THE much-improved Darver Star kept pace with his rapid rise up the ratings with a dominant display in the Grade B Larkins Bar, Restaurant, B&B and Bakery Handicap Hurdle to continue a memorable few months for Gavin Cromwell.
This 13/2 chance was hit with a one stone hike in the weights for a decisive win at Downpatrick earlier in the month and this meant that Jonathan Moore’s mount was some 27lbs higher than when winning a Wexford handicap just three runs previously.
However, Darver Star’s revised mark mattered little as he bossed this €50,000 contest from the front to come home five lengths ahead of Wait Here. The seven-year-old is owned by The SSP Number Twentytwo Syndicate.
“I thought that the handicapper was very hard on him after the last day and I had it out with him so I must apologise to Sandy Shaw – this horse is better than I thought he was,” said Cromwell. “I’m really looking forward to going chasing with him and he’ll do that before too long.”
Fujimoto Flyer (3/1) made a striking start to her career over hurdles with an annihilation of her opponents in the Francie Sheahans Bar Killorglin 3-Y-O Hurdle which looks to have set her for a trip to America.
A 72-rated runner on the flat, the Emmet Mullins-trained Japanese-bred filly took well to this new discipline under Danny Mullins and she never came off the bridle to hand out an 18-length beating to the odds on Harvest Bow.
“I thought coming down here that I shouldn’t be running her on this ground (yielding to soft) but we had to get the show started. She’d schooled very well and has a lovely bit of size and scope,” reported Mullins, who trains the winner for Paul Byrne.
“I’d say she could go across the American Grand National meeting at Far Hills in October for a three-year-old hurdle. We’re looking to put together a team for that meeting.”
Back to winning ways
Jack Kennedy, who only returned to action last weekend after spending the best part of two months out of action with injury, got back among the winners courtesy of Everybreathyoutake (11/4) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Hurdle. The 134-rated winner, who is owned by Pioneer Racing, has developed into quite a decent type in recent months and produced a nice effort in this near three-mile contest. He stole through on the inner to dispute the lead with two to jump where he produced a much better jump than the odds-on Doctor Duffy, and he kept on willingly to defeat the favourite by half a length.
“Jack gave the horse a great ride, coming through on the inner was the difference between winning and losing,” reported Elliott. “The slow ground was a worry but he’s an improving horse and he’ll stay going for a couple more months.”
Lyons two-year-olds
The strength of the Ger Lyons juvenile team was once again in evidence as he introduced a smart-looking newcomer, Camorra, in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. The Lyons-trained Baby Zeus captured the imagination with a last-gasp triumph at the July festival and this son of Zoffany and the Beverly D Stakes winner Mauralanka produced a similarly taking effort. Colin Keane’s mount, who was returned a well-backed 11/4 chance, charged home to nail the front-running odds-on favourite Delta Dawn in the final yards. This was a 12th individual two-year-old winner of the season for the trainer.
“I actually put him in the Beresford Stakes this morning which I don’t normally do with horses of ours who haven’t run,” reported Lyons, who trains the winner for the English-based Merchants & Missionaries Partnership.
“It’s all about next year with him and I didn’t think I’d be running him until October.”
Queen Amidala continued a good run for Joe Murphy and became the trainer’s fifth winner from his last 17 runners in the Celtic Steps Maiden over a mile. On her third outing, the daughter of Bated Breath was returned the 11/4 favourite to build on a creditable third to Lancaster House at Galway where she had to contend with a poor draw. The Knockainey Stud-owned and Gary Carroll-ridden three-year-old pounced inside the distance to defeat Time Tunnel by half a length.
BEN Coen lies just five winners short of last season’s tally of 23 as Dare To Flare, trained by his uncle Andy Slattery, arrived late to secure the Bunkers Bar Handicap over a mile. Fresh from a good third to Acari at the Curragh last Friday, the Kevin Walsh-owned 5/1 chance had it all to do from the rear early in the straight but he came with a tremendous flourish to see off Njord by half a length.
“He lost his race at the start last week and he lost a few lengths coming out of the stalls there but the ground gave him a chance to get back into it. I’d say we will step him up to a mile and a quarter at some stage,” reported the trainer.
High Altitude hits heights again
HIGH Altitude claimed the Sea Lodge Waterville Handicap for the second year in a row to bolster John Murphy’s strong record at this track. The 11/1 chance, who carries the colours of Paola Hewins and the Olivia Hoare Partnership, showed a fine attitude for Killian Leonard over the course of the last furlong to hold off the top-weight, Charcor, by a head.