MIGHTY Park made a big impression on his rules debut at Fairyhouse on Thursday, when scoring on his first outing for Willie Mullins.
The J.P. McManus-owned gelding got in as second reserve in the two-mile hurdle and was sent off a heavily-supported 8/13 favourite. Mark Walsh made all on the Walk In The Park gelding and cruised clear in the straight for an effortless 38-length success.
J.P. McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry commented: “He couldn’t have done it any better. He made his own running and jumped great; we were very happy with him. He has all the things you should have, a bit of size and scope.
“We’ll see what Willie thinks and see how he comes out of the run, give him three weeks I suppose and then see where he goes from there.”
Landmark win
Mullins also saddled a short-priced favourite in the mares’ maiden hurdle but 4/7 shot Noemie De La Vis was collared late on in a dramatic finish. The French import went clear before the final flight in the two-and-a-half-mile contest, but couldn’t hold the late charge of Soldierstown (28/1). It was a first rules winner for northern handler Peter Buchanan, as his sister Jane’s home-bred lunged late under Darragh O’Keeffe to secure a half-length success on her second start over hurdles.
“It’s nice to get a winner on the board,” said Buchanan.
“I’ve had a few point-to-point winners; this mare won for me as did her sister (Rosevale).
“It’s nice for my father (Ian) - he bred the mare and it’s a good family. Malone Road looked like he might be the real deal, and there are a couple of nice chasers in England, a couple of blacktype horses.
“She needs to brush up her jumping a little bit. In fairness, she’s a three-miler and we sort of got away with it over two-and-a-half today in dead old ground. She’s a winner now and if I could get a bit of blacktype, it would be lovely.”
Needs met
In the ‘unplaced’ maiden hurdle, the Ann Marie McManus-owned Needs Must gave in-form trainer Gordon Elliott another winner.
The 15/8 shot travelled well to lead over the second last for Jack Kennedy, and asserted before the final flight to post a three-and-a-quarter-length win.
“He had a good run the last day and we thought he had a good chance,” Elliott reported. “He’s a nice horse and Jack said he’d probably be better in a better race.
“He travelled well and I loved the way he jumped. He quickened to the front and then he kind of pulled up when he got there.”
ADRIAN Browne had a day to remember when partnering his first winner under rules aboard West Of Carrig, who he also owns. Trained by his father Don, the nine-year-old was sent off 9/2 for the handicap chase and was soon in front. He found plenty in the closing stages to score by two and a half lengths.
Browne, who has ridden a few point-to-point winners, said: “I’ll never beat the first day winning a point-to-point at home in Carrigtwohill, but it comes very close in fairness, it’s brilliant.
“There is always great support every day we go racing. There are uncles and aunts and everything. The one day nobody came, only my two brothers, is the day he wins of course! He’s won point-to-points for us and he’s been a great horse from the start. Coming up here today, we said we’d let him roll away, go a good gallop and see what happens. In fairness, he stayed well the whole way to the line.”
Lorenzo leaves it late
In the other chase on the card, I Am Lorenzo (11/1) found a good finishing kick to land the spoils for Paul Nolan in the opening beginners’ contest.
Coral River looked to have things in hand when leading by a couple of lengths over the last, but Sean Flanagan got a great tune out of I Am Lorenzo in the closing stages to secure a half-length win.
Drop in trip
On the Tim O’Driscoll-owned winner, Flanagan said: “He’s generally not the strongest finisher in the world. I’d ridden the second the last day and I thought he was a strong stayer.
“It was a dramatic enough drop back in trip for this lad and it’s obviously helped. He travelled well and jumped fantastic. He was well enough in at the weights too.”
GOING up in trip worked a treat for Welluknow, as he ran out a cosy winner of the rated novice hurdle over two and a half miles.
Daniel King sneaked up the inner to lead after the second last and Mark Molloy’s charge quickened smartly to post a three-and-three-quarter-length win.
“He’s always been a nice horse,” Molloy remarked. “I was disappointed last time in Leopardstown, but the race didn’t work out for him, on better ground over two miles.
“He’s crying out for a fence; he’s a beautiful jumper and has loads of scope. It’s great to start the year with a win anyway.”
Change of luck
Daniel King went on to record a double in the finale as Shanroe Act landed a gamble in the second division of the William Hill Challenge Series Handicap Hurdle.
Backed from 12/1 into 9/2 favourite, Karl Thornton’s charge left his previous form well behind with a dominant all-the-way nine-length success.
Thornton, who trains the eight-year-old for Gary Ryan, said: “It suited well there, he got a nice easy lead in front.
“In Cork the last day, Donagh (Meyler) went to jump off and make it and he ended up out the back of 25 runners. It was atrocious ground and just kept hitting him in the face. He could never get him to go forward.
“Today on that ground, he was able to get his own way in front and it made a big difference.”
Promise realised
In the first division of the race, Kanog Bay justified Ian Donoghue’s faith with a two-and-a-half-length win under Conor Stone-Walsh.
Owned by Gerard Browne and Matthew Rogers, the five-year-old was a beaten favourite on his handicap debut at Limerick over Christmas, but made no mistake this time.
“It was probably the trainer’s fault going to Limerick with him for his first run in a handicap,” Donoghue said. “They went very slow that day and it turned into a sprint. The instructions I gave were probably a bit wrong.
“We really fancied him that day and, thank God, I redeemed myself today. Conor wasn’t afraid to make use of him today, he’s a nice big horse. Hopefully in time he’ll make into a three-mile chaser.”