THE Sonny Carey-trained Asphalt Cowboy landed the featured Albert Bartlett Hunters Chase at Downpatrick for the second successive year, when readily beating his better-fancied stablemate Cause For Comment.
Cause For Comment was sent off the 5/4 favourite, but Asphalt Cowboy showed great reserves of stamina in this extended three-and-a-half-mile event, getting well on top on the run-in under Rob James to score by 11 lengths.
“He won the two hunters chases here last year. He loves it here and is a different horse around here,” said Carey, who trains the 6/1 winner for his wife Mary.
“He’s unbelievably talented, but just has his own ideas about it.
“He’s a yard favourite. He would be a right horse for the Ulster National.”
Cromwell doubles up
Gavin Cromwell sent out a double on the evening with Everest The Brave and Theemeraldempress.
The Gavin Cromwell Racing-owned Everest The Brave followed up a recent Necarne point-to-point win, when taking the Down Royal Corporation Of Horsebreeders’ Maiden Hunters Chase, with the easy-to-back 17/2 shot leading before the last and keeping on well for Declan Lavery to beat the odds-on West Of Idaho by eight lengths.
“Gavin said he might be a bit raw still, as he didn’t have that much experience, but he was very good.
“He’s a very straightforward horse and will win plenty of races,” said Lavery.
Theemeraldempress completed the double when making a successful debut under rules in the Caherty Stables Racing Syndicate Point-To-Point INH Flat Race.
The Walk In The Park filly, owned by Ms D M McGuire/Oak Lodge Farm Ltd/G King/Garrett Dillon, made smooth headway under Billy Cooney to lead three furlongs out and kept on strongly in the straight to beat the staying on Dinner Dance by two and a quarter lengths.
“She did it very nicely. She was a bit keen and did a bit too much everywhere and got to the front very early, but she kicked on well,” said Coonan of the 2/1 favourite before adding: “I ride out in Gavin’s during the summer and have a good association with Derek O’Connor as well.”
DRIVEONWILL benefited from a strong ride by Donagh Meyler to get up close home in the Down Royal Corporation Of Horsebreeders’ Beginners Chase.
Trained by Ross O’Sullivan for the Kiltale Racing Syndicate, the 9/1 chance had plenty to do in fourth place after the last, but dug deep in the closing stages to just touch off the well-backed 7/2 favourite Saunton Surf by half a length with Whispering Willow just a neck further back in third.
“He was good. I was kind of riding him around to be placed and it suited riding him that way to win a race. It worked out perfectly and he hit the line well,” said Meyler.
There was also a thrilling finish to the Tote Guarantee, Never Beaten By SP Handicap Hurdle where Bruant (10/1) also got up in the final strides.
Tell Us This made a bold bid to make all and still appeared the likely winner on the run-in, but was collared close home by both Aboras Mahler and the Tony Martin-trained Bruant, with the latter scoring by half a length.
Relaxed
“He can be quite keen, but we went a nice gallop and he relaxed really well. He jumped well, took me into the race nicely and hit the line strong,” said winning rider Daniel King.
“He likes it here, I suppose. Hopefully he can build on that and there will be plenty of fun for the owner (Elizabethcarsonracing Syndicate), who is a good supporter of Tony.”
JOYA Del Mar opened her account at the 24th attempt when taking the Frank And Brian Fitzsimons Memorial Handicap Hurdle in very convincing fashion. The eight-year-old mare, trained by Dermot McLoughlin for Tara Giles-Fahey and Irish National-winning owner Sheila Mangan, was sent past the front-running Bayonetta after two out and soon took control under Ricky Doyle to beat that rival by 14 lengths.
There was a major plunge on Scary Askari with quotes of 28/1 about an hour before the race hammered into 11/4 favourite by the off, and those who supported the Sean McParlan-trained gelding each-way would have been relieved to see him get up close home to finish third.
“She’s a tricky customer and I thought she would win before now. She has plenty of ability and was in season here the last day,” said McLoughlin of the 12/1 winner. “She jumped well and enjoyed herself on the better ground.”
Mr Master Mac justified strong support when getting on top on the run-in to take the opening Randox Maiden Hurdle. The Mark Fahey-trained gelding, available at 5/2 earlier in the day and sent off the 11/8 favourite, made headway to challenge Cailin Deas approaching the final flight and soon asserted under Tom O’Connor to beat Le Questionnaire by two and a half lengths for the MasterMac Partnership. “He has run around the country tracks and that is why we said we would come here. He’s not the biggest, but is very athletic and was well bought by James Hughes. Tom was good on him too,” said Fahey.