HELVIC Dream is the type of horse anyone would like to won and he got another day in the sun in the feature Listed Ballymore Handicap Hurdle.
The 10/1 shot was travelling well in sixth place under Donagh Meyler, though racing three-wide into the straight.
Game Ball and Starting Fifteen were still at the head of affairs but Helvic Dream came wide to take it up before the last.
Noel Meade’s gelding kept on up the run-in and held the late challenge of Thisisthewaym, who made a lot of ground through horses, and the fast finishing Wholelotofbusiness, to register another big win for Caroline Hendron and Mairead Cahill.
The winning trainer was absent but a tearful Meyler said: “This was great and my grandmother [who passed away earlier in the day] was obviously looking down on us today.”
The Irish Grand National-winning rider added: “He is a really good horse, Noel has done a great job with him and it is nice to win on him at last. For me, anything that could go wrong, went wrong early and I never travelled a beat.
“It is great to finally win on him as he has been through it all in Group 1s and should have had a Galway Hurdle. He has brought the owners on a long journey and is one of the yard favourites.”
Queally delight
The MCG Ladies Handicap Hurdle winner was in the front rank for most of the way. Orla Queally partnered the Doyen mare Costanuci (9/2) to a half-length success.
The mare produced two good jumps for her rider over the last two hurdles and although being challenged by the favourite Who’s Da Goose and Tell Me See up the run-in, she kept on well to hold the advantage.
“I’m lost for words and it means a lot, as it is my first winner on the track. She is owned by my mam [Miriam] and trained by my dad, and was my first ride on the track five years ago.
“I was kicking myself on the last couple of rides that I didn’t make enough use of her so I put her out in front today and she really enjoyed it.
“I have been lucky with show jumping to have ridden at the RDS a few times but the buzz from racing is unmatchable.”
The rider got a two-day ban for use of the whip, failing to allow her mount time to respond.
LISTOWEL had had some famous attendees over the years and perhaps a Royal visit could be on the cards after the first winner on Friday.
The Willie Mullins winning run continued when Reaching High (1/4), in the colours of UK’s King and Queen, had little trouble getting off the mark over jumps in the John J. Galvin Maiden Hurdle over two miles, two and a half furlongs. It was a 10th winner of the week for the champion trainer.
The five-year-old set off in front under Paul Townend and was always a few lengths clear. While the margin closed to some degree turning for home, the son of Sea The Stars opened up again from the second last and although not getting the cleanest jumps over the final flight, he was not under any pressure to win by 10 lengths from Zambezi Moon, who was next home of his 14 rivals.
Records consulted found that the last winner in the Royal colours in Ireland came with Mascara winning at Baldoyle racetrack for the then Queen Mother in August 1971, trained by John Oxx snr.
Mullins said on his winner: “Unfortunately the King and Queen aren’t present but would love to be here, as one of their stated aims is to visit every county in Ireland. They only have a few left and hopefully will come to ‘The Kingdom’ some day. The ultimate plan is to go for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham next March and I think he is more of a good ground horse, so running in Leopardstown at Christmas would be fantastic.”
Fire Coral (10/1) took the Guinness Listowel Mares Handicap Hurdle over two miles six furlongs for Danny Mullins and Sam Curling. The mare, owned by the Keep It Pucked Out Syndicate, led on the first circuit and was in the front rank with favourite Isdistheone turning into the straight before going clear between the last two and holding outsider Jolly D’Olivate and Pure Logic
Curling said: “We were hoping she’d run well but I was a bit worried when the rain came. Danny gave her a lovely ride. She is fairly straightforward, makes the running. She is still quite well handicapped on the flat.”
MARIAN Avenue (7/1) and Loi Des Jeux appeared to have the two-mile Trant Goodwill Stakes Handicap Hurdle between them coming to the second last and on the run to the last, but it was the Charles Byrnes-trained Marian Avenue who found plenty to go clear for a three and a half-length success, a third at the festival for his rider Philip Byrnes and his 100th success in the saddle. The gelding had been disqualified from his Limerick win in the summer for serious interference, and his rider banned 21 days.
Charles Byrnes said: “He didn’t travel the last day but Philip said he’d be good and positive and it worked out great. We’d love to have a winner or two here.”
Pal for the Kerrymen
The last two fences in the straight were omitted in the Paud, Sarah & Mary Fitzmaurice Memorial Handicap Chase over two miles three furlongs but there was still drama at what was the last before the turn-in where the two-length leader Kings Jet and Ricky Doyle crashed out.
On the flat, it was Potters Pal (5/1), who had finished third here on Wednesday, emerged to go clear and gave a celebrated success for Ross Sugrue and Tom Cooper and the Kingdom Red Syndicate.
Emotional Gerry Mangan, whose family is the Kingdom Red Syndicate and assists trainer Cooper, said: “He ran a cracker here on Wednesday when finishing third and we took our chance today.
“I’m coming to Listowel races all my life and this is just amazing. I have my trainers’ course done so am waiting for the paperwork to go through before having horses to run in my own name.
“I’m hanging around with Tom [Cooper] for years and rode a share of winners for him. He has a good job done with this horse as he is highly-strung although has the engine. When I do get my licence, I’ll keep my operation quite small and will mostly have point-to-pointers to sell.”
Impressive bumper win
There was another winner from the front in the Shanahan Power Irish EBF Mares (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race over two miles, when She Was The One (15/8 favourite) ran out an impressive winner for Harry Swan and Denis Hogan, in the colours of the Jrm Racing Syndicate.
The winner never really looked in doubt and there was a bit of interference for the minor placings caused by Shuil Solas who stayed on to hold Certavi Et Vici in the battle for second.
Hogan said: “She had a couple of nice runs and a lovely run in a point-to-point as well. It was initially the late Hugh Mulryan who owned her, and I asked was it okay if he sold her to stay in my yard. She is improving, I’ve always liked her and hopefully she has a good future.”
Ebony King (11/2) showed good pace in the final furlongs to take the Friday finale, the Listowel Races Supporters Club Failte Abhaile (Q.R.). In the colours of the Ladies Choice Partnership, Adam Ryan partnered the Andrew Slattery-trained son of Berkshire to a four-length success. Slattery said: “He got injured in Killarney in a six-runner race where the first four either won or were placed in Royal Ascot on their next runs. This is a great tonic for Tom Meagher, his wife and her sister Mairead, as Mairead is the grandmother of Kaitlyn [Ryan], who was injured recently.”