IN the eye of a storm following happenings at Wexford recently, father and son team Charles and Philip Byrnes struck with the highest-profile horse at Listowel’s seasonal opener as Sonnyboyliston delivered on his debut over jumps.
Scrutiny on his much discussed unseat from Redwood Queen a few days earlier, certainly didn’t seem to knock Philip Byrnes’ confidence in the plate - and there definitely would have been pressure, after Sonnyboyliston found strong favour in the market from 6/4, into equivalent odds-on, for the Join The Listowel Races Supporters Club Maiden Hurdle.
The 2021 Ebor and Irish St Leger hero, later spent no less than 969 days on the sidelines, so it’s been quite the achievement to get him back to this stage, and his days as a headline-maker may not be finished yet, as he’s got an entry in the Northumberland Plate later this month.
The successful chesnut did plenty right here, but it wouldn’t have been a completely comfortable watch for his backers over the last couple of flights. He finally mastered Dream Diamond in the closing stages, and then held the staying-on Encosta. Half a length and the same were the margins at the line.
“His owner (Patrick O’Shea) is from Dublin-side and the reason I got him is he had leg trouble, I wouldn’t have him otherwise. I have him a good while but have been nursing him along,” reflected Byrnes senior.
Bright start
The 130-rated Royal Eagle ensured proceedings began brightly, with an easy five-and-a-half-length win in the Anglo Printers Remembering John H. Kierans Mares Hurdle.
She led home a one-two for Gordon Elliott in this small field affair, the well-backed 11/8 shot doing it very nicely in the hands of Josh Williamson, from stable companion and 18/1 outsider Gers Gigi.
Maughreen, the sole Willie Mullins and Paul Townend representative on the programme, disappointed in last place. Owned by David Monaghan, Adam Lord and Paddy Monaghan, Royal Eagle got an accomplished front-running steer from Williamson, who has the Leaving Certificate to the forefront of his mind at present.
ANOTHER to impress from the front was easy-to-back market-leader Samba Train (5/4 out to 9/4) in the Oliver Broderick Pro/Am Fillies INH Flat Race.
Described by successful handler Enda Bolger as “an exciting animal,” Aine O’Connor’s mount came forward from previous sixth and second placed efforts, to dispose of Master Sydney by nine and a half lengths.
“That’s our first winner for Sir Francis Brooke (owner/breeder), who lives locally and is the King’s representative in Royal Ascot. He was off on his holidays during the week and came all the way to Listowel to see her run, so this is great,” disclosed Bolger.
Flavin on fire
Duty Bound (10/1) was victorious in the race boasting the biggest prize-fund of the session, the Insurance Wise Handicap Hurdle.
This was a bank holiday weekend to remember for trainer John Flavin, as Clarens had taken the feature at Tramore the previous evening at his local track.
Owned by the O’Brien, Bermingham, O’Neill and Flavin grouping, Duty Bound displayed an excellent attitude in the hands of Donagh Meyler, as he got up to beat Eoin McCarthy’s Fast Felix by half a length.
“We paid a good few quid (55,000gns) for him out of Andrew Balding’s and he took time to come right. He is tough and hardy now, stuck his head out and it was a nice pot to win,” remarked Flavin. “He was the first Kingman to win over fences, at Wexford last year.”
CO Galway-based trainer Brian McMahon sent a couple of runners to this fixture, and they certainly performed up to scratch.
His 40/1 chance Pistocchi was reported by his jockey, James Smith, to have been very difficult on the way to the start, but that didn’t stop him giving winner Sticktotheplan (5/2) a run for his money in the Eamon Foran Memorial Maiden Hurdle.
Kieren Buckley made a decisive move early on the final circuit aboard the Cormac Farrell-owned and trained Sticktotheplan, and the Great Pretender gelding ultimately had enough in reserve to hold on.
“They had a few quid on him the last day when he got turned over at odds-on,” commented Buckley. “The plan today was ride him in behind the leaders and to get him to switched off, but he pulled my hands out. After a circuit I left him stride on and while he also jumped out to his right, he was fast.”
Patience pays
Later Brian McMahon’s patience paid off with Barryroe Madam (5/1) shedding her maiden tag at the 15th time of asking in the Cnoc An Oir Handicap Hurdle.
A hood deployed for the first time at Galway back in October, seems to have been a help to the CKG Syndicate’s Kapgarde mare, and James Smith galvanized her to a half-length success from Tackletommywoowoo.
“She is a little bit hot so we said we’d take our time and give her plenty of light. Everything went to plan. It suited that they went a good gallop,” explained Smith.
Well-deserved
Runner-up Lariat traded heavy odds-on ‘in the run’ when appearing to get the upper hand in the closing stages of the John Thomas McNamara Handicap Hurdle, but Denis Goold’s A Nod To Getaway (12/1) proved game in hanging on to triumph.
A generally consistent type, A Nod To Getaway has given his connections plenty of enjoyment, and here he gained a deserved success after placings of ‘2322,’ clinging on by half a length with amateur rider Alan O’Sullivan up top for the first time.
Said winning trainer Paul O’Flynn in the aftermath: “Alan is a brilliant jockey and while he had ridden plenty of work for me, that’s his first race for me.”
There was found to be no further action warranted following a stewards’ enquiry. Danny Gilligan, rider of Lariat, reported that his mount received a slight bump at the 100-yard marker.