DAVID O’Sullivan saddled his first winner as Toon Town landed the Moloney’s Bus Hire & Martin’s Coaches Handicap Chase in the hands of Shane O’Callaghan, on a card where there were 12 non-runners due to ‘unsuitable ground’.
The 11/2 chance travelled well to lead early in the straight but drifted left across One Way Traffic approaching the last before driven out to beat that rival by a length and a quarter. The placings remained unaltered although O’Callaghan picked up a two-day ban for careless riding.
The Kerry-based trainer has an interesting back story as he held a licence over 20 years ago and only renewed it this year. “My business is restaurants and I run the Caragh Restaurant in Killarney, so I’m doing this for fun and have five horses altogether.
“I previously worked in Australia for Bart Cummings for over six years as a work-rider and then a foreman, so that is where I learned.
“I’m delighted for the 14-member (Teergay) syndicate, who are from Toonsbridge and Inchigeelagh in Cork. I’ve been involved in horses with the lads in the past, so this is great.”
O’Sullivan went close to completing a double in division two of the Tote Guarantee, Never Beaten By SP Handicap Chase with Cullenwaine only beaten close home by A Year Older.
The 17/2 winner, owned and trained by Karl Thornton, was the second leg of a double for rider Ben Harvey who said: “It was a long way out (fourth last) when he fell the last day and he got raised 4lb, which we thought was harsh.
Stays well
“It wasn’t the plan to make the running, but we weren’t going much of a gallop and he took me there. He jumped his way into it and stays really well.”
Harvey initiated his 46/1 plus double aboard Sporting Glance in the Munster Drilling Beginners Chase. The Coastal Path gelding, available at 12/1 earlier in the day and sent off at just 4/1, got the better of Rusty Harkness on the run-in to score by a length and a half.
“It was his first run back, but we had him fairly ready. We always felt he would make a better chaser than hurdler,” said Cian Collins who trains the seven-year-old for Kevin McConnell. “He could go to Cartmel for a nice pot at the end of June and we will have a look at Galway, he has won there in the past.”
DARRAGH O’Keeffe and Henry de Bromhead teamed up for a double on the card with Look To The West and Nastya.
Look To The West, a faller on his previous two starts, got his jumping act together to justify odds of 4/5 in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Chase.
Robcour’s daughter of Westerner got well on top on the run-in to beat Affinity Rock by four and a quarter lengths and O’Keeffe commented: “She jumped very well, and it was a good bit of placing. That will do her confidence the world of good and she went on that good ground.”
Nastya also bounced back from a fall last time to justify 9/4 favouritism in the Bet With Tote On Racing & Sports Handicap Chase.
However, Alan Halsall’s mare had a big slice of luck on her side as Attaboyarchie held a two-length advantage when Emma Sweeney was unseated just 100 yards from the line due to a slipped saddle.
O’Keeffe said, “You’d feel for Emma. My mare had run a blinder to that point as it was her first run for a while and she had plenty of weight.
“She was a fortunate winner, but we’ll take it and she will race on for the summer.”
SHADOW Paddy, a four-time winner over hurdles last year, made an impressive start over fences under Gary Noonan in the Mann Family & Richard Egan Electrical Beginners Chase.
The Eoin McCarthy-trained 9/4 (from 7/2) shot, who disappointed last time in a Grade 1 at Aintree, cruised to the front in the straight and kept on strongly for a facile 12 lengths success over Le Coq Hardi.
“He had a little heart issue which, thanks to the vets, is now under control. He has the makings of a nice horse, loves the summer ground and is a born chaser. Galway is the plan and he is the type of horse we are trying to attract into the yard,” said McCarthy.
“The horse is named after Paddy McAuliffe, and he put the (Complete Package) syndicate together. Paddy is a well-known character, as anyone who is a publican, politician and bookie is.”
Mic Drop provided Piltown trainer David O’Brien with a welcome change of fortune when prominent throughout to take the Calor Gas Handicap Chase.
Bouncing back
The Peter Tarrant-owned 7/1 chance kept on strongly on the run-in under Sean Flanagan to beat Benzine by two and a half lengths and O’Brien said: “My horses were wrong all winter and even into the spring but, last week, two ran well after coming back.
“I have eight or 10 to race for the summer and the nicer ground helped this horse. He can be a little keen so Sean jumped him out and led, which helped him to relax.”
Zolpharine ended a long losing run when taking division one of the Tote Guarantee, Never Beaten By SP Handicap Chase in some style.
Daniel King oozed confidence early in the straight and the 11/2 chance stretched clear on the run-in to beat Jukebox Johnny by an easy seven and a half lengths.
“He had four ‘seconds’ last year so hopefully he might go forward and win a few now. He will keep going through the summer,” said owner/trainer John Ryan.