HANDLER Kieran Roche and rider Donal O’Connor teamed up to secure a quick-fire double, taking both the four-year-old geldings’ maiden and the five-year-old mares’ maiden, with the pair unfortunate not to have a treble on the card.
The double was initiated in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden with Taranis Dubh (6/1), who carried the silks of owner Michael Kenny.
Racing close to the pace for much of the contest, the winner formed part of a line of three challenging for second after three out.When appearing again just before the penultimate fence, he had moved into a clear second and asserted on the run to the last to open a one-length advantage.
The winner was game all the way to the line and stayed on powerfully to fend off the challenge of the fast-finishing Nikolavs Otto to score by a half a length.
A second foal, he is out of a dam who was placed in three point-to-points, and she herself is a half-sister to the talented Moyross, who was formerly trained by Noel Meade and achieved a rating of 133.
A shrewd purchase for just £2,000, he looks incredibly good value now.
The double was sealed just an hour later when Arklow (3/1), a debutante daughter of Workforce, prevailed in the five-year-old mares’ maiden, carrying the silks of owner Michael Kenny yet again. Always prominent throughout and having led for large parts of the contest, she did briefly drop to a handy second but regained her advantage approaching two out, and asserted powerfully to the line to run out a commanding 20-length winner.
Dramatic
The opening race of the afternoon, the four-year-old mares’ maiden, was nothing short of dramatic in its concluding stages with a line of three jumping two out.
Be Useful looked to be in the process of running a fine race on debut, only to sprawl on landing after two out.
The Jonathan Fogarty-trained Take Some More took charge from this point and can be considered particularly unlucky, having appeared to have the race at her mercy only to unseat her rider after jumping the last when holding a two-length advantage.
Despite this, credit has to be given to the eventual winner Dutton Law (5/2), who travelled and jumped with great accuracy throughout to run out a 32-length winner under Brian Lawless for handler Robert Tector and winning owner Aidan Byrne.
The winner justified a quick turnaround, having unseated her rider last week in Loughrea as Tector explained: “She was in good form last week and was unlucky to unseat. She was travelling well at the time.
“She came out of the race well, so we thought we would chance it. Aidan, the owner, he rides her out the whole time.”
WEXFORD handler Eamonn Doyle kick-started his campaign when taking the five-year-old geldings’ maiden in impressive fashion with Kenzo Des Bruyeres (6/4) under a confident Rob James ride.
The chesnut son of Kapgarde was having his third career start and second of the current season, having been seen just a week earlier when finishing third in Portrush.
Clearly a different proposition here, the Mossy Fen Stables Partnership-owned gelding had his rivals toiling in his wake from the halfway point, such was the manner in which he travelled and jumped at the head of affairs.
Ultimately running out an impressive 22-length winner over Gainsville, the €52,000 store purchase will now likely be sold.
“He was always a nice horse,” Doyle explained. “Kapgarde’s take a bit of time, and he is no different. Rob James owns half of him with me and he gave him a great ride there today.”
Classy recruit
The Goffer (6/4) looks another classy recruit to the open lightweight division for the Gordon Elliott team, after his victory in the novice riders’ open.
Having reached a peak rating of 149 over fences on the track and more recently seen finishing third in the Topham Chase at the Aintree Grand National meeting back in April, this son of Yeats illustrated how he remains a talented individual.
Having sat close to the pace for much of the race, the Allan Snow-owned eight-year-old moved to take up the running four out and established a commanding advantage, one that the eventual second and recent Castletown-Geoghegan winner, Solitary Man, was never able to close.
The bay ultimately ran out a two-length winner under Adam Lord to record his second career success. “We’re delighted with that,” Simon McGonagle, representing Gordon Elliott, said.
“Adam gave him a great ride, he jumped and travelled. He should be a nice horse for open races going forward and hunter chases.”
THE concluding contest on the card, a six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden went the way of the Pa King-trained and ridden Muskerry Rock (2/1) for his wife Aine King.
Having finished fifth in Castletown-Geoghegan a fortnight earlier on his stable debut, he took a marked step up to run out a facile winner by some 12 lengths from Orkneys Jack.
The son of Shirocco, who was previously trained on the track by Mouse Morris and top-rated 104 over fences, put his previous experience to good use back in calmer waters.
The winner will now likely head to run in a winners’ race where he should be able to make an impact.
“That’s my first winner in my wife Aine’s colours,” King said. “We just got him out last time in Castletown to see where we were at and he improved a good bit from it.
“We might try a winners’ race now; softer ground and a more galloping track should suit him better.”
Be Useful (K. Roche): appeared to still hold every chance when sprawling on landing two out when holding a share of the lead. Nevertheless, this was a fine debut run and, with a clear round next time, she should go close.