LEADING owner J.P. McManus registered a treble at Roscommon on Monday highlighted by the win of his Joseph O’Brien-trained Landofhopeandglory (2/1 favourite) in the featured Grade 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Kilbegnet Novice Chase.
The son of High Chapparal arrived under jockey Mark Walsh to lead approaching the final fence and from there, held off the challenge of McManus’ other runner Rock On Fruity by length at the line.
O’Brien was absent but McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry later said: “The second horse (Rock On Fruity) probably threw it away with a mistake at the second last and that lad battled away well.
“He had a hard old fall in Galway and Mark (Walsh) said he was a little bit cowardly early on today, but he warmed up to it well.
“It was a lovely race with a grand prize (€23,000 for the winner) and there will be similar events coming up around the country and trip-wise he’s flexible.”
McManus’ Grade 1 winning hurdler Jer’s Girl (5/2) returned to action in the Budweiser Maiden and duly obliged in some style, for her trained Gavin Cromwell and jockey Seamus Heffernan.
The daughter of Jeremy had previously fallen in the mares’ hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, and following this win, trainer Cromwell revealed: “There is such a bunch of good mares at the minute it’s going to be so tough and I’d say the Lismullen Hurdle (Navan in November) is an obvious option but after that I’m not sure.”
He added: “She loved that ground and I had her fairly right for today.
“This was a nice place to start as she was still a maiden (on the flat) and she showed her class.”
treble
McManus completed his treble in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Chase, with Teacher’s Pet, who scored for father/son, trainer/jockey Philip and Luke Dempsey.
The daughter of Oscar had been backed from 8/1 in the morning in to a 5/1 shot at the off and afterwards trainer Philip Dempsey said: “I’m delighted with that and she did it well. I was a bit afraid of the ground but when I went out there, I was happier with it.
“She’s a classy mare when she puts it all together and was a bit unlucky at Kilbeggan (when unseating rider) but she jumped very well today and we’re delighted.
“We’ll see what the handicapper does and we’ll look at staying chases from two-mile four furlong onwards. Things are going great at the minute.”
Gordon Elliott was another to bag more than one winner and the trainer landed the concluding two races, with Burren Life (9/4) making a winning debut over hurdles in the Roscommon On-Course Vets Maiden Hurdle half an hour before Flawless Escape won the bumper under jockey Nina Carberry.
Burren Life, a Gigginstown House Stud-owned runner, proved 10 lengths too strong, under jockey Jack Kennedy, for Massey’s Wood.
Elliott commented “He’s a grand big honest galloping horse and in fairness to him, some of his bumper form last year was good. He’s a big chaser in the making for next year and whatever he does this year over hurdles will be a bonus - I’d say he wants three miles.
“It’s also great for Jack (Kennedy) to ride a couple of winners again and get his confidence back. When things are going right it works out grand because he went up the inner going well (at the second last flight) and if things didn’t work out he would have got stopped.”
Flawless Escape’s easy 4/1 favourite success in the concluding heat completed Elliott’s double and also continued the excellent return to race-riding of jockey Nina Carberry.
Carberry gave birth to baby Rosie Walsh in May and having returned to action with a winner at Ballinrobe on Thursday, followed up with another at Downpatrick on Friday before being beaten into third in the bumper at Navan on Saturday.
Here the dual champion amateur jockey was riding her first winner in the colours of her sponsor Tim O’Driscoll, of O’Driscoll-O’Neill Insurance and Elliott said: “He’s a horse for next year, as he’s a big raw, weak horse.
“He had to do the donkey work and go out and make the running. He definitely won’t run in another bumper.”
Racing began with the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Race where Johnny Murtagh’s Guessthebill (3/1) credited the trainer with his fourth winner in a week.
Ridden by jockey Denis Lenihan, the son of Reckless Abandon battled his way to a half-length win over Sirjack Thomas.
Murtagh said: “I picked out this race a while ago and thought it might be a bit easier than that but when we turned up on the day there were three nice horses in it. The trip was a small question mark but Denis (Lenihan) said he got it well and he relaxed well today.
“We’ll have a look at the Birdcatcher over six at Naas now; he’s been there before, likes the track and that would probably be it for the season then. The lads (owner David Bobbett) bred him themselves so they are absolutely delighted; they’re all Dubs fans and they said it was nearly better than when Dublin won the All-Ireland!”
Apprentice jockey Dylan Hogan had his claim reduced to 5lbs following his win on the Johnny Feane-trained and owned Lost History (6/1) in the Roscommon Racecourse Apprentice Handicap.
Feane said: “That lad (Lost History) has been second three times this year so it’s grand to get his head in front. Dylan gave him a lovely positive ride. I told him just to sit wide and they’d sort themselves out and he just took the bull by the horns turning in. That’s Dylan’s 7lb claim gone now, so I’m delighted for him; he’s three (winners) from four for us now and he’s going well.”
Another apprentice jockey going places is 16-year-old Gavin Ryan, who steered his second career winner on the Brian Nolan trained Keep Believing, in the Follow Roscommon On Facebook Handicap.
Jockey Ryan, based with trainer Jim Bolger, had gained his first success on his first career ride, on the Bolger trained Locus Standi at Dundalk on March 16th and following today’s win, trainer Nolan said: “He was very unlucky he didn’t win in Listowel and got 5lb for it and I just thought the 10lb (claim) would help him today. He’s gone up 35lb coming here today and I was disappointed when he got 5lb in Listowel as he (handicapper) only gave the winner 7lb; he’s not always right!.
“The plan was to race sixth or seventh and take our time. I told him (Ryan) if he’s not travelling to just sit and wait and go for him in the straight as it’s a long straight. He’s only a three-year-old and probably should have won four races this year and he’s the first winner out of the mare (What ABout Me); she was a 94-rated mare and was only a short-head off blacktype.”
ACTING STEWARDS
P.J. O’Connor, J.R. Groarke, S.H. Walford, R.W.T. Brabazon & M.F. O’Donoghue
HORSE TO FOLLOW
CHESTERFIELD KING: (J.P. Dempsey) He ran with credit when chasing home the good winner of the bumper and can win his own bumper before long.