ALMOST three years after his only previous success over fences the classy Ordinary World deservedly added to his haul over the larger obstacles as he took advantage of a gilt-edged opportunity in the Eamon Sheridan Groundworks Chase.
After his good second to stablemate Moon Over Germany at this track last month, the Henry de Bromhead-trained gelding was returned at 1/2 under Rachael Blackmore as he looked to prove his stamina over this near two and a half mile trip.
Following a career over fences that had yielded a dozen placings at graded level and some terrific runs behind the likes of Altior and Min, the Chris Jones-owned nine-year-old was faced his easiest assignment for quite some time.
Ordinary World took control of this race at the third last and although he wasn’t too fluent at the next he always looked to be doing enough to deal with Cloudy Morning who went down by two and three quarter lengths.
Earlier the colours of the former senior flat handicapper Ciaran Kennelly were carried to victory by Harvest Bow in the Portwest 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle who justified her position as the 11/10 favourite in some style.
Different level
A runner-up in the first juvenile hurdle of the season at Roscommon before chasing home the classy Fujimoto Flyer at Killarney, the Noel Meade-trained filly was operating on a different level to these rivals and relished every yard of this two and a quarter miles.
She opened up an ever increasing lead for Sean Flanagan from before the final flight and won at her leisure from Colfer Me who went down by a dozen lengths.
Getaway Katie, who made a respectable return from almost two years off to finish fifth in a Killarney bumper last month, enjoyed a resounding success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle. On her second start for Willie Mullins this Charles Clarke owned and bred 5/2 favourite had this race in safe keeping from well before the final flight. At the line Paul Townend’s mount had seven lengths to spare over Fort Worth Texas.
Matthew Smith’s winning run continues
A memorable couple of months for Matthew Smith took yet another turn for the better as the in-form veteran Bective Cave maintained his recent progress in the Paddy Smyth Memorial Handicap Hurdle.
Smith has deserved each and every plaudit that has come his way for his tremendous handling of One Cool Poet but just as impressive is the run of form he has conjured out of the 11-year-old Bective Cave who has won three of his last five starts.
Robbie Power’s mount could be called the winner some way from home in this 80-102 rated event and the 9/2 chance was eased down in the closing stages to defeat Yamato by two and a half lengths.
Smith, who is enjoying his best flat season to date and is more than halfway to matching his nine winner haul from the 2018/19 National Hunt season, has sent out 11 winners under both codes over the last three months.
After the card began with a run of reasonably kind results for punters things took a different turn in the P & D Lydon Irish EBF Mares Handicap Hurdle where the Billy Lanigan-trained Pivotal Flame struck at 25/1 under Danny Mullins.
This five-time flat winner appeared to revel in the step up to two and three quarter miles and she bested the gallant front-running favourite Le Hachette after the last to score by four and three quarter lengths.
Pivotal Flame is owned by the Sheerans Coolrain Syndicate and victory in the €22,000 season finale feature at Ballinrobe was by far the most valuable of her career.
It was an evening to remember for amateur rider Cian Cullinan who registered his first victory on the racecourse courtesy of Humps And Bumps (9/1) Tuam Herald Handicap Hurdle.
This was just an eighth ride on the track for the jockey, who has three point-to-point successes to his name, and this was a deserved success for the Maurice Sheehy-owned mare who has finished no worse than sixth on her last eight starts. The daughter of Court Cave was providing Wicklow-based trainer Peter Croke with his second winner of the season.
Remainder of report will appear next week