A WAVE Of The Sea bagged his second win at Kilbeggan this season as the midlands track wrapped up for the year last Friday.
The Shane Broderick-trained gelding had been an impressive winner at the venue back in late July, before an unlucky effort when badly hampered early on here last month.
J.P. McManus’ gelding went to post 5/2 favourite under Charlie O’Dwyer this time and was produced with a strong surge to lead on the run-in and record a two-and-three-quarter-length win over Clonshire River.
Broderick said afterwards: “He likes it here. I’d say that (two-and-a-half-mile) trip suits him and the ground was perfect for him. Charlie gave him a lovely ride and everything worked out for him. He battled away well.”
Racing manager Frank Berry added: “It’s a pity there isn’t another meeting here. He’ll tip away until the ground gets very heavy. There might be something for him in Listowel.”
Making up lost time
Ocean Of Mercy continued to make up for lost time when making a winning chase debut in the Clarke’s Bar Mullingar Beginners Chase.
The Paul Hennessy-trained gelding had won a maiden hurdle at Ballinrobe, in fine style, last month and went to post a 7/2 shot on his first outing over fences.
Niall Prendergast produced his mount to lead going to the last in the two-and-a-half-mile contest and he stayed on strongly in the closing stages to post a seven-and-a-half-length success.
“I’m delighted with him in his first chase, I know it’s a belated one,” said Hennessy. “John and Michelle Turner have been very patient with him. He just got one or two little niggles that stopped one season and then stopped another.
“Niall gave him a peach, he’s a very good chap.
“He does all the work with the horses, to be honest with you. There is a novice chase in Cheltenham in October and we’re fond of that place!”
CHELTENHAM could also be on the agenda for Minella Supreme following his success in the Adare Manor Opportunity Maiden Hurdle.
John McConnell’s charge had fallen in front, two from home, on his hurdling debut at Downpatrick and went to post 2/1 favourite in a bid for compensation.
Alex Harvey produced his mount to lead before the last and he held Itsallinthegenes late on to secure a half-length success.
“It’s more relief than anything. I probably took a bit of a risk coming back so quickly after a fall, but I thought it was a good opportunity,” said McConnell.
“He’s done quite a lot now in a short space of time, so we’ll probably freshen him up. You might see him in Cheltenham in October.”
Surviving
In the other maiden hurdle on the card, the opener over two miles, Nelson Muntz survived a couple of jumping errors to land the odds.
The Harry Kelly-trained gelding went to post an 8/15 shot, but blundered at the third last before leading after the next.
He looked to be in control, under Peter Smithers, going to the final flight, but gave punters another scare with a mistake there before going on to record an easy 14-length success.
“He kind of went down on his nose at the third last and I went down to the second last and gave him a squeeze and he landed me in front. I’d say I was there way too soon on him,” said Smithers.
“Going down to the last he pricked his ears and was having a look around instead of doing what he was meant to be doing. He survived it anyway.”
ANNA McGuinness enhanced an impressive strike-rate for boss Willie Mullins when scoring on Zillow in the Séan Daly Memorial Handicap Hurdle.
The 7lb-claimer produced the 9/4 favourite with a well-timed surge on the run-in as the Zoffany gelding recorded a three-and-a-quarter-length win over Paul’s Dream.
McGuinness has now ridden four winners in nine rides for the champion trainer and she said: “Willie has been very good to me and I’m very lucky that he’s given me so many brilliant opportunities and I really appreciate him putting me up.
“I’m based with Willie full-time and have been there well over a year now.
“The horse was brave to go through the gap and winged the last.
“It was good, he’s a tough horse.”
Ten for Queally
Declan Queally is another with an excellent strike-rate this season and he bagged his 10th winner of the campaign so far when St Lawrence’s Well took the bumper in fine style.
The Idaho gelding was to the fore throughout and the 11/4 shot asserted over a furlong from home to post a five-and-a-half-length success over Red Oak.
Queally said afterwards: “That was great. I met his owner, James Boyce, in college and we got to know each other over the odd pint.
“James is a friend of mine and he got the lads (Cash, Cows & Copper Syndicate) together and we bought this horse off Denis Ahern, the man who had Native River.
“I rode out for Denis when I was a young lad. The horse went out unsold and he came up and told me to buy him, that he would win a bumper. I took his word for it.
“He won’t run in another bumper now, he’ll be put away for a hurdle in about six weeks. He’ll be a three-miler down the road.”
Kyne off the mark
Claregalway handler Gerard Kyne had a day to remember when 80/1 shot Whatyouwant battled gamely to give him his first taste of success on the racecourse.
The Ocovango mare, rated just 77, had been well held in three runs since joining Kyne, but stepped up considerably on recent showings.
She was delivered with a well-timed run by Gary Noonan on the run-in to get the better of 4/5 shot Rising Dust by half a length in the Séan Hughes Memorial Handicap Hurdle over three miles.
“Fair play to the owner (Danny Grealish) for giving me a chance to have a go with her,” said Kyne.
“A big thank you to Val O’Brien and Ian McCarthy, who have helped me out along the way, and Paul O’Neill - we go there to school over fences.
“A big shout out to my own partner Anita as well.
“We point-to-point a bit and we’ve had a few there. We also pre-trained a lot of horses that have gone on and won.
“We’re a bit unsure with her today as she had little niggly problems over the last while.
“We’ll celebrate today and then think about all the rest of it.”