish EBF Mares I.N.H. Flat Race where 40/1 shot Lily Du Berlais struck for brothers Stuart and Ben Crawford.

An unconsidered contender on the back of her debut success in a Perth bumper in the summer, the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned filly was not found wanting. Victory could have gone any one of five ways deep inside the last furlong and three mares flashed across the line in unison before Lily Du Berlais, who was last at one stage, got the verdict by a nose from Battling Bessie, with Liberty Dance a short head away in third.

The winning jockey picked up a four-day whip ban, Derek O’Connor got three days for his efforts on the runner-up and Lisa O’Neill was suspended for two days for her efforts on Liberty Dance.

“I thought she was a good mare when I brought her to Perth and Brian Hughes said to me that day that’s as good a horse as I’ve ridden for you and he rang me this morning to say to tell Ben to ride her cold and be as cool as he likes,” remarked Crawford.

“Simon, Isaac and Anthony (Bromley) are great supporters of racing and mine so I’m thrilled to get a winner for them.”

Lyreen answers Russell’s every Call

A GOOD weekend for Gordon Elliott, which yielded three winners and five Grade 1 seconds, was rounded off by a double on this card and in an especially tricky looking Liffey Handicap Hurdle the trainer held all the aces as Call Me Lyreen edged out his stablemate Magic Tricks.

The Lyreen Syndicate-owned winner won at Grade 2 level last season but came here struggling for form after a series of unplaced efforts.

Canny Russell

Under a typically canny Davy Russell ride, the jockey took his chances by creeping away down the inner in this 27-runner two-mile affair and seamlessly extracted himself from that position to make his challenge on the outer nearing the last.

The 20/1 shot then got the better of stablemate Magic Tricks on the run-in and score by a length and a quarter, with Autumn Evening a further two and a half lengths back in third.

“Both horses got lovely rides and we felt we’d ride the winner cold today and it’s worked out to a tee. He hasn’t shown it lately but this is a good horse and he had some very good form from last season,” stated Elliott. “It’s lovely to have a winner for Danny Houlihan who is a great supporter of ours.”

THE suspicion that Elliott’s Party Central could have something in hand over her initial rating of 121 was borne out as she ran riot in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle.

A first Dublin Racing Festival winner for Noel and Valerie Moran’s Bective Stud, the daughter of Yeats was sent off a heavily supported 7/4 favourite she and cruised through the race for Davy Russell.

She steadily picked her way through the field over the final mile and arrived full of running to take over in front nearing the last.

Party Central quickly took a number of lengths out of the field but, as is her wont, she didn’t do much in front which allowed her 33/1 stablemate Say Goodbye to close to within one and three-quarters of a length at the line.

Strong pace

“Davy said he could have held on to her a bit longer but he’s given her a lovely ride and she settled very nicely off a strong pace,” reflected Elliott.

“When we saw her mark we felt that we had to come here.

“She’ll have a few handicap entries at Cheltenham and we’ll also put her in the Mares’ Novice Hurdle so I’d imagine she will head over.”