THE Kerry Group Chase was the feature contest on the opening day of Listowel’s Harvest Festival and was turned into a match, with Visionarian (15/8) coming home in splendid isolation under Keith Donoghue, providing Peter Fahey with his third success of the weekend.

Settled behind sole rival Saint Sam (2/5 favourite), the Basil Holian-owned victor was a length down and still in with every chance, when the Willie Mullins-trained hotpot crashed out at the last.

“You don’t want to win a race that way, but Keith said he definitely wasn’t out of it,” Fahey disclosed.

“I think ‘two-and-a-half’ is as far as he wants. He’ll tip away and might go to Cheltenham for a two-mile handicap at the November meeting.”

Mullins was again out of luck in the Kerry Group Irish EBF Mares Hurdle, with his Space Tourist collared in the final strides by the Henry de Bromhead-trained Popova.

A disappointing fifth on her return to action at Bellewstown, the David Maughan-owned victor was sent off an easy-to-back 17/2 chance (from 9/2 early).

After a good scrap on the run-in, just a short head separated the first two home, with winning rider Rachael Blackmore later commenting: “She is a nice mare who stepped forward from the last day.

“She didn’t travel for me at all in Bellewstown but travelled a lot better today. Maybe she likes the smaller field-sizes. It was also her first day up in trip and she stayed at it well.”

The Kerry Group Irish EBF Mares Handicap Hurdle went to the third reserve Costanuci (11/4 favourite from 12s early).

In a race depleted by non-runners, the John Queally-trained six-year-old came from off the pace under Danny Gilligan and got to the front two flights from home. She went a few lengths clear on the approach to the final flight and could afford to be eased down in the closing stages.

“She is what she is but has been running consistently all summer,” Queally said of the Kieran McHugh-owned bay.

“I didn’t look beyond today but she will get three miles and will jump a fence but not until next year.”

Gilligan, recording his first success since returning from a month-long injury enforced absence, added: “The shoulder seems fine after my first day back at Ballinrobe on Friday and touch wood I’ll stay in one piece for the future.

Drama on day one as Wodhooh gets the nod from stewards

THERE was a drama on day one of the festival, which began with the demotion of Nurburgring (8/15 favourite) in the Kerry Group 3YO Hurdle.

The first of three to be beaten at odds-on, the Killarney winner edged left when strongly pressed on the run-in, hampering Wodhooh under Jordan Gainford. Just a short head split the pair at the line, with the stewards unsurprisingly reversing the result.

Owned by the Sundowners Partnership and trained by Gordon Elliott, the winning daughter of Le Havre was returned at 5/1.

“It’s not an ideal way to win a race but she is a nice mare and will be alright,” Elliott stated. “She will go for a winners’ race and will probably end up in Aintree in the listed race in December.”

JJ Slevin, rider of Nurburgring, was later found guilty of careless riding and was handed a four-day suspension.

There was further controversy in the Dairygold Maiden Hurdle, with Silver Gazette (5/4 favourite) badly hampered when attempting to challenge on the inner approaching the last. Aboard the front-running Dixies Girl, Sean Flanagan firmly closed the door on the market leader and was subsequently adjudged to have ridden improperly, with a seven-day suspension his punishment. The Tom Gibney-trained Meyo (12/1 from 33s early) avoided the melee on the outside and despite being pushed along from four out, she scooted clear on the run-in, coming home six and a half lengths to the good.

“I’m delighted to ride a winner for Damian and Irene Conway (of Alberta Capital Ltd), who are from Mayo and are here today,” successful rider Darragh O’Keeffe revealed. “She learned a lot from the last day in Galway and I thought she had an each-way chance today.

“The one thing she does is jump great and the further I was going the better she was getting. It’s another great training performance from Tom and he had told me to never give up on her as she’d keep going.”

Mullins scores double on mixed afternoon

ON an afternoon of mixed fortunes for Willie Mullins, the champion trainer came away with a double, which was highlighted by the success of Uncle Phil in the Strings & Things Novice Chase.

An impressive winner at Kilbeggan in June, the Walk In The Park (also the sire of Meyo) six-year-old since disappointed at Wexford and was returned an easy-to-back 5/1 chance (7/2 early) under Paul Townend.

Sent straight to the front, the Joe and Marie Donnelly-owned bay jumped slightly right throughout and had all his rivals off the bridle from early in the straight, going on to score easily by 12 lengths.

“On his day he is good,” Townend said. “He was very disappointing at Wexford and I’d say on the flatter track, using his jumping around here, was a huge advantage.”

Glowing Account (2/5 favourite) completed the Mullins brace in the concluding Kerry Group (Pro-Am) INH Flat Race, as he impressively dismissed seven rivals on debut.

A second winner on the card for the now deceased Le Havre, the Ballylinch Stud-owned six-year-old was settled in second by Patrick Mullins.

He eased to the front with less than two furlongs to race and never came off the bridle in what was a facile five-length win.

“This is his third stint in our yard. He has been very fragile,” the winning rider explained. “He has huge ability and I’d say he was only three-quarters ready there, as we haven’t been able to train him hard.