Guinness 00 Faugheen Novice Chase (Grade 1)
A FAULTLESS display from Final Demand (1/3 favourite) in the Guinness 00 Faugheen Novice Chase lit up the third day of the Christmas festival at Greenmount Park and was undoubtedly the highlight of a Willie Mullins treble.
Making all and jumping fluently throughout under Patrick Mullins, the exciting six-year-old eased to an eight-length win in the colours of Caroline Tisdall and Bryan Drew. Expected to give his stable companion a real test in this Grade 1 heat, Jimmy Du Seuil was let down by his jumping and finished a tailed off last of four.
“He was like riding an armchair,” the winning rider enthused in the aftermath. “Going down the back the last time I asked him to go on and he did. I wish I could have gone around again!
“He jumped fantastic today and I think in a more competitive race he’ll travel better. He was so lazy today, which is great.”
Winning start
King Rasko Grey (16/5) initiated the Mullins three-timer, with the €250,000 Goffs Arkle Sale graduate leading home 17 rivals in the opening Whitebox Property Group Maiden Hurdle. Starting off over flights, the Audrey Turley-owned five-year-old travelled best and improved to dispute the lead from two out.
While not fluent at the final flight, he was soon pushed along and gained an outright advantage, keeping on well in the closing stages to beat Shuttle Diplomacy by two and three quarters of a length.
Danny Mullins reflected: “He travelled well in the straight and after being a bit awkward at the last, he picked up well. It was a fair performance.
“Willie delivered him in good shape here and hopefully there is a nice spring to look forward to with him.”
Support justified
Mullins again teamed up with his uncle to complete a quick double on the well-backed You Proof (3/1 from 7s early) in the Cube Maiden Hurdle.
Also starting off over flights, the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned five-year-old raced keenly behind the leaders and was poised to challenge in third on the run to two out. Pushed along and edging passed King’s Buck (4/5 favourite) shortly after the last, he ultimately came home a length and a half clear of the market leader.
“He’s a good horse and jumped well through the race,” the winning rider commented. “He was always giving me the feel that I could pick up and go. I’d say he could be a strong stayer in the spring.”
LIZ Doyle’s Ballybawn Belter picked an opportune time to open her account over fences, as she claimed a dramatic renewal of the Campion Insurance Tim Duggan Memorial Handicap Chase. Successful at the Dublin Racing Festival in 2023, but without a win in over two years, the J.P. McManus-owned seven-year-old was sent off a 6/1 chance for this listed affair.
Making smooth headway on the outer approaching the straight and joining leader Conyers Hill before the penultimate obstacle, she was soon left clear by the fall of her aforementioned rival. Keeping on well away from the last, where Karia Des Blaises fell and Dee Capo (11/4 favourite) unseated, the Simon Torrens-ridden victor ultimately eased to an 11-length win.
“She had a couple of good runs at the start of this season and then we thought we’d try the Troytown (finished sixth) but it just stretched her a bit on the heavy ground over three miles,” Doyle explained. “It’s a lovely race to win, with a great history to it.”
Change of luck
While out of luck with Conyers Hill, outsider Joyau De Thaix (25/1) provided Paul Nolan and Jordan Gainford with a measure of compensation in the Infinity Lifts Handicap Hurdle.
Tracking the leaders on the outer, the Lynne Maclennan-owned grey appeared to be struggling from two out but finished with a flourish on the run-in and had a length and a quarter to spare at the line. The front-running Kir held a healthy advantage on the run to the last but was far from fluent there and lost valuable momentum, eventually finishing third.
“I thought going to the last that the horse in front (Kir) would have to do something silly, and he made a right mistake,” Gainford commented. “My lad was good over the last two and hit the line well.
“They thought he was a very nice horse at the start and he had a few problems. It’s nice to come back and get his head in front today.”
THERE was a dramatic conclusion to the D Pack Packaging Handicap Hurdle, with the locally trained Dalmatic coming out on top in the colours of the Nevilles Cross Syndicate. Getting in as a reserve and sporting first time blinkers, William O’Doherty’s well-supported 15/2 chance (18s early) improved to the front approaching the penultimate obstacle but veered badly left and hampered eventual third Likable Chancer on the run to the last.
Soon headed by the patiently ridden Gaelic Des Chastys (3/1 favourite from 8s early), the Gary Noonan-ridden victor rallied gamely on the run-in and regained the lead in the final strides, beating the market leader by a nose. There was however a sting in the tail for Noonan, as he picked up a 12-day careless riding ban and a further two-day suspension for using his whip with excessive frequency.
“He kind of lost his footing,” Noonan reported. “It looks bad on the TV, but he literally put his foot in a hole and kind of fell away. When I got him straightened up and I saw Eric (McNamara)’s horse coming by me, I was fairly confident he’d pick up. He always keeps a bit for himself.”
Game winner
Charles Byrnes, O’Doherty’s neighbour and ally, claimed the concluding Prestige Tarmacadam INH Flat Race, with his Rojuco Mac justifying 5/6 favouritism.
Given a patient ride by Anthony Bustin, the Clochmore Syndicate-owned five-year-old got to the front with less than two furlongs to go and had to dig deep in the closing stages to fend off the effort of debutant Looking For Eight, with three quarters of a length between them at the line.
“He was beaten by a good horse (Ballyfad) the last day and who knows, he might have been up against a good one again today. The two of them have gone a nice bit clear,” Byrnes remarked.
“I’m not sure what we will do with him now. He may go jumping.”