BARRY Fitzgerald has a nice mare on his hands in Apple Crumble who took her tally to two wins from three starts on the track with a taking effort in the novice hurdle over an extended two and a quarter miles.
On just her second outing over timber, the PGC Syndicate-owned daughter of Getaway looked to have matters in hand as she cruised to the front on the run to the last.
There was momentary drama just as the well-backed 7/4 favourite hit the front when rider Jack Foley lost an iron and could easily have come off.
However, Foley recovered that iron in just a couple of strides and Apple Crumble set about dishing out a seven-and-a-half-length beating to The Dara Man who had defeated her when the pair met in a maiden hurdle at Ballinrobe last month.
Inexperience
“She’s a nice filly and probably got caught for inexperience at Ballinrobe the last day but she was sharp today and had the weight allowance,” said Fitzgerald.
“She’s a nice mare to go forward with and the lads that own her will be looking to breed off her in time so it would be great to pick up some blacktype.”
The evening concluded with a great finish to the bumper where the six-year-old Acleanpairofhooves (3/1) struck for Bill Farrell and Jody Townend.
A runner-up on his second outing over this course and distance a fortnight previously, the Gary Davis-owned six-year-old showed a fine attitude to get the better of Bella Bliss after the pair went toe-to-toe over the course of the last furlong. At the line the victorious son of Pour Moi had a head to spare.
“He came to us very late. He has a smart flat pedigree but we said we’d go down this route first because he was a little bit buzzy and we said we’d let him relax.
“He’ll probably end up on the flat. He’s a smart little horse and he was very brave there as he’d hate that ground. Jody gave him a terrific ride,” commented Farrell.
JOHN Ryan’s memorable summer yielded yet another double which was completed by the improving Fairyhill Run in the extended three-mile handicap chase.
This Thomas Meagher-owned and bred mare was a stone higher in the ratings than when scoring at Limerick in July but she kept pace with her rise up the weights to make it three wins on the spin.
Bryan Cooper, who rode both Ryan’s winners, allowed the 4/1 joint favourite to take control of this race over the course of the last circuit. Fairyhill Run steadily set about building up a commanding lead with the result that she found herself in splendid isolation on the run to the final fence.
A safe jump there made sure of victory and she was eased down to come home half a dozen lengths clear of Not Available.
“We’ll be looking to better things with her, whether she goes for a graded race or maybe the Kerry National. We also have Waitnsee going for that race and they are two lovely mares to have,” reflected Ryan.
Earlier, the Ryan-trained Presenting Bonnie landed the Bloomfield House Hotel over an extended two-and-a-quarter-miles.
Now a three-time course winner, this Cooper-ridden mare brushed aside the recent Tramore winner Turbo before the last to win by five and a half lengths with the front pair finishing well clear of the others. The well-backed winner (11/1-8/1) is owned by the Mules & Tools Racing Syndicate.
Dark sparks again for Winters
A RETURN to the track where he ran out a 15-length winner of a bumper on his debut last October yielded another success for Dark Spark (5/2) who enjoyed a clear-cut triumph in the Hurley Family Maiden Hurdle.
Gavin Brouder had the Michael Winters inmate showing in front from the outset and Dark Spark, who was fitted with cheek-pieces for the first time, produced a nice effort to score by nine lengths. The son of Presenting and Voler La Vedette is owned by Nelius O’Keeffe.
“On his old form he was entitled to do it but there are no guarantees. He jumped great and he’ll make a fine chaser in time,” remarked Winters.
The other maiden hurdle, over an extended three-miles, was a much tighter affair and victory here went to the Barry Connell-owned and trained My Immortal.
Barry O’Neill’s mount had been placed in two of his three starts in bumpers and the winning pointer relished every yard of this trip on his first outing over hurdles.
The 7/1 shot held every chance from the last and fought on well to edge out the 250/1 shot Lanziano. A trip to Listowel could be next for the winner who is likely to be left off when the ground gets testing.
Masterful
A masterful Mark Walsh was seen at his best on Arctic Light (9/2) in the first divide of the 0-95 rated Greville Arms Hotel Handicap Chase over an extended three-miles.
Walsh settled the Tom Mullins inmate well off the pace but he judged things to perfection on this J.P. McManus-owned nine-year-old who crept into contention as the final fence loomed and then struck the front late in the day to deny the 20/1 shot Light Bulb.
There was further joy for Walsh and McManus in the other divide of that handicap chase as Martin Brassil’s Glenquin Castle (5/2) followed up a recent success at Roscommon.
The improving seven-year-old was conspicuous by the ease with which he travelled through the race and he didn’t need much encouragement to take control of this race after the last, defeating Ballinasilla by a length and a half.