CHAMPION trainer Willie Mullins withdrew nine of his 10 runners at Thurles on Thursday, which resulted in just three runners in the first race and two in the feature race, a listed chase. The ground was officially described as “good”, as it had been at the entry and declaration stage.

Peter Delmar, authorised representative for Mullins, told the raceday stewards that all nine horses were at the course and both Paul Townend and Danny Mullins walked the course and were of the opinion that the ground was unsuitable for their horses, which they described as winter ground types. No fines were issued.

The Listed Racing TV Black Friday Offer Chase was reduced to two runners, with victory going to Gordon Elliott’s 1/40 shot Fil Dor.

Mullins withdrew his three declarations from the €26,000 feature, leaving a ‘battle of the greys’ between Fil Dor and Hazelhatch Lady (12/1), with the eventual winner making all for an easy two-and-a-half-length success, under champion jockey Jack Kennedy.

Regarding the successful Robcour-owned gelding, Kennedy reported: “it was very straightforward and fairly routine. It would have been a surprise if he had been beaten, as he was rated a lot higher than the other horse.

“He really showed some glimmers of his old form the last day in Clonmel, so hopefully it is onwards and upwards. I had previously ridden and won in three two-runner races, so I’m four from four now!”

Depleted field

The opening beginners chase also cut up badly, with just three runners from the declared seven competing, but proved to be dramatic, with victory going to the Philip Rothwell-trained That’s About Right (5/1).

Front-running 2/13 favourite Boldog was clear for most of the way, but burst blood vessels in the closing stages and was dramatically passed on the run-in by That’s About Right, which scored for the Namtab Syndicate.

Daniel King was a successful substitute on the winner and later reported: “it was only his second run over fences, but he jumped really well and hit the line well. I was probably a bit fortunate, but it was nice to win. It was a spare ride, as James O’Sullivan got injured this morning, so it is nice to get the call up on this lad.”

ANOTHER to benefit from a race with wholesale withdrawals was the Doyle family’s Beauforts Storm, which landed the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Mares) Maiden Hurdle as the 1/5 favourite - having been a 16/1 chance in the morning.

The daughter of Gale Force Ten had benefitted from the withdrawal of four better-fancied rivals, but took full advantage, making all under jockey David Doyle to easily beat Mile End by three and three-quarter lengths.

Winning trainer Tim Doyle reported, “it was some shock when the others (ahead of her in the betting) all came out. She probably wouldn’t have won otherwise, but I think she’d have been in the money, as she ran well here last week.

“She is a nice mare and will come back here for a listed novice before Christmas. She is a good ground filly, is getting better with every run and that will boost her confidence, her year will be over once the ground gets too soft.”

In-form jockey Darragh O’Keeffe completed a double on the card, beginning with his success on the Arthur O’Grady-trained, Glory Days Syndicate’s Malinas Glory (5/2 favourite) in the Racing Again Tomorrow Handicap Chase.

Finally

The point-to-point winner was registering a first racecourse success and, afterwards, O’Grady commented: “at last - it was a while coming! He did it nicely in the end today.

“He is belonging to a 10-member syndicate from all over and some are local to us, so I’m delighted. Darragh is flying at the moment.”

Thirty-five minutes later, O’Keeffe completed his double, scoring on 40/1 chance Therellbeguddaysyet in the Killinan Maiden Hurdle, producing the winner from off the pace to lead in the run-in, beating Foreverwalking by three-parts of a length.

Therellbeguddaysyet carries the colours of Eileen Cotter and, afterwards, successful trainer Mikey O’Connor, reported: “I rode him myself last week, when I felt the ground was that bit solid and he wants two and a half miles.

“I was a fraction disappointed, but I minded him once his chance had gone and left him [to] canter home. I was delighted to see Willie’s horse (Mullins, Fishery Lane) coming out, as he looks a very good horse and I told Darragh to ride him to run well and that we’d take it from there.

“He is a fierce kind horse, who was only broken when he was six and Jack de Bromhead actually rode him when he was a breaker. Jack used to come up to us during the summer and was a wonderful kid - he might be looking down on us today.”

PREDOMINANTLY flat trainer Willie McCreery scored a second recent hurdles success, with Party Dress (3/1) landing the www.thurlesraces.ie Maiden Hurdle, under Ricky Doyle.

The daughter of Mastercraftsman rallied well to gain a short-head win over Scriabin, with McCreery later stating: “she is a grand big honest mare who won a Flat maiden in Tipperary and her last run in the Curragh was a lovely run when finishing third.

“She was very raw on her first two hurdle runs, so I told Ricky to go around the inside to teach her something today and, if she wins, she wins but if is she doesn’t, she doesn’t, as she’d be a lot more professional to go handicapping.

“I’m delighted the ground was like that, as she doesn’t need it too soft. My wife and Susan Archdeacon own her between them, so I’m delighted.”

The concluding Horse & Jockey Handicap Hurdle saw Brave Troop land a late show gamble (7/1 - 11/4 favourite), scoring for trainer Charles Byrnes and jockey James Smith.

The five-year-old had previously won four-times on the Flat and in Thursday’s race was ridden with exaggerated waiting tactics before zooming into contention rounding the final turn. The winner improved to lead jumping the final flight and won readily by five lengths from Oakley. Afterwards, Cathal Byrnes reported: “the main [aim of] this was to get over his last (hurdle) run, when he fell, but he got him around nicely and he settled. We were fortunate to get this type of ground in November, so we’ll probably tip away on the all-weather for the rest of the year.”