THE weather may not have really played ball for the Summer BBQ and Orchard Thieves Style Awards meeting at Clonmel but there was still a healthy attendance, and the crowd were treated to a masterclass from Davy Russell who rode three winners at combined odds of 57/1.

Russell and Charles Byrnes are a formidable combination, so when the market indicated a fancy for their representative in the BBQ Evening At Clonmel Races Beginners Chase, the bookmakers were fearing the worst from Sea Light (13/8 favourite).

The Come Home Sober Syndicate-owned nine-year-old duly did the business and brought up a hat-trick for Russell. However, he did give his many supporters some cause for anxiety.

Sea Light made a pretty serious error at the eighth fence and he was helped later in the race when a big danger in Fly Rory Fly came to grief at the second last.

After that it looked like the favourite just had to negotiate the final obstacle, which he did, but thereafter he still had to be ridden vigorously by Russell to keep the fast-finishing Master Appeal at bay.

“The mistake with a circuit to go was really rider error. It was lucky it happened at that stage as he had enough time and learned from it,” reported Russell.

PROGRESSING

In the preceding Orchard Thieves Handicap Hurdle the former champion jockey was employed by John Kiely as he partnered Just Janice (7/1).

Owner/breeders the Flynn family have had some nice horses down the years, most notably the three-time Grade 1 winner Liss A Paoraigh, and their Just Janice could be progressive judging on her length and a half success over Steamboat Quay.

“John got the instructions right. He is a marvellous trainer that I have been riding winners for over many years,” said Russell after a patient approach had paid off on the King’s Theatre mare, who was having her second outing for the Kiely yard.

Russell’s first winner came in the opening BBQ Evening At Clonmel Races Maiden Hurdle for former employers Gigginstown House Stud on Dawn In The Park, a well-backed 7/4 favourite.

The Youghal native is very much a man in form at present, and the trainer of Dawn In The Park, Joseph O’Brien, is proving profitable to follow at the moment as well.

Veering to the left between the last two jumps, the successful Walk In The Park mare soon had the rail to help.

She went on to see off Theatre Dreams and 100/1 shot Earthly Reason by a length and a quarter and three-quarters of a length.

O’Brien commented: “She’s a nice mare and she jumped well. That’s her biggest asset.”

The most valuable event of the evening was the John Kennedy Motors (Toyota) Clonmel Beginners Chase.

There were three fallers over the last two fences in this two-mile, one-furlong race. Valgor Du Ronceray and Definite Income still had chances when coming down independently two out, and Cable would have been placed if he hadn’t departed at the last.

No such worries on the jumping front surfaced for the winner, Eight Till Late (5/2 joint-favourite). That was hardly surprising given that this was Peter Casey’s gelding’s 11th attempt over the larger obstacles and he ran out a deserving four-length winner for Andrew Ring.

The nine-year-old has now won five races for the Early to Late Syndicate.

OUTSIDER

The other chase also went to a market-leading syndicate owned horse. Dark Outsider (5/1 into 4/1 favourite) did it the hard way from the front, under Danny Mullins in the Clonmel Show Sunday 2nd July Handicap Chase.

Now twice a winner at Powerstown Park, the Bayshaven Syndicate-owned and James Dullea-trained nine-year-old jumped left over the final two fences, and got the last wrong, but he pulled out enough to keep Aranhill Rascal and Invincible Don at bay by a length and a quarter and a head.

“For the rating he started off with (79) to be here, four wins later, is fantastic. Danny was brilliant on him again,” reflected Dullea.

“He’s a good ground horse but it’s still raining and the ground is loose. He’s a very good jumper and is probably a bit better going left-handed.”

CAREER HIGH

Another nine-year-old to reach a career high was Bective Cave as he shed his maiden tag at the 20th attempt in the BBQ Evening At Clonmel Races Handicap Hurdle.

After Andrew Lynch had guided the 10/1 hope home by four and a half lengths from Fly Round The Bend, winning trainer Matthew Smith explained: “I’m delighted for Pat Keating (owner) as the horse has had a few problems. He was right the last day but just didn’t stay.”

From limited opportunities, John Burke hadn’t ridden a winner on the racecourse proper for over 12 years. He ended that lean spell on a mare he also bred and trains, Like An Open Book (20/1), in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Mares) INH Flat Race.

Gordon Elliott’s Tadhgs Girl shaped like the winner through the closing couple of furlongs but Burke’s seven-year-old was soon in pursuit, though edging to her right.

A daughter of Well Chosen, owned by Burke’s sister Elaine, Like An Open Book really got going inside the last to get up by half a length from Tadhg’s Girl.

Burke, a brother to jockeys Martin and Julie, said: “She ran well at Limerick the last day but I thought the ground had gone on her. She got through it well though and her experience helped her in the finish.”

Acting Stewards

P. F. Ronan, N.P. Lambert, N. McGrath, M. F. O’Donoghue

Horse To Follow

TADHGS GIRL (G. Elliott) She was 23 lengths clear of the third when just outpointed on her debut in the bumper.