TRAINER John Ryan is already thinking of one of his favourite weeks of the year, next month’s Listowel festival. To more immediate concerns though and a busy and productive time continued for the County Tipperary handler with success in the feature on last Saturday’s Kilbeggan card through 12/1 chance The Dara Man.

The Declan Donohoe-owned and bred The Dara Man hadn’t been in action since last October but that didn’t stop his jockey Danny Mullins from taking the SwissMPC Medical Device And Pharmaceutical Consulting Handicap Chase by the scruff of the neck from early on. That forceful approach from the front reaped a rich dividend. 

He may not have been fluent five out and pursuer Winding River tried his case three out. However The Dara Man gained a deserved first success in over two years, keeping up the gallop from before the last to prevail by two lengths.

“He had a knock and was off for a while but we have a great mile and a half plough gallop at home, which is inside our point-to-point course, and we can get horses very fit,” explained Ryan. 

“We have a great bunch of horses getting ready for Listowel - Grange Walk, Mount Frisco and Lucid Dreams - and he was working with those so I knew he was ready coming here. I thought he had a serious chance and Danny gave him an absolute peach of a ride.”

With the pace

In the other contest over fences on the card, the Kieran Kelly Memorial Handicap Chase, it also paid to be up with the pace. On his initial try outside of beginners’ company, in first-time cheekpieces, another 12/1 hope, Hand Over Fist came back to form.

Hat-trick seeker Ceanndana made a bold bid but he could never quite get to the Henry de Bromhead-trained and Mike O’Connor-ridden Hand Over Fist, as the two-time handicap hurdle victor from last summer re-discovered his best on the front end. The eventual winning margin was a length and threequarters for Denis Howard’s French-bred.

JORDAN Kidd, 22-year-old older brother of Dylan, who has been making an impression on the flat and over jumps in his fledgling riding career to date, got off the mark himself aboard the impressive Kevin’s Pride in the Midland Veterinary (Tullamore, Portarlington, Edenderry) INH Flat Race.   

Triumphant for the first time earlier in the year ‘between the flags,’ County Meath-amateur Kidd soon had the Rollx Syndicate-owned and bred Kevin’s Pride (11/2) in a prominent position, and after leading over two furlongs out he wasn’t long about asserting. In the end the Mount Nelson gelding had nine and a half lengths to spare over Marcus Furius.

“I’m with John (McConnell, winning trainer) now, having been with Gavin Cromwell, who was good to me, and gave me as many opportunities as he could,” commented Kidd.

For his part McConnell stated: “Time will tell how good a  bumper it was but his work had told us he was very nice. He’s a massive chaser in the making and to win a bumper is a bonus.

“The owners are from Ashbourne and have been very patient as he was one of the horses most affected by rapeseed last May. He could be sold but I don’t know what the lads will do as they’re in shock. He’ll go on soft ground as well as his wind is very good.”

Family affair

Run For Oscar (2/5) brought a real touch of class to proceedings in the Joe Cooney Memorial Hurdle for Charles Byrnes and his son Philip.

Owned and bred by the Top Of The Hill Syndicate, the nine-year-old ended a winless spell going back to the English Cesarewitch in 2022 with a comfortable six and a half length verdict from Macgiloney.

Byrnes senior didn’t divulge a concrete plan for Run For Oscar – though he doesn’t envisage a return to France, having competed at Deauville and ParisLongchamp last year.

Paul Townend pulled Willie Mullins’ Mr Adjudicator up before the second last flight and reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount made a noise.

THERE was better fortune for Mullins and Townend elsewhere as they combined for a brace, initiated by 5/6 shot Crack The Sky in the Racing Again Summer Evening Racing August 23rd Maiden Hurdle. 

For the Byrne, Kiely and Hughes Partnership Crack The Sky accomplished this at her ease by 12 lengths from Clonshire River.

“She was a lot more grown up than on her other two runs. That’s testament to the lads who ride her out at home - getting her to relax isn’t easy,” remarked Townend.

Completed it

An hour later and the Closutton double was completed by Four Clean Aces (6/4 favourite) in the BetXS Staffless Betting Shops Maiden Hurdle.

Despite the fact that she jumped left on occasions the front-runner was too good for these rivals, ultimately defeating Karacole by five and a half lengths.

Said Townend on the Jack Of All Trades Syndicate-owned mare: “She progressed well from the last day (second over this track and trip a month ago) and I was able to keep it straight-forward on her.”

Stewards decision

Gamigin (a gambled on 7/2 second favourite) and Slieve Bearnagh (3/1 favourite) appeared to come close together approximately 150 yards from the finish, prompting the Raceday Stewards to view a recording of the Smiddy’s Pub Mullingar Handicap Hurdle.

They deemed that no action was warranted and Gamigin was confirmed the three and a quarter length victor for Noel Kelly and Oran McGill.

Officials also held an improvement in form inquiry regarding the Dogs To Horses Syndicate’s winner. Handler Kelly reasoned that the horse found the going at Roscommon last time too fast and appreciated the easier ground here in what he felt was a poorer race. This was noted.