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THE incredible tale of Rashaan is one that just keeps giving and Colin Kidd’s remarkable seven-year-old bagged the biggest success of his distinguished career in the Grade 2 Keelings Irish Strawberry Hurdle.
An €8,500 purchase by his trainer at the 2015 Goffs February Sale, the son of Manduro took his earnings past €250,000 with this success and his race record now stands at 13 victories from 39 career starts.
Rashaan wasn’t at his best when having to settle for fourth in his quest to win last week’s Tipperary Cup for the third year in a row but that run left him in perfect shape for this two-and-a-half-mile assignment.
Rashaan travelled better than is sometimes the case in his races and once he put himself in with every chance early in the straight his notable will to win was always going to stand him in good stead.
Davy Russell got the 16/1 chance into the lead before the last and he stayed on determinedly to prevail by a length and a half from the Pertemps Final third Not Many Left, with the favourite, Off You Go, a nose back in third. This was the gelding’s first success since he defeated the subsequent Grade 1 winner Ornua in a novice chase at Galway in August.
“He was back to life today and two and a half miles on good ground over hurdles is his optimum,” said Kidd who trains the gelding for his mother Amy and Rachel Treacy.
“He is a better horse over hurdles and I think from the spring to the summer he is just a much better horse. When I saw him travelling as well as he did early on today I was hopeful and I knew he’d come home well from the turn in. He’s not entered in anything at Punchestown so I’m not sure where he will be going now.”
COMING FORCE
The Triumph Hurdle form was turned on its head in the Rathbarry Stud & Glenview Studs Juvenile Hurdle where French Made (6/1), who was eighth in that Cheltenham race, served notice that she is a coming force in the juvenile hurdle division. Coeur Sublime and Gardens Of Babylon who were second and third in the Triumph were both in the line up for this Grade 2 and the former loomed up with the winner coming to the second last.
Indeed Coeur Sublime took off in front there but the Ruby Walsh-ridden French Made, who shaped quite well at Cheltenham on just her second run for Willie Mullins, found any amount for pressure. She surged clear again before the last and kept going well to hold the oncoming Gardens Of Babylon by half a length.
“She looked a stayer when we bought her from France and today the plan was to get her jumping try and have her in the first two or three and hope that she’d be placed,” commented Mullins whose charge carries the colours of the late Margaret McManus.
“She’s a tough mare who doesn’t need a lot of training and she hasn’t had a hard season so I’d say she could head on to Punchestown and she’s one that we will definitely be looking at bringing to France in May and June.”
JETT success
The talented Jett (11/1 - 7/1) showed just what he is capable of when he puts it all together as he claimed the Grade 2 Devenish Chase to record by far the biggest success of his career. As he looked to continue a highly industrious Easter Festival for his trainer the Gerard McGrath-owned gelding was untroubled up front for the duration of this €100,000 two-and-a-half-mile contest.
From some way out the former Cheltenham winner The Storyteller looked like providing the stiffest resistance, but he could make no further impression on the leader after two out and went down by four and three-quarter lengths.
“We’ve finally found the key to him – he was never hassled today. He’s a careful jumper and is too careful for those big handicaps but he might get some confidence from this,” reported Harrington. “He loves good ground and I’m thinking I will keep him going for the summer. He’s probably more of a three-mile horse.”
ENQUIRY
A lengthy stewards’ enquiry followed the opening Farmhouse Foods Novice Handicap Hurdle but the initial result was allowed to stand, with Harrington’s The Holy One (20/1) keeping his neck verdict over Kuiper Belt. The Paddy Kennedy-ridden winner drifted left under a right-handed drive on the run in and this meant that he came in on top of the closing Kuiper Belt who was partnered by the successful jockey’s brother, Jack. At the line there was just a neck between the first two but there wasn’t enough interference for the stewards to reverse the verdict.
The David Bobbett-owned winner will now head to Punchestown for Wednesday’s final of Red Mills Maiden Hurdle Auction Series.
The improving Maeve’s Choice (10/1) shrugged aside a 7lb rise in the ratings for a recent Ballinrobe triumph in the two-and-three-quarter-mile Fairyhouse Steel Handicap Hurdle where Bryan Cooper timed his challenge to perfection. The Michael Hannon-owned six-year-old was travelling notably well in the straight but Cooper delayed asking his mount for everything until the run-in and Maeve’s Choice responded in gritty style to fend off Spades Are Trumps by three-parts of a length.
“I spoke to Matthew this morning and he thought that the horse had a great chance,” stated Cooper. “Matthew just told me to take my time and my horse got in underneath the last which probably helped as he had horses on either side of him on the run-in.”
Golden Spread (5/1) put the seal on a memorable day for Willie Mullins as he led home a one-two for the trainer in the Cawley Furniture (Pro/Am) Flat Race. Last month’s Thurles winner produced a resolute effort from the front for Barry O’Neill and kept pulling out more in the straight to hold his stablemate Mt Leinster.
“He’s a big, strong staying type and he gallops all day. Possibly Punchestown will come too soon but I think he will make a nice staying hurdler and he’s a horse we could try on the flat too,” said the trainer whose charge is owned by the Supreme Horse Racing Club.
IMPROVING
The improving stayer Sizing Rome signalled that he could be back for the main event on Easter Monday 2020 as he made it three wins from his last four in the Fred Kenny Lifetime Service To Racing Handicap Chase over three miles. Jim Dreaper’s charge, who carries the colours of Alan and Ann Potts, had gone up 23lbs for his last three runs but may not be finished progressing on the evidence of this success over Goose Man. Keith Donoghue’s mount was returned the 4/1 favourite.
“He’s a big, honest old fashioned chaser and it’s just taken a while for the penny to drop,” reported the trainer’s son, Tom. “We could look at some of the summer nationals now as he wants good ground.”
Acting Stewards
Justice L. Reynolds, F. Clarke, P.N. Reynolds, P. Caffrey, P.D. Matthews
Horse To Follow
EOLINE JOLIE (W.P. Mullins): On her first start since November this mare ran respectably to finish sixth in he handicap won by Maeve’s Choice. At one stage she lost her place having raced prominently, but she rallied in the closing stages to be beaten by less than 10 lengths and may not be far away if turning out in a similar handicap next week.
Attendance
2019: 12500
2018: 10722
Tote
2019: 392920
2018: 482172
Suspension
PADDY Kennedy was given a one-day careless riding ban and a one-day whip ban for his efforts on The Holy One in the novice handicap hurdle. J.J. Slevin was given a one-day whip ban for his efforts on Goose Man who took second in the handicap chase won by Sizing Rome.
Abnormal
THE Very Man was reported to be clinically abnormal after finishing down the field when favourite for the bumper.