HENRY De Bromhead and Mikey O’Connor teamed up for a double on the card and the first came via the stewards, as an amended result to the Torc Waterfall Handicap Chase saw 15/2 chance Zurich promoted ahead of Prince Of Air.
The latter, under jockey Shane O’Callaghan, had made all the running and passed the line a head in front of Zurich. However, he had drifted right in the closing strides causing interference to Zurich, who was awarded the race for owners Pimlico Racing Ireland.
O’Connor explained: “Zurich definitely deserved his day, although I wouldn’t like to win a race in the stewards’ room. I did feel there was interference as the horse in front of me idled, drifted out right and caused a little bit of interference as I had to check.
“I felt it cost me the race and the stewards made that decision. I’d see no problem with stepping him back up to two and a half miles and he is a grand horse who jumped really well today.”
Game performance
De Bromhead and O’Connor quickly doubled up as the Alan Halsall-owned Nastya (9/4) won the Devil’s Punchbowl Beginners Chase. Racing prominently throughout, he gained the advantage at the second last and rallied on the run-in to prevail by two and a half lengths.
O’Connor said: “She had a very encouraging run the last day and we came here fairly hopeful. That is a good couple of winners to get after my injury and the mare deserved that. I had been out for six weeks with a broken wrist and am glad to be back.”
THE Martin Brassil-trained Galileo Springs got favourite-backers off to a winning start, keeping on nicely under Ricky Doyle to take the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle.
Prominent from flag fall, the even-money favourite asserted from three out, staying on well to beat Jazzy Rock by a length and a half.
Brassil said of the Click and Collect Racing Syndicate-owned winner: “She had threatened to win a few times and I thought she would have won a bumper.
“She is very straightforward and, if she produced her better bumper form, she would have been competitive today. We will go for either a rated novice or a handicap, and she jumps well enough for handicaps.”
Still got it
Having finished second in that curtain-raiser, Francis Casey and Alix Balfe went one better as Rock Ya Boy Ya easily won the O’Sullivan’s Cascade Handicap Hurdle. As big as 50/1 in the morning, the seven-year-old was backed down to 14/1 before the off. Always front rank, the Mrs Peter Casey-owned gelding led from three out and quickened clear between the final two flights to record an easy eight-and-a-half length success.
Casey said: “He had been unfortunate a few times, had been placed in maidens and the handicapper seemed to take pity on me by dropping him 12lb having not run for two years. It came right for Rock Ya Boy Ya today and he won very easy, but it was low grade.
“My last winner was Max Flamingo here three and a half years ago, but I have a few young horses coming along who look very promising. I’m hoping to get my numbers back up again and we didn’t lose our knowledge from the past.”
Another winner for in-form Eoin McCarthy
EOIN McCarthy continued his excellent recent form with success in the Panoramic At Killarney Rated Novice Hurdle, as 6/4f Wholelotofbusiness won under jockey Gary Noonan. The Michael Kiely-owned gelding raced prominently throughout, leading from the third last to win readily by four and three-quarter lengths.
McCarthy commented: “Wholelotofbusiness wasn’t winning out of turn and should have won here in August, but got caught up in a faller. He then bumped into a really smart horse (I’ll Sort That) of Declan Queally’s in Listowel and coming here with his weight, the race was his to lose and I couldn’t see him getting beaten.
“To get another winner is super but I’m more delighted with our bumper horses recently, as they are the ones you want to build on this.”
All works out
A winner over fences at the corresponding meeting last year, the Alexander Burke-Ott-trained Inchidaly Copper (7/1) exploited a lower rating over flights to land the William Hill Each Way Extra Challenge Series Handicap Hurdle. Pushed along in third entering the straight, the Owen O’Flynn-owned gelding stayed on strongly from the last and led on the run-in to score by half a length.
The winning trainer’s brother, Luke Burke-Ott, said: “We were thinking he was well-handicapped over hurdles for a long time, but he has been unlucky. He is a great horse and has now won nine races between the track and point-to-points.
“We have 20 horses in and he is the only one for the track. Hopefully after Christmas some out of our five-year-olds can win point to points.”
All works out
The Padraig Butler-trained James The Brave proved well-named when battling back close home to land the Racing Again Tomorrow Handicap Chase. Pitched straight into handicap company on chasing debut, the 17/2 chance (from 28/1), held a prominent position under Michael Kenneally before getting to the front with a circuit to race. Galloping on strongly from three out, the Red Strand Syndicate-owned gelding rallied close home to win by a neck.
Butler said: “He had a good run as a four-year-old in a bumper but he hadn’t respect for his hurdles afterwards and going over fences today has really made a horse out of him. He is only a five-year-old, so hopefully can improve. The owners have been great to me and are mainly from Clonakilty and another is London-based.”