ON a card sponsored in full by Bar 1 Betting, the featured Leinster National Handicap Chase at Naas was a thriller, which saw Gavin Cromwell enjoy a pre-Cheltenham boost and had a late sting in the tail for his fellow trainer, Colm Murphy.
Coming to the final fence in the €100,000 contest over just short of three miles, one furlong, Built By Ballymore led narrowly from Murphy’s strong-travelling favourite Goraibhmaithagat, with The Lovely Man sticking to his task back in third.
Built By Ballymore lurched left jumping the last and collided with Goraibhmaithagat, sending the former’s rider Gavin Brouder out the side door.
The market leader was left a few lengths clear of The Lovely Man (12/1), but the latter, formerly trained by Murphy and now in the care of Cromwell, stayed on strongly to get up near the line for a head success.
Owned by the Wild Guy Syndicate, The Lovely Man has now won three of his five starts since switching stables.
Winning rider Conor Stone-Walsh, who picked up a two-day whip ban, commented: “He jumped super the whole way, pecked at one, but other than that he was brilliant. When we were going to the last, I could feel him picking up and he finished strong.”
Off the mark
Le Labo (6/1) broke his maiden over flights in style, when landing the Grade 3 Kingsfurze Novice Hurdle under John Gleeson.
A bumper winner last year, the Mount Nelson home-bred had failed to complete in a pair of maiden outings, but came from the back of the five-runner field to get the better of market leader Blake by a neck after a good tussle on the run-in.
Joseph O’Brien trains the six-year-old for Jonathan Palmer-Brown and the winning rider’s mother, Claire.
“I suppose he’s been a bit unlucky in his two starts,” said John Gleeson. “He’s a horse that we’ve always liked. We decided to go here today, with a smaller field, to give him another nice experience and if it happened, it happened. He has a touch of class, and there are a couple of nice options for him in the spring.”
THE maiden hurdle over two miles, three furlongs saw Healys Pub (4/1) continue the revival in form of Oliver McKiernan’s Rathcoole yard, which had enjoyed its first winner in a year at Gowran Park the previous day.
Phillip Enright’s mount, owned by Keep The Faith Bloodstock Limited, led from the third and made the rest to post a two-and-a-half-length win over Doctor Elvis. “Things have turned quick,” said McKiernan.
“He’s only five and it might be a bit unusual to jump a fence at that age, but I think that’s where he’s going. He’s called after a pub we have in Offaly. It’s not open at the moment, we’re doing it up, and it might open quicker than you’d think now!”
One to look forward to
Thankyouforthedays (6/4 favourite) landed a gamble with consummate ease in the two-mile handicap hurdle. Moving through to lead at the second last, he was still on the bridle at the last and was just nudged out to beat King Bob by eight and a half lengths.
The Walk In The Park gelding is owned by the L S M Syndicate and was a fourth winner in seven days for trainer Philip Dempsey.
“We bought him at the Derby Sale (for €48,000),” said Dempsey. “He’s a winter horse and he’ll be a chaser. He’s definitely one to look forward to, these are the horses you want to be getting.”
Off joint-bottom weight of 10st 9lb, Mojoe (10/1) came out on top under Simon Torrens in the handicap hurdle over two miles, three furlongs.
The Casamento gelding led after the second last and stayed on well to account for the always-prominent Eagles Reign by three and a quarter lengths.
Pat Foley, who trains the winner for breeder Jim Browne, said: “He’ll probably be better on a bit of nicer ground. All going well, we’ll probably keep him for a two-and-a-half-mile handicap at Punchestown.”
WILLIE Mullins had the first three in the market for the beginners’ chase over two and a half miles and his trio filled the first three places throughout.
Having turned for home in second, Supersundae soon cried enough and dropped away to finish a moderate third as odds-on favourite Ballygunner Castle, who had set out to make all, was pursued up the straight by Spread Boss Ted (10/3).
The latter, ridden by Sean O’Keeffe, gained the upper hand after the last to post a half-length success.
O’Keeffe, in the colours of owner-breeder Roger Brookhouse, reflected: “He battled really well. He can go back to three miles again, especially on drying ground. He stays well.
“I rode him in Cheltenham when he had a cracking run in the Albert Bartlett (2024). He has plenty of ability and it’s good to get him back in the winner’s enclosure.”
Aintree ambitions
Dungarvan handler Conor Houlihan has made an impressive start to his training career and made it three wins from nine runners since taking out his licence, when Kiltybo, a winner at Thurles last month, made all in the mares’ bumper.
Sent off a 9/2 chance, Barry Stone’s mount stayed on the far side in the home straight and was always holding odds-on favourite Poetisa, which made her challenge under Patrick Mullins, on the stands’ side.
Four lengths was the margin of victory for Anthony Murphy’s daughter of Idaho, which was the fourth home-bred to win on the card.
“She’s taken a step forward from Thurles,” said Houlihan. “We’ll be looking for a bit of blacktype next. I’d say we might go to Aintree. The flat track there would suit her and that’s Plan A at the moment.”