IN the colours of John Brennan and David Flynn, the seven-year-old Ballygunner Castle gained his first success over fences in the €200,000 Guinness Kerry National at Listowel on Wednesday.
The 11/1 shot scored for Willie Mullins and his nephew Danny, winners of the race last year with Spanish Harlem.
Like Spanish Harlem, Ballygunner Castle was always close to the pace. He led on the approach to the second-last fence to win by four and a half lengths, the same winning margin as 12 months ago.
Eoin Griffin’s Ol Man Dingle, a 9/1 chance, followed the winner home with 7/2 favourite Downmexicoway three-parts of a length away in third place for Henry de Bromhead.
It was a third win in the race for Danny Mullins, while Willie Mullins was recording his fifth success.
The champion trainer, who ran six in the race, commented: “I was saying to a few people in the stands that if I had to leave one of them at home this morning, I might have left him.
“You don’t know in this game. I thought he was beaten turning for home, but when he got into the straight, he seemed to pick up again when he saw the second last.
“It was a very forward ride from Danny, he said to me that he wanted to be good and forward on him. It worked out for the horse. He stays well, he has lots of stamina in the pedigree. I’d imagine all the horses that ran in that will be horses that we’re looking forward to for the spring. We’ll have a look at the Munster National next and maybe the Coral Cup in Newbury.”
Another treble for Mullins
Mullins had three winners on the opening day of the festival on Sunday and he repeated the feat on Wednesday’s seven-race card.
His German import Love Me Tender scored the easiest of wins on his jumping debut in the opening McSweeney Brothers Maiden Hurdle.
A 4/9 favourite under Paul Townend, the four-year-old skipped clear from the second-last hurdle to beat Eric McNamara’s Approval by all of 20 lengths for owners, the H O S Syndicate and OTI Racing.
Love Me Tender had made his debut for Mullins in the Ebor Handicap at York last month, finishing 10th of the 22 runners as 7/2 favourite.
“It was a nice performance, he was very keen,” said Mullins. “I feel sorry for the second there because our fella should have won his hurdle before this, but we didn’t get an opportunity to run him over hurdles.
“He looks better than what you should be meeting down here. It was unfortunate that we didn’t get a run into him and we saw what happened then in the Ebor, he ran too free.
“I’ll see where I’ll go, he has some nice flat entries and there are novice hurdles too. I hate missing their novice hurdle year.”
Easy win
The Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned La Note Verte completed the trainer’s treble with her own easy win in the Ballygarry Estate Mares Novice Chase.
A second winner on the day for Paul Townend, who also rode two winners on Sunday, the even-money favourite led two out and coasted to a six-length success over the Hugh Finegan-trained Lady Bluebird.
La Note Verte won her bumper and her maiden hurdle at the June meetings at Listowel in 2024 and 2025 respectively. This was her fifth win in all.
Townend commented: “She’s done it nicely and has progressed with each run over fences. She’s very likeable.
“She’s calmed down from what she was, she’s genuine and jumps great. She’s obviously versatile trip-wise as well.”
THE 2/1 chance Golden Handshake came with a late rattle to win the Seamus Mulvaney Bookmaker Novice Hurdle for trainer Bill Durkan, the Four D Partnership and jockey Philip Byrnes.
It was all change at the final hurdle as Willie Mullins and Paul Townend’s 4/5 favourite Columbus fell when in a narrow lead, with his exit slightly hampering Beir Bua, who was left with a three-length advantage over Golden Handshake.
While she rallied under Cian Quirke, Beir Bua was just run out of it in the dying strides, pipped by half a length.
“We had a winner here last year, but it’s 50 years since Carrow Boy won here in my father’s colours. He was a very dear horse to the family,” said the trainer’s son Neil Durkan.
“Philip said he kept galloping. We were a little bit unlucky in Galway and we felt we would have been closer to, if not beaten by, Columbus.
“Gary Bannon isn’t here today, he’s off at the sales and he’s already spent the prize money on yearlings! He picked out this horse and has done a fantastic job with him since.”
Bill Durkan added: “I’m coming here for about 50 years. I only got into racing by accident. Carrow Boy was bought for 1,300 at the time and he won his bumper here, Ted Walsh rode him.”
Philip follows up
Philip Byrnes followed up straight away, when partnering Glin Road Boy, trained by his father Charles, to win the Brandon Hotel Handicap Hurdle.
Owned by Rienroe House Stud, the strong 7/4 favourite readily picked off Ado McGuinness’ Granlahan after the final hurdle to win by three-parts of a length.
“It’s a fabulous win for the owner Paddy Mulvihill. He’s from Moyvane, which is only down the road, but he’s living in Limerick now,” said Byrnes. “It means a lot for him to have a winner at Listowel.
“He’s had horses on and off with me for a good number of years. We’ve had one or two winners, but nothing serious. Hopefully, this fella might nick a few more.
“He ran well the last day, but it was probably more competitive here. It’s great to get the win. He’ll possibly jump a fence as well.”
LOCAL connections were also celebrating after victory for Millstream Lady in the Devon Inn Dan Sheehan Memorial Handicap Hurdle.
Bred by Eamon Leahy and owned by him in partnership with Seamus O’Riordan and Edward Hayes, the Eric McNamara-trained eight-year-old defied top-weight to add to her previous course win exactly three years ago, also at odds of 16/1.
A first Listowel winner for jockey Tom Kelly, she scored by a length and a quarter from Hi Ho Idaho, who got up in the final few yards to snatch the runner-up spot from 2/1 favourite Caher Roes Den by a neck.
“She’s a handy filly and with 11-12 we had to claim 7lb off her. Tom gave her a super ride, he took his time and crept away into the race,” said McNamara.
“She’s won six races now. Credit to Eamon Leahy and all the lads that own her, they are wonderful owners and I’m over the moon to have won here with her.
“This race has been the plan for a long time, because Eamon Leahy lives just out the road in Millstream, where the mare was born and reared.”
Impressive debut
New Grange was lucky to win his point-to-point at the first meeting held at Ballygogue House in County Laois back in February, but there was no good fortune as he landed the Paul Moynihan (Ex VFI President) Memorial Flat Race.
With Patrick Mullins on board, the Tom Cooper-trained 10/11 favourite went to the front before the straight and drew clear to win by seven and a half lengths on his racecourse debut from Eoin McCarthy’s Well Bud.
“We like to have Paddy (riding for us) and we’ve been lucky with him here before. We had a chat between each other and he’s running a horse tomorrow and we ran today, so it worked out,” said Cooper.
“He did two bits of work on the Curragh last month and it was awesome. He was bought to replace the horse I lost last year, Saint Clovis.
“He was a proper horse and unfortunately, we lost him. Hopefully, this fella will replace him. We might go back to the bumper in November (at Cheltenham).”