A WEEKEND that would bring him Grand National glory for the second time, started on the right note for Gordon Elliott at Ballinrobe last Friday evening. His Turanga Lilly (3/1) secured an important success in the opening Connacht Tribune Mares Maiden Hurdle.
Jack Kennedy sported the Kaniz Bloodstock Investments Limited silks on the well-related daughter of Flemensfirth.
She was never far away and, in the end, beat favourite Fiveaftermidnight by eight lengths.
“It’s great to get a win for the owners and she’s only getting the hang of jumping now,” said stable representative Davy Condon.
“The Donworths (owners) are breeders so it’s great as they’ll likely breed from her in time.”
Edna (7/2, finished a completely tailed-off seventh) reportedly pulled a right fore shoe in running and suffered an over-reach on the same leg.
Tommy Brett reported that Devine Star (100/1 early and 66s to 40s on track) hung left and ran out at the second last hurdle. The Westerner mare was still there with her chance at the time.
Half an hour later there was better luck for Brett and Devine Star’s trainer John Ryan as Reach Up (8/1) did the business in the McWilliam Park Hotel (C & G) Maiden Hurdle.
Owned by the Cedars Stud Partnership, Reach Up was a faller two out when still disputing the lead on his previous outing at Clonmel, in a race won by R’Evelyn Pleasure.
With a tongue-strap on again after that commendable effort, Reach Up made all and asserted approaching the last to see off It’s Only A Number by four and three-quarter lengths.
“He’s a good horse – he was just very babyish and green. All he’s going to do is improve and get better,” said Brett.
Bergkamp didn’t live up to the hopes of those that backed him from 10/1 early into 4/1 at the course. He came home completely tailed off in eighth position and rider Donie McInerney said that he ran green and made silly mistakes.
A half-brother to a Grade 1 winner in The Liquidator, Bergkamp was also found to be lame post-race.
The aforementioned R’Evelyn Pleasure was one of the joint market-leaders, bidding to supplement his Clonmel success with the P & D Lydon Handicap Hurdle. He could manage only fourth.
OUTSIDER
In the first split of a two-and-a-quarter-miler, movements in the betting didn’t prove much of a guide as it was 20/1 chance Carrig Cathal who gained the day for the Steve Mahon yard.
Denis O’Regan rode the now dual Ballinrobe victor for Tom Doran and he prevailed by two and a half lengths from Prospectus. The latter (4/1 joint-favourite) wasn’t fluent at the last.
At an improvement in form enquiry, Mahon stated that a drop in trip suited Carrig Cathal on his third run for the yard since joining the Co Galway outfit from Gordon Elliott.
Chatham Street Lad (6/1, pulled up) was reported by jockey Luke Dempsey never to have travelled on the ground.
Division two of this race was backed by Mulholland Bookmakers and it produced another 20/1 winner in the shape of the Shane Pegley-owned and Tom O’Connor-handled Lilshane.
Trained in Listowel, the quirky Lilshane was also ridden by a native of the Co Kerry town, Kevin Brouder, and he got there on the line to win by a head.
Gambled-on favourite De Benno (11/4 from 4/1, and much bigger earlier) was the one who just lost out after making a slight mistake at the last.
Pegley credited O’Connor and Brouder afterwards, saying: “Tom has put a lot of work into him.
“Kevin was cute on him there and Lord rest Noel O’Brien (the late handicapper). He said to me ‘Shane get him back in his own grade again and he’ll win another for you’. He’s very sadly missed.”
Speaker Connolly (6/1) pulled up before the last and his partner Denis O’Regan expressed disappointment with the five-year-old’s effort. He was found to be post-race normal.
Lilshane is a 10-year-old and perhaps it shouldn’t have been a surprise to see the older horses cope with the heavy conditions best.
In the Killeen Sportsgrounds Handicap Hurdle, 12-year-old Seskinane (10/1) led home 11-year-old Toushan and Smokey Joe Joe, another 12-year-old.
Philip Enright had the colours of Anne McMahon on his back as he got Seskinane cross the line by two and three-quarter lengths and one and quarter lengths.
Trained by Mrs McMahon’s son Brian, Seskinane understandably holds a special place in the heart of connections.
The County Clare handler explained: “He’s a super servant and he got a smashing ride from Philip.
“Eoin Mahon, who rides him out every day, has done a super job with him.
“I don’t even put him in the stable at home and he wanders the yard loose — coming in when he’s happy.
“The other day I had four of my nephews sitting on his back and walking around – he’s just a gent.”
Mary Frances headed the market here at 4/1 but she pulled up before the last. She was distressed post race and Cathal Landers said that his mount got very tired.
Elsewhere Liz Doyle’s debutant Bois De Clamart (12/1) impressed in the concluding Malone Engineering INH Flat Race as Sean O’Keeffe’s mount blitzed Jackson Hill by 10 lengths.
This was a second racecourse win for O’Keeffe and Doyle predicted a bright future for him.
She is also involved in the BD Partners Partnership that own Bois De Clamart.
His wins in a couple of schooling races and his ability to handle the ground saw the Wexford trainer make the lengthy journey to Ballinrobe full of confidence.
Hammerstein (11/2) finished a tailed-off eighth of the nine. He was blowing hard afterwards and he also pulled a right fore shoe and suffered an over-reach on the same leg.
Petite Tartare (4/1) beat only two home and was blowing hard post race.
Acting Stewards
T. McDonogh, D. H. Gavin, W. Penrose, R. Mahon, H. Hynes
Horse To Follow
YOUNG DEV (D. G. Hogan): The form of the bumper should be worth following and this third-placer can progress with experience.