ON a glorious afternoon for Sligo’s well-attended Family Day fixture, the queue for the ice cream man stretched from the parade ring to the Tote building, but trainer John Ryan had an even more profitable time of things, as he saddled a treble.
Ryan brought eight horses from his base in Templemore and hit the target with three mares. Crystabel (5/1) was prominent throughout under Daniel King in the featured Racing TV Irish EBF Mares Handicap Hurdle over two miles and a furlong and went on after two out to beat Albatala by three and a half lengths.
“She was beaten a head in a three-year-old bumper in England and Mark Fleming and Geoff Bruce (co-owners, along with the trainer and his daughter Gillian) bought her after that,” explained Ryan.
“She had a heavy fall in a maiden hurdle last year, and it took a while to get her right. Daniel has done all the schooling with her and knows her well.”
Earlier, King had partnered Unknown Fortune to a 25/1 success in the CT Electrical Maiden Hurdle over the same distance.
Having only her third start, the eight-year-old led after the last to beat Rosenborg by two and three-quarter lengths.
“She’s a quality mare and will jump a fence in time. Joe Kenny (owner) bred her and has had all the family,” Ryan reported.
On song
Michael Kenneally did the steering on Ryan’s third winner, Andyourbirdcansing (11/2), who came from mid-division to take the first division of the Kilcawley Construction Handicap Hurdle over two and a half miles.
The daughter of Court Cave beat Las Brisas Boy by three and a half lengths in the colours of the Galway-based We Win Racing Syndicate, marking her first win in two years.
“She won her maiden here, but hasn’t always been the easiest to train,” said the trainer.
“I’ve had a four-timer here before, and a couple of trebles, so it’s a track I love coming to.”
Josh Williamson was banned for four days after breaching the whip rules on fifth-placed Annarubyrose.
LOCAL trainer Mark McNiff almost matched John Ryan’s tally, as he sent out the first past the post in the final three races, but saw the last of them lose the race in the stewards’ room.
McNiff’s first winner was Lilac Lady (8/1), who recorded a breakthrough success in the second division of the Kilcawley Construction Handicap Hurdle. Fitted with a tongue-tie for the first time, Janice and John Doyle’s Churchill mare was towards the head of affairs throughout and scored by three and a quarter lengths from Poppycon.
Jockey Alan King commented: “We thought the step up to two and a half miles would suit her, because she’d been hitting the line hard in her races.”
Danny Gilligan, who rode fourth-placed favourite Go To Town, was hit with a 12-day suspension for breaching both the frequency, and force, whip rules and will be ruled out of the entire Galway Festival as a result.
All out
Wild Mandate (12/1) clung on by a head under Shane O’Callaghan to give McNiff a double in the Sligo Park Hotel Handicap Hurdle over just short of three miles and two furlongs.
Colm Hayden’s seven-year-old built up a clear lead on the final circuit, but was all out to hold Cornmarket by a head.
McNiff remarked: “She might have hung on a bit easier, if he hadn’t gone so hard in front. I gave out to him when he came in!
“She’s a tough mare and had good bumper form. She’ll go to Galway now for the three-miler on the Sunday.”
MUCH to the dismay of Mark McNiff and favourite-backers, Circus Hill was demoted to second in the Clayton Hotel Mares Flat Race over two and a quarter miles.
A hampered second at her local track on her previous outing, the favourite drifted left and bumped Clovelly Charm (5/1), when just denying that rival by a head. The latter’s saddle had slipped on the home turn and Harry Swan kicked out his irons a furlong out, after which his mount was carried towards the stands’ side.
On hearing that the Jukebox Jury grey, trained by Pat Fahy for Rachel Byrne, had been promoted to first, Swan explained: “The first past the post drifted badly across the track. My filly is small and got a bump inside the last 50 yards. I was fairly sure we’d get it, to be honest.”
Circus Hill’s rider Dara McGill was suspended for two days for careless riding.
Change of luck
Market drifter Manoir De Mirande (3/1) made all in the Durkin Bros. Electrical Maiden Hurdle over two miles and a furlong, proving two and a quarter lengths too strong for Whats New, who had replaced him as favourite.
“He was very unlucky at Roscommon to be almost carried out by a loose horse.” said jockey Jack Kennedy of Gigginstown House Stud’s four-year-old, who is trained by Gordon Elliott.
“Today, it was straightforward, he jumped well and travelled well.”
Prince rules
Wolf Prince (13/2) made all in the Foley’s Bar & Off Licence Handicap Hurdle over two miles and a furlong, marking his first win for his fourth trainer, Aidan Melia. The Jason Trotter-owned 10-year-old kept Dairy Force at bay by three and a half lengths.
“He’d a good run on the flat at Ballinrobe and we put the cheekpieces on him today,” said jockey Conor Smithers.
“He’s genuine and stays this trip well, if you keep pressing on with him. He was a classy horse back in the day, and Aidan (leading up) has done a great job to sweeten him up.”