AN evening that witnessed some contrasting fortunes for punters yielded victory for several short-priced favourites and Mystery Stowaway did exactly what an 8/15 shot should in the mares’ maiden hurdle where she gave John Ryan his second triumph of the campaign.
This 109-rated Listowel bumper winner, who carries the colours of Declan Donohoe, had filled the runner-up spot on her last two outings over timber so certainly wasn’t winning out of turn, and she made this as easy as she could under Danny Mullins. Mystery Stowaway approached the straight with a good lead and moved farther and farther clear on the bridle to finish some 33 lengths in front of the runner-up, Hill Of Truth.
“She’s a smart mare and I’d have been disappointed if she didn’t win tonight. We could look at Galway for her now and I’d say we’ll be going down the novice hurdle route with her. She jumps very quick which will be a help to her in novices,” commented Ryan.
Danny Mullins went on to complete a double in even more emphatic fashion as the 6/5 favourite Gunfire Reef, owned by his brother Anthony and trained by their mother Margaret, ran riot in the first division of the 80-95 rated three-mile handicap hurdle to score by 46 lengths. After winning over fences at Tipperary on Sunday, the 10-year-old took advantage of a lower hurdles mark as he got loose on the lead with well over a circuit to run before pulling farther and farther clear. The winner holds an entry at next week’s Goffs UK Horses In Training Sale
Favourite backers had further cause for cheer in the three-mile maiden hurdle where Oscar Montel struck for Eric McNamara and his son Conor. The John Brennan-owned 11/10 favourite, who was third to Sempo at Thurles in February on his most recent outing, engaged in a protracted duel for supremacy with Fest Deiz and he took that one’s measure over the course of the straight to score by a length and three-quarters.
Trigger not slowing down
HE may be approaching the twilight of his career but The Trigger (85/40) is in the form of his life and the Ronan McNally-owned and trained 11-year-old made it three wins on the bounce on the second division of the three-mile handicap hurdle. A fixed 5lb penalty for last Friday’s Kilbeggan victory did nothing to stop Sean Flanagan’s mount who overcame 28/1 outsider Mick Mixy. The Trigger’s recent run of success means that McNally has already equalled his haul of winners from last season.
At the other end of the age spectrum, the Willie Mullins-trained Dysart Diamond (5/4) deservedly opened her account in the lady riders’ bumper after showing up well to be placed on all three of her bumper runs last season. The Eleanor Manning-owned daughter of Shirocco was given a good test by the 80/1 shot Sonny John, but Jody Townend always gave the impression that she had the challenger covered and the market leader duly got home by a length and a quarter. Sonny John’s rider Phidelma Elvin picked up a four-day whip ban.
Liam Burke, who enjoyed his best season for a decade in 2019/20, recorded his first success of the campaign as the imposing Automatic took the first division of the maiden hurdle for horses who had never won a race. On his first start since October, the imposing Simply The Best Syndicate-owned gelding was returned the 10/11 favourite and Rachael Blackmore pressed on for home with three to jump on the son of Durban Thunder. The 104-rated Automatic prevailed by seven lengths and could now go chasing.
THE big-priced winners are coming thick and fast in Irish racing these days and Some Spin became the second 100/1 winner this month when he struck for the brothers James and Pa King in the second divide of the maiden hurdle for horses who had never won.
The victorious son of Getaway, who was providing James King with his fourth training success on the track and is owned by his mother Josephine, was unplaced on his debut in a Tipperary bumper last month but was an entirely different proposition here. The five-year-old held a commanding advantage from the third last and maintained that in the closing stages to defeat 50/1 newcomer Good Reception by two and a quarter lengths.
“We were disappointed with him at Tipperary as we felt he’d win his five-year-old maiden as a point-to-pointer,” reported the rider. “He jumped and travelled everywhere today and he is a lovely horse who goes on any ground. He is for sale.”
There was also a 40/1 surprise in the offing in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle where the Rodger Sweeney-trained Sean Says benefitted from the application of first-time blinkers to return to the form that carried her to a Punchestown success during the winter. Philip Enright was on board the four-year-old, who is owned by the trainer’s wife Joan, as they got the better of fellow outsider Ballyegan Hero after the final flight.
“She was just a bit careless at some of her hurdles at Tipperary last time which isn’t like her, so after talking to Rodger we decided to put blinkers on her and they’ve worked. She never missed a hurdle and I’d say it was her jumping that won it for her,” remarked Enright.