“I KNOW you put your head on the plate a bit, but you can’t hide,” reflected Mick Winters after his stable star Chatham Street Lad (evens favourite) silenced some doubters in the Grade 3 Hugh McMahon Memorial Novice Chase at Limerick.
It was more circumstance than anything else that had come against Chatham Street Lad this time, after all he’d gained a huge following for blitzing the opposition in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham in December. Here though, just 10 days on from another Cheltenham excursion, and up to this extended three-mile trip, there seemed to be a significant challenge facing the Vivian Healy-owned nine-year-old. Up-and-comer Full Time Score (15/8 into 13/8) was amongst the opposition too.
After what seemed to be a sedate gallop in the five-horse affair, the Darragh O’Keeffe-ridden Chatham Street Lad stamped his class on proceedings in the straight. From two out he left Defi Bleu and Full Time Score floundering, leaving the former 11 lengths behind him and there was a further gap of 37 lengths back to the latter.
“He thrived in the conditions and had more time to fiddle his jumps and I never saw Darragh so happy,” said Winters. “He travelled over to Cheltenham (fourth in the Marsh Novices’ Chase) fierce well but the ground had dried that little extra fraction for him and I was half-thinking of pulling the plug and not running him.
“I did feel he came home out of Cheltenham fierce well in himself and he loved these conditions today. The way he jumped there, you wouldn’t mind running him in a National on heavy ground but I’ll leave that up to the owners.”
THE 7lb conditional Tom Kelly rode the second and third winners of his career with a 142/1 double on Cosmic Rock and Midnight Maestro.
Cosmic Rock (14/1) for owner Anthony Carey and trainer Eoin McCarthy, came home best to catch and beat I Don’t Get It by three parts of a length in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.
Out of a sister to 2002 Galway Plate hero, Rockholm Boy, Cosmic Rock was shedding his maiden tag at the eighth time of asking prompting McCarthy to say: “He is a horse who has had his issues and Tony (Listowel-based owner) to be fair to him, has left everything up to me and has had that much patience with him.
“Tony is with the yard a long time and I’m thrilled he has won for him more than anything.”
Kelly’s second ride of the day was a winner too, Midnight Maestro (17/2) taking the Ballyneety Handicap Chase for J P McManus and Enda Bolger.
Pulled up and a faller on his previous couple of outings, Midnight Maestro had opened Kelly’s account at Leopardstown in December and he was back to that sort of level to convincingly defeat Game Of War by five and a half lengths.
“He can be a bit brave sometimes but jumps well and this was great to get,” remarked Kelly, a cousin of the Brouder jockey brothers. He’s also from Listowel and has been with Enda Bolger for over a year.
Odds-on backers were in business in both divisions of the I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle that got things underway.
Castle Town House (4/7) needed luck for owner/trainer Michael McDonagh and jockey Barry Browne in the first, as Whiskeywealth had this in safe keeping when falling at the final flight.
Castle Town House was impeded here, but Browne got him going again well enough to keep Collo Meo at bay by four lengths.
Success
In division two there was nothing fortunate about the success of Lifetime Ambition (8/13).
Jessica Harrington’s hot-pot stylishly beat second market choice Champagne Sparkles by seven and a half lengths. Frustrating to follow up until now, the successful Kapgarde gelding was a point-to-point winner in 2019, and he understandably pleased the man aboard, Robbie Power.
“I’m really looking forward to him going chasing next season. He has loads of scope, you could see that jumping the last two hurdles, and I think when he goes jumping a fence you’ll see huge improvement in him,” said Power on Linda Mulcahy and Mary Wolridge’s six-year-old.
THE Listed Kevin McManus Bookmaker Champion (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race made for an interesting end to the programme, and here Willie Mullins doubled up courtesy of the Soldier Of Fortune filly Belle Metal, in the hands of the trainer’s son Patrick.
Beginning for owner Kenny Alexander, the 8/13 favourite went to the rail, impeding eventual fifth placer Boothen Boy, when going for home about a furlong out. The winning jockey escaped with a caution for careless riding.
Mullins junior had gotten down to 11st 1lb for what was ultimately an eight-length win over Powpowfizz.
Earlier for Closutton, with stable jockey Paul Townend aboard in the Sue Magnier silks, Yukon Lil had no trouble justifying odds of 1/6 in the Bruree Mares Hurdle, winning by eight lengths to Denise Foster’s Felicidad.
Mullins and Townend’s hopes ended at the last flight in the preceding heat when Mr Coldstone fell, a race that went to Heather Rocco for Henry de Bromhead and Hugh Morgan.
In this Bruff Rated Novice Hurdle Heather Rocco and Mr Coldstone were battling it out when the latter handed it to the Mustafa Elatrash-owned 11/4 victor. Already a course winner here, the successful son of Shirocco was left clear to beat Zanavi by 16 lengths.
“I’d say I had him (Mr Coldstone) covered. I’m very grateful to Henry and the owner for putting faith in me and putting me back on him,” summarised Morgan.