GITANE Du Berlais, last year’s Scilly Isles Novice Chase heroine, got her season back on track in the Listed BBA Ireland Limited Opera Hat Novice Chase which was overshadowed by the fatal fall of the classy Carrigmoorna Rock.

A Grade 3 winner over hurdles last season and a comfortable scorer over fences at Thurles lately, the unfortunate Carrigmoorna Rock was in the process of launching her challenge when disaster struck at the second last fence. This was a desperately sad end for the talented mare.

For her part the winner was bouncing back after her season began with three defeats. Gitane Du Berlais, who was conceding a stone to two of her rivals, made all the running under Ruby Walsh and she readily kept them at bay in the closing stages to finish seven lengths clear of I’m All You Need. This win capped a memorable weekend for owners Isaac Souede and Simon Munir who bagged Grade 1 triumphs the previous afternoon with Footpad and Bristol De Mai.

“It was very unfortunate what happened to Robert Tyner’s mare,” said Patrick Mullins. “It’s good for Gitane Du Berlais to get her head in front again, it has been a difficult season for her so far. These mares’ races are a great addition though. She has travelled to France and won there before so maybe we will look at going back there again.”

A SMART DISPLAY

The day began with a smart display from the Mullins-trained Babbling Stream (5/4) in the two miles maiden hurdle which could have put him in line for a trip to Cheltenham. The John O’Byrne-owned son of Authorized showed a real appetite for this discipline having shown a reasonable level of form in bumpers.

Ruby Walsh’s mount stormed clear of the field in the straight to defeat the newcomer The Granson by a dozen lengths. This wasn’t the strongest of contests but there was plenty to like about the manner in which this five-year-old put his rivals to the sword.

“He did what we’ve been expecting from him,” stated Patrick Mullins. “He jumped great and showed a good turn of foot in the straight. He could now go for the Supreme Novices Hurdle and is for sale. He’s a nice dual-purpose type.”

The flamboyant Alisier D’Irlande bounced back from a fall on his chasing debut to dismantle his opposition in the beginner’s chase with some authority. The free-going Roger Brookhouse-owned gelding was his usual exuberant self and built up a commanding lead early on which never looked likely to be bridged. The 4/6 favourite did show a tendency to jump left but was never in any peril and he coasted home under Andrew Lynch to score by 17 lengths.

“As I said to Andrew it was just about getting it done today,” remarked Henry de Bromhead. “I thought he jumped well but he does go a bit left at his fences so I’d say we’ll stick to left handed tracks. He learnt plenty from the last day. He is entered in the Arkle but another option would be a novice chase at Leopardstown at the end of this month followed by the Maghull Novices Chase at Aintree.”

After the loss of Carrigmoorna Rock Robert Tyner did enjoy a measure of compensation when Fairly Legal won the two miles three furlongs maiden hurdle with something to spare. As he looked to build on two placed efforts over timber the J.P. McManus-owned gelding jumped especially well for Mark Walsh and he had only Call It Magic to beat from the turn in. The 7/4 favourite cruised by the last-named in between the last flights and he just needed to be kept up to his work to prevail by four and a half lengths.

“It was an awful shame and terrible hard luck what happened to the mare earlier. It’s a terrible shame as her dam died recently too having produced four black type horses,” reflected Tyner. “This is a nice horse and did it well. He jumped brilliantly and he might just have needed the run when he was beaten here last month.”

BACK ON FORM

The McManus colours were also carried to victory by Tom Taaffe’s Rogue Trader in the two miles handicap chase. Earlier in the season the Milan gelding chased home Douvan in a Navan beginner’s event before he showed nothing like his true form when pulling up at Leopardstown last month but clearly a much improved effort was expected as he was returned a well backed 11/2 chance.

Rogue Trader did make a couple of minor errors early on but came through the field for Jody McGarvey to lead before the last. Despite not doing much in front, he finished a length and a half clear of Marvellous Moment.

“It’s great to see him do that. I don’t know what happened the last day but nothing came to light and he was fine the next day so I said that we’d run him back soon,” stated Taaffe. “He’s fine over two miles on heavy ground at the moment.”

Amateur Jamie Flynn, who was in action at Oldtown point-to-point earlier in the day, rode his first winner on the track for just over two years on Mr Cosmopolitan (12/1) in the 80-109 rated handicap hurdle. The nine-year-old struck for home with two flights to jump and stuck to his task gamely in the closing stages to contain a closing Papa’s Way by two lengths. The Hugh Newell-owned and trained gelding carried the day by two lengths to give Jim Dreaper a third winner in five days.

“Maybe he just doesn’t like fences any more as he jumped brutal last time (pulled up behind The Mooch at Leopardstown) and the seven pounds claim was a help,” reported the trainer. “He’s been out in a field and has only been ridden about four times since Leopardstown. He may never run over fences again.”

Katie Walsh, deputising for the sidelined Nina Carberry, rode her first winner for Noel Meade as A Genie In Abottle (2/1) produced a dour staying effort in the two miles three furlongs bumper. The front-runner looked as though he might be picked off by market rival and fellow Gigginstown House Stud runner Blood Crazed Tiger entering the last furlong. To his credit though the Beneficial gelding found extra late on to succeed by half a length.

“Nina felt she didn’t make enough use of him when he was third in Leopardstown and she thought Naas would suit him,” commented Meade. “It was a tough performance from horse and jockey.”

One-day ban

Barry Cash picked up a one day whip ban for his efforts on the unplaced Crowsgrove in the maiden hurdle won by Fairly Legal.

Paddy Kennedy was banned for a day after weighing in 2lbs heavy on Rolling Rocket in Rogue Trader’s handicap chase.

ACTING STEWARDS

N.B. Wachman, P.N. Reynolds, N. McCaffrey, J. Gaisford-St. Lawrence, P.D. Matthews

HORSE TO FOLLOW

THE GRANSON (Ms. S. Hughes): This son of Jeremy shaped up nicely on his racecourse debut to take second in the maiden hurdle won by Babbling Stream. It shouldn’t take him long to make his mark.