LEONARD Whitmore and Luke Dempsey combined for one of the most significant victories of both their careers as Kilford blazed a trail to land the €50,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Handicap Chase Final.
The Fort Road Syndicate’s lightly-raced gelding made all the running over the same three miles two weeks earlier, and Dempsey again adopted forcing tactics as the 4/1 chance maintained a clear advantage throughout. The ten-year-old kept on well under pressure from two out in the testing conditions to beat Oscar Knight by nearly ten lengths.
“It was a good performance under top-weight. He stayed at it well but got a bit tired at the end as he was entitled to do after going that pace with that weight,” said Blackwater, Co Wexford-based Whitmore. “He’s a big horse who was hurt several times, and we probably pushed him too hard when he was younger. He’s entered in the Irish National, and he might get in now with a light weight.”
Rebecca Curtis recorded her first winner in Ireland as Mystical Knight (2/1) landed the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Hurdle under a determined Barry Geraghty. The two mile seven furlong event developed into something of a sprint in the straight, with the Kayf Tara gelding gamely gaining the initiative on the run-in to beat General Principle by half a length.
Curtis didn’t make the trip over from her South Wales base but was represented by her partner Gearoid Costelloe who said: “It’s Rebecca’s first Irish winner and it’s nice to have it for J.P. (McManus) as he’s such a great supporter of ours. He’ll make a lovely chaser next season. He quickened up really well, and came on a lot from the Warwick run.”
FRUITFUL JOURNEY
Robbie Power was out of luck in the opening two races at Limerick but a quick journey up the M7 proved fruitful as he partnered Tipped Up Harry to justify 5/1 favouritism in the www.navanracecourse.ie Handicap Chase. After cruising clear before the last to beat Waltz Legend by an easy five lengths, trainer Denise ‘Sneezy’ Foster said: “He’s had a wind op and it’s made a huge difference to him. I think he could have won a lot more if he’d had it done earlier, and he loves passing horses. His owner (Jules Sigler) is from Canada but comes to Punchestown every year, and it would be fantastic if there was something for him there.”
The father and son team of Martin and Mark Lynch were on the mark in the opening Bective Restaurant Maiden Hurdle where Beyond The Obvious readily made all in the colours of John Nicholls. A bumper winner here last November, the Oscar gelding put in a fine round of jumping on his hurdling debut and the result was in the bag a long way out as the 13/2 chance came home 16 lengths clear of 4/9 favourite Tayto Park.
“He’s a horse that’s had a lot of problems but has ability. We’ll find a winners’ of one for him and hopefully he can go chasing next season,” said Martin Lynch before adding: “At the sales a lot of people would have gone by him but I could see something there and that’s how he got his name. He’s well-bred, and his dam is a full-sister to Newmill.”
Lilshane gained compensation for a narrow defeat at Leopardstown last time with a convincing victory in the Kilberry Handicap Hurdle. Trained at Listowel by Tom O’Connor for Abbeyfeale native Shane Pegley, the 4/1 chance cruised to the front two out and, despite a slight mistake at the last, stayed on strongly up the run-in for Jonathan Moore to beat Velocity Boy by four lengths.
“He’s got more genuine at the start, and has also had a wind operation. Once he starts he’s fine and he doesn’t know when to give up,” said O’Connor.
CREST CAUSED UPSET
Gordon Elliott sent out a 1-2 in the Navan Shamrock Festival Maiden Hurdle but not as most punters would have envisaged as newcomer Crest upset 4/9 favourite Kashmiri Sunset. The Gigginstown-owned gelding travelled strongly under Jack Kennedy, leading before the last and staying on well on the run-in to score by three and three-quarter lengths.
Stable representative Simon McGonagle said of the 4/1 winner: “That’s a little bit of a surprise but it’s nice to get a surprise like that. There should be plenty of improvement in him, and better ground will help.”
Invitation Only, easy winner of a point-to-point at Ballynoe last year for Sean Doyle, again impressed at odds of 5/6 on his debut under rules in the bumper. Now trained by Willie Mullins for Andrea and Graham Wylie, the Flemensfirth gelding drew clear for Patrick Mullins in the final furlong to beat Thirsty Work by seven lengths.
“He’s done a lot of good work at home. He’s a galloper and it’s a pity we didn’t have him ready in time for Cheltenham. I’d imagine he’ll go to Punchestown for a winners’ race. He’s a staying chaser for the future,” said Patrick Mullins.
ACTING STEWARDS
Justice T. Hunt, R.S. Martin, Judge L. Reynolds, S. Collins, M.F. O’Donoghue
HORSE TO FOLLOW
VELOCITY BOY (W.P. Murphy): Shaped well after a lengthy absence when staying on nicely in the closing stages of the two-mile handicap hurdle. Sure to benefit from this outing, he may well revert to more customary front-running tactics next time.