REST OF THE CARD

IT has been a long road back to peak form for Rathvinden but he showed that the major promise of his first season over hurdles remains intact as he bagged the Grade 3 Guinness Open Gate Brewery Novice Chase.

All the way back in March 2014, the Ronnie Bartlett-owned gelding was third to Faugheen at the Cheltenham Festival and he had been restricted to just three runs since then. The most recent of those yielded a Wexford beginners’ chase win over an extended three miles and he had it all to do moving up to Grade 3 level and coming back to two and a quarter miles.

Paul Townend’s mount rose to this challenge with aplomb to reward those that backed him from 8/1 in the morning into 7/2 co-favouritism. The patiently ridden Rathvinden picked up very well on the long run for home to sweep by Potters Point with over a furlong to go and he crossed the line with five lengths to spare. Peregrine Run took third while the winner’s stablemate Townshend came up short in his bid for a hat-trick.

“He had been working very well and, while this isn’t his trip, the rain that fell probably brought his stamina into play,” stated Willie Mullins. “Maybe we could aim him towards something like the Drinmore at Fairyhouse in December. On his hurdling form he’s good enough to head for a race like that.”

The unexposed Oakly showed himself to be a fine staying prospect for the coming seasons as he got up late on to deny the Mullins-trained Robin Des Foret in the Guinness Novice Hurdle. Only six went to post for this two and a half-mile contest but it looked a warm affair and, over a trip that is probably short of his best, Oakly turned in a fine effort to give Paddy Kennedy his second winner of the meeting.

The Paul Fahey inmate was under pressure in fourth after the third last but responded gamely to go into a clear second at the penultimate flight. At this stage the front-running Robin Des Foret looked to have done more than enough to succeed but Oakly’s inexorable challenge drew him ever closer in the straight and he got on top nearing the line.

“I remember 19 years ago that we won the race before the Galway Hurdle with The Grey Mare and she won in similar style,” recalled Paul Fahey, who trains the son of Brian Boru for his wife Siobhain and John Breen. “He’ll be better still over three miles. Listowel will be on the agenda for him but he’s only five and we’ll mind him.”

Peter Fahey, who rode the aforementioned The Grey Mare to that 1998 success, struck for the second time this week as Dyna Moss (7/4) was much too good for his opponents in the Guinness West Indies Porter Flat Race.

The Anthony Coyne-owned and bred son of Captain Rio was a good fourth to Poet Power here on Monday night and took advantage of an appreciably easier task. He travelled well for Richie Deegan to ease to the front before the turn-in and came home nine lengths ahead of Balinaboola Steel.

“I’m thrilled for Anthony, who is a great help to us in the yard with sorting out horse’s backs,” commented Fahey. “It looked like it was going to be a small field, which is why he turned out again, and happily it’s paid off. He’ll probably head for a winners’ bumper now.”

The teak-tough Music Box (4/1) produced her best effort yet to claim a precious first blacktype success in the Arthur Guinness Irish EBF Corrib Fillies Stakes. In recent weeks, Aidan O’Brien’s first winner of this listed contest, who had already run 12 times this season, had been placed at stakes level over six furlongs and a mile.

The intermediate trip of seven furlongs was no problem to her either and she got across from stall 10 to hold an excellent position for Donnacha O’Brien from early on.

Music Box made her way to the front turning for home and she stuck to her task well to contain Drumfad Bay who had beaten her at Killarney last month.

“She had form over six furlongs so she had the pace to get into a good position. She quickened well when I asked her and, even though I knew the last furlong would be a long one, she stuck at it well,” observed the successful jockey.

VICTORY

An excellent season for Remarkable Lady (16/1) continued into the Guinness Draught Handicap where the Harry Rogers-trained mare made it three wins from her last four starts. Fresh from a victory at Ballinrobe last week, the four-year-old settled in midfield for Sean Davis before launching a strong challenge approaching the straight.

Her sustained charge carried her to the front and the Nap Racing Syndicate-owned winner finished with a length and a half to spare. The runner-up spot went to the admirable Cairdiuil who was appearing at his sixth consecutive festival and his record here since 2012 includes five runner-up finishes and one success.

“Sean is a good apprentice, is good value for his 7lb claim and he knows this mare well,” declared Rogers. “The good gallop suited her well and she might go to either Roscommon or Cork next Tuesday.”

Joseph O’Brien and J.P. McManus combined with Tesseract to secure the Guinness Galway Gold Beginners Chase. On his third run over fences, the 7/1 chance was tackling this two and three-quarter-mile trip for the first time and it proved ideal for the Oscar gelding.

From the outset of the race, he helped to force the pace under J.J. Slevin and rounding the turn for home he began to stretch out his rivals.

In the closing stages Dont Tell No One was bearing down on Tesseract but the winner held on well to prevail by a neck.

The winner’s stablemate and favourite, Oathkeeper, was well placed on the heels of the leaders when he exited at the final fence.

“He jumped much better today and he seemed to enjoy the trip. He got a lovely, positive ride from J.J. and we’ll find a novice chase for him over this sort of trip,” reported O’Brien.

Andratx, who has been such a fine standard bearer for Mark McNiff this year, made it four wins on the spin in the Guinness Harp Handicap.

After three victories over hurdles the first reserve was returning to the flat for the first time since he had his third and final juvenile outing in October 2015.

The 8/1 shot got the opening he needed to move into the reckoning before the straight and he finished off strongly for Conor Hoban to hand out a three and a quarter-length beating to the favourite, Camlann.

The winner shouldn’t have any difficulty in adding to his tally on the flat.

“The going was an unknown for him but he’s after doing that well and hopefully there’s another day or two in him,” commented Hoban, who was sporting the colours of Francisca Carton.

ACTING STEWARDS

D. Pugh; M.C. Hickey; A. Ryan; Ms. J. Farrell; P.D. Matthews.

HORSE TO FOLLOW

OATHKEEPER (J.P. O’Brien): This gelding was running well when he exited in the closing stages of the beginners’ chase won by Tesseract and he shouldn’t have to wait long for his first win over fences.

HIGHLIGHT

OF THE DAY

TIGRIS River took centre stage in the Galway Hurdle but Oakly sparked tremendous celebrations from his connections after his win in the novice hurdle and his success continued what has been a fine meeting for some of the smaller yards.

Distressed runners

LAC Kivu, who finished fourth when odds on for the novice hurdle won by Oakly, was reported by Ruby Walsh to have stopped quickly and to be distressed post race. He was also found to be making a respiratory noise post race.

Bhutan finished at the rear of the field in the same race and he was found to have a nasal discharge post race in addition to losing a left fore shoe.

Dalton overweight

BEN Dalton was given a two day suspension for weighing in at 1.2lbs overweight on Morga in the Galway Hurdle.