THERE were sharply contrasting fortunes for several title chasing jockeys at Kilbeggan’s opening fixture of the year as Rachael Blackmore pulled back another winner in her quest to chase down Paul Townend, while Patrick Mullins now leads Jamie Codd by two after the latter met with a bizarre reversal in the opener.
Firstly to Codd who passed the post in front on Mylestown Upper in the first divide of the extended two-mile–three-furlong maiden hurdle. The 5/6 favourite reached the line a nose in front of the Sean Flanagan-ridden Hymie Weiss and it was hard to discern what interference had taken place between the first two.
However, the stewards took the view that Denise Foster’s charge had improved his position in relation to the Noel Meade-owned and trained 22/1 chance and decided to reverse the placings. This decision made it 60 winners for the season for Sean Flanagan, a new milestone for the rider.
Given the margin involved the interference involved would only have to be marginal but from the various replays available to the public it seemed rather hard to discern just what interference had taken place between the front pair. It is perhaps a little hard to reconcile this decision with other incidents in which fairly substantial late interference have been allowed to pass without sanction.
Codd also received a two-day careless riding ban which came about, presumably, for moving across the rail on the run to the last and hampering the weakening Wrong Way Harry.
Noel Meade later added to his haul as the Gigginstown House Stud-owned Lignou put his best foot forward in the rated novice hurdle over just short of two and a half miles which provided jockey Eoin Walsh with a welcome change of luck. Walsh made all on the 4/1 shot who came here off a fine sixth to Hearts Are Trumps at Fairyhouse over Easter and Lignou just held off the staying on Hewick (whose jockey Shane Fenelon picked up a two-day whip ban) by a neck. The jockey was notching up his first winner since early September following a trying season in which he broke his collarbone twice.
“He was in at Punchestown in a good hurdle race but I thought we’d let him come here as it looked an easier option. On a sharp track it was a good ride to hold the inside and dictate it like that,” reflected Meade.
Rachael Blackmore moved to within eight of Paul Townend at the penultimate National Hunt fixture prior to Punchestown as Not Available (6/5) won the second divide of the opening maiden hurdle.
The Henry de Bromhead-trained and Robcour-owned gelding, who was beaten at odds-on at Tramore on New Year’s Day, returned from a near four-month break in good heart. He took the measure of the Patrick Mullins-ridden Buck’s Billionaire before the last and went on to score by five and a half lengths. The front pair dominated this race throughout and finished some 34 lengths clear of the remainder. The winner should be set for a good summer.
AFTER Jamie Codd’s earlier misfortune, Patrick Mullins brought up a double in the last two races on the card aboard two smart-looking types trained by his father. Now two in front of Codd ahead of last night’s fixture – 45 to 43 – Mullins struck first on Never Feel Blue in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Flat Race.
The 11/10 favourite certainly looked the part on paper as a half-sister to the outstanding novice hurdler Bob Olinger and she won nicely. The Blue Blood Racing Club-owned daughter of Flemensfirth struck for home with over a furlong to run and quickly pulled clear for a decisive success over the previously placed Rosa Gloriosa.
“She was named by Adam Roche who is eight years old and from Tralee, so I have to give him a mention,” declared the rider. “She’s a good mare with an excellent pedigree and I hope she’s a blacktype mare.”
Defied
It was then the turn of Kottayam who defied an absence stretching back to July 2019 in the other bumper. The front-running 7/4 favourite stretched clear in great style over the last couple of furlongs to pull 19 lengths clear of Midnight It Is, who lined up off two runner-up efforts in point-to-point bumpers.
“He wouldn’t show that at home but I couldn’t believe how well he handled the track for such a big horse, and he loves that good ground. He might go for a winners’ bumper,” stated the rider who was carrying the colours of the F & G Partnership.
CONNA-based trainer Seamus Spillane is on quite a run at the moment and he made it three winners from his last six runners as Irregularheartbeat (11/1) made virtually all the running in the mares’ handicap hurdle.
The Geraldine Fitzgerald-owned eight-year-old, who had run some solid races this season and was placed on two occasions, produced a nice effort under Denis O’Regan to finish six lengths clear of the 33/1 chance Misty Millie.
“Myself and Seamus’s son Denis talked about it and we felt we’d try and pop out and let her use her jumping which helped as we are on the inside track today,” reflected O’Regan, whose mount is now likely to go chasing.
Another front-running mare to strike gold was Cormac Farrell’s Shanavoun Lady who struck at 28/1 in the maiden hurdle over three miles. This Gold Well seven-year-old, who is owned by Anna Calder, was second in a point-to-point bumper at Wexford last month and once again showed that stamina was her forte.
The favourite Part Time Farmer closed up menacingly on the run to the last but could find no way past the mare who moved on again on the run in to defeat the staying Fakir D’Alene by just under four lengths. The successful rider, Adam Short, was notching up his first triumph of 2021.
On what was quite an eventful opening day of Kilbeggan’s season, there was last flight drama in the three-mile 80-109 rated handicap hurdle where Ellipsism came down at the last when holding the lead.
The latter’s advantage was diminishing at the time but he still held a handy lead prior to his exit which paved the way for the Ted Walsh-trained Pictures Of Home to pounce under Jack Kennedy. The Charles Wentworth-owned 11/4 favourite got home by half a length from Napoleon Blue.