HENRY de Bromhead and owner Barry Maloney, who have enjoyed such great success with the likes of Monalee and Minella Indo, look to have another useful type on their hands in Champagne Gold who got off the mark on his second racecourse outing in the extended two miles maiden hurdle.
This placed point-to-pointer showed up well to chase home Gold Des Bois in a Clonmel maiden at the outset of October and he looked to better that form in beating Pienta, who was third in that same race, by a greater margin this time. Indeed these two rivals did battle from three out and Pienta briefly had a spell in the lead but Champagne Gold and Dylan Robinson were firmly on top from the turn in. The 5/4 favourite deftly negotiated the last two flights for a four-and-a-quarter length victory over Place Des Vosges and there should be more to come from him in the next few months.
“He is a lovely horse who got a super ride from Dylan and he couldn’t have done much more,” said the trainer. “He’s really a chaser and he will stay further but I would imagine he will go for a novice hurdle next. I’ll speak to the Maloneys before we settle on plans though.”
Jonathan Moore, who spent six weeks on the sidelines earlier in the autumn and only returned to the saddle two days previously, got back among the winners when Gavin Cromwell’s Clonguile Way (11/4) took the 80-95 rated three miles handicap hurdle.
After his victory in a Punchestown handicap chase in late September this Hassan Syndicate-owned gelding passed up an engagement at the sales a few days previously and he rewarded the faith of his connections. The improving gelding eased to the front turning for home and went away to score by nine lengths.
After running some good races over hurdles last season Philip Fenton’s Atlantic Shore deservedly recorded his first racecourse success in the two-and-a-half mile Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase which was restricted to horses who had never run over hurdles. This Mike Neville-owned 11/8 favourite is a thorough stayer and was always going to take some beating when he got the front after three out. In the straight he stayed on strongly for Brian Hayes to defeat Getaday by 11 lengths.
“I was happy with his run in Limerick (fourth to Home By The Lee) and the conditions of this race suited. He’ll go handicapping now. We got him on a good day today because some days he can be a bit moody,” added the trainer.
SCOIR Mear, who signalled that he could be returning to peak form when fifth in the Munster National, won his first race since March 2019 as he dominated the closing stages of what looked quite a well contested two-and-a-half mile handicap chase.
A fifth winner for Tom Mullins in just over two weeks, this J.P. McManus-owned grey was fitted with cheekpieces for the first time and he also had the notable assistance of Simon Torrens’ 5lb claim. The 10-year-old moved to the head of the field before the turn in and then sauntered clear in leisurely fashion to win by an easy six lengths and reward those that ensured he went off a well backed 9/2 chance.
“I’m putting this down to David (trainer’s son). He rode him at Limerick and said to put cheekpieces on him and that he’d probably win next time. He might now go for the Porterstown Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse next month,” commented Mullins.
Surprise winner
The James Dullea-trained Cailin Dearg got a fine and enterprising ride from Darragh Allen to spring a surprise in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares (Pro/Am) Flat Race and look like a mare with notable potential.
After finishing in midfield on her debut at Listowel this Padraig Butler-owned daughter of Getaway was allowed to go off at 22/1 but Allen allowed her to roll into a good lead at the end of the back straight and she sustained her effort in good style.
In the straight she was chased hard by the three market leaders and they had every chance to get by but Cailin Dearg kept on really nicely to defeat Patty D by a length.
NO MEMORY, who gave Cork-based trainer Liam O’Brien his first winner for quite some time when scoring at Ballinrobe a couple of months ago, struck again in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Hurdle over two and a half miles.
In the colours of the trainer’s sister Mary, this daughter of Westerner was ridden by Ambrose McCurtin and posted a career-best effort. The 5/1 shot took the measure of the joint favourite Two Shoe Tom coming away from the second last and reached the line with a length and a half to spare over Owenacurra Lass.
“The soft ground was a help as was the trip and Liam has done a great job with her. She’s only a small mare but she is very tough,” reflected the winning rider.
Favourite backers were left reeling after the first where the 4/9 shot Mr Jackman had to settle for second behind Gibberwell (16/5) in the two and a half miles four-year-old maiden hurdle. The J.J. Slevin-ridden winner, trained by locally based Brian Jordan, took charge in the straight to finish a length and three parts ahead of the market leader who looked to be struggling after he clouted the fourth last. For his part the William Bates-owned Gibberwell coped wel l with a drop back in trip after chasing home Young Ted in a three mile maiden hurdle at Punchestown last time.