NOT everyone will remember this card for the right reasons, but Brian Hayes certainly will, as the 3lb claimer rode a double from his couple of mounts. The 48 1/2 to 1 brace was brought up in the feature of the evening, on Abolitionist, in the Belvedere House & Gardens Handicap Chase.
Hayes certainly gave a good demonstration on how to ideally ride this circuit, and it was the ‘brave man’s route’ that the Cork native took to his successes.
The Paul Holden-owned, and John ‘Shark’ Hanlon-trained, gambled-on favourite, Abolitionist (7/2), squeezed through to lead on the inner at the last, before going on to defeat Thelobstercatcher by a length and three-parts.
“He was maybe a little bit lucky getting up the inside. I said to him that the ground on the inside was worth a lot, and to stay in behind, and stay on the rail. He followed it to the letter,” disclosed Hanlon.
Hayes’ first winner also came for a Kilkenny trainer, as he steered Michael Bowe’s Aunt Alice (10/1) home by four lengths from favourite, Burton Hall, in the opening Kinnegad Maiden Hurdle.
He also secured the inner berth leaving the back straight here, but the well-bred progressive mare wouldn’t have been easily beaten whatever way it transpired, as the principals left Easter Hunt (a well-supported second market choice) no less than 23 lengths back in third.
“She’s typical of a mare that starts improving, and you don’t know with mares where they’ll stop. She’ll probably come back here for a winners’ of one at the end of the month now. I think that’s two-miles-six which might suit even better,” said Bowe of the five-year-old, owned and bred by his mother Phyllis.
While Hayes was making hay, one of his claiming colleagues, Paddy Kennedy, was experiencing the trying side of the game, Quelle Belle Vie unseating him in the parade ring prior to the Tullamore Maiden Hurdle.
Worse was to follow though, as at the start Amant D’Or lashed out, catching Kennedy, back aboard his own mount at that stage. The Kerry man suffered a fractured knee and Quelle Belle Vie obviously had to be withdrawn.
Action eventually commenced 10 minutes after post time and the two-miler comfortably went the way of the uneasy 5/6 favourite, Off The Mark, in the hands of Jody McGarvey.
J.P. McManus’ homebred made light of a 411 day lay-off to beat Credulous by three and three-parts of a length.
Christy Roche has care of Off The Mark and McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry commented: “He had back issues and niggly problems that kept him out. He’ll (Roche) be delighted with the way he jumped.”
Unfortunately in the following Like Kilbeggan On Facebook Handicap Hurdle, Gold Tantrum, in search of a third win in a row, was a fatality when coming to grief at the fourth last.
There was a local success here as Mullingar-based Martin Carey’s Lucky Pat landed the prize under Davy Russell. Russell gave the returning to form, nicely backed 4/1 favourite, a confident steer, as he obliged by a length and a quarter from Catimini.
Now twice victorious at Kilbeggan, Lucky Pat is trained by Dot Love, and she revealed: “He had a run a little while ago but it was his first run since a wind op and he wasn’t sure of himself.”
The other hurdle on the night, the At The Races Novice, saw another owner/breeder from the vicinity, Kieran Guinness, enjoy a win before the home crowd, as his mare Duckweed prevailed stylishly under Robbie Power.
Guinness only had a four-mile trip to make, to see Duckweed (11/4) come home two and a half lengths superior to Captain Von Trappe.
Winning trainer Jessica Harrington stated: “I’m delighted and she has improved every time I’ve run her. She’ll go on through the summer and it will depend on what comes up whether she stays hurdling or goes over fences. She seems to go on any ground.”
Duckweed began in the point-to-point fields, as did Westmeath Beginners’ Chase victor, Ronava (3/1).
Cork trainer Richard Cotter employed his fellow county man, Jonathan Burke, for the mount on his homebred, having outing number two over racecourse fences.
After the strong 3/1 chance, got the better of Akorakor, by three lengths, Cotter enthused: “He jumped like a stag and as he’s won at Galway before we’ll look for a little handicap there. After that win over two and a half miles, he has more options now.”
Anyone watching the markets through the day, would have expected a nice run from newcomer, Thumb Stone Blues (from around 20/1 into a starting price of 11/2), in the concluding kilbegganraces.com (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race.
So it transpired as Shay Barry’s charge overcame signs of inexperience in the straight, under Richie Kiely, to triumph by two lengths from Loughmore Queen. That one’s rider, Davy Roche, picked up a two-day careless riding ban.
Loughmore Queen had struggled to secure a clear run down the inner but in the end, there was no disguising the fact that the best horse gained the day.
Peter O’Dwyer owns Thumb Stone Blues and Barry remarked: “We’ve always liked this lad. I thought Richie might just have hit the front too soon as he’s green and leery but he had plenty left in the locker. He’s a cracking horse.”
Butler lucky
SHANE Butler was expected to take an easy week following a Kilbeggan fall which left him with minor injuries.
Horse To Follow
COFFEE CANATATA (P.G. Fahey): A half-sister to a winner in East Beach, this mare is a granddaughter of 1985 Thyestes and Leopardstown Chase heroine, Seskin Bridge. She’s up to winning races, if her third placing, on debut, is anything to go by, in the bumper.