WILLIE Mullins registered a pre-Galway festival treble at Wexford on Thursday, with jockey Brian Hayes combining with the champion trainer to win the opening two races.
The pair began with the Morgan family’s Highland Realm in the Kilmore Quay Maiden Hurdle, the 7/2 chance racing with the pace and leading in the closing stages to beat Chasing Blues by three parts of a length.
It was a winning spare ride for Hayes, who later reported: “Unfortunately Sean [O’Keeffe, declared jockey] got a kick in Ballinrobe on Tuesday, so is on the sidelines for a while.
“This horse came on loads jumping-wise from the last day, and he was good and slick today. His jumping didn’t help him the last day, but he likes that good ground and is an improving type. I was impressed with the way my horse put his head down and wanted it.”
In the following race, Hayes steered the Mullins-trained and Closutton Racing Club-owned Are You Around (6/1) to win the Currragh To Curragh Charity Maiden Hurdle, to the delight of member James Fenton.
Having her first start since October, Are You Around improved to lead at the second last and held on well to score by two and three quarter lengths from Thesilverbridle.
Fenton said: “I bought her myself as a yearling and sent her back to the sales as a three-year-old, but couldn’t believe nobody wanted her. I own her with a very good friend, Mick Cawley, so I told him we’d hold on to her and we lease her to the club.
“She is called after my father as every time he rings me, he asks ‘are you around?’. Grainne, the secretary in Willie Mullins’ office, wanted a name for her and, as I was talking to her, my father was ringing so that’s how she got her name. I’m delighted for my father and my own two girls are here too, which is great.”
Blue is best
The Willie Mullins treble was completed in the concluding Ladies Day August 7th Bumper, with Cotswold Blue (5/4 favourite), scoring impressively for his wife, owner Jackie Mullins and under son Patrick Mullins.
The Authorized mare led before the home turn and won easily by seven lengths from Silk Buds.
Patrick Mullins stated: “The strong pace really suited and she settled better as a result. We bought her as a yearling and she has had her issues, so we aren’t training her hard. I think she is improving from run to run and today really crowned her. I think a jump will help her settle more. She isn’t slow and is for sale.”
JOSH Halford has made a good start to his new career as a professional jockey and registered wins on consecutive days at the course, when steering 19-race maiden Phildante (100/30 joint-favourite) to win the Cottage Autism Network Handicap Hurdle (Div II).
Halford produced the nine-year-old to lead before the second-last and, despite being strongly pressed close home, held on to beat Georgia Celena by a neck.
Winning trainer Eoin Doyle reported: “Finally she has won, although she was running a good race when she fell at Limerick the last day. The form of that race has stood up well.
“She had a lovely weight and Josh claimed 7lb off her, although was in front a little early. In fairness to her, she stayed going. This is Josh’s first winner for me and is good value for his claim.
“It is great to get Dom’s [Delaney, owner] first winner. He is a north Kilkenny man who bought this mare last year.”
Patience rewarded
Two other longstanding maidens scored in other similar handicap hurdles on the card, beginning with Set The Tone’s (5/1) success in the opening division of the Cottage Autism Network race, for trainer David O’Brien, jockey Conor Stone-Walsh and the OnlyfoolsnNorris’s Syndicate.
Held up in rear on her 17th career start, the Jim Bolger-bred five-year-old led entering the home straight and, while she was ‘long’ at the final two flights, scored by two and a quarter lengths from Gerrys Wish.
O’Brien stated: “It is great and the syndicate have been patient. She finished second on her first run back and in fairness to Sean Flanagan, he said to keep upping her in trip. She was very cheap (€1,000 as a yearling) and it is the first syndicate that the lads are in. They are from around Waterford and are a great bunch of lads who have stuck with it.”
Local family success
Enigmatic Esticky End (16/1) ended his own 16-race quest for a jumps success in the Park Run At Wexford Saturday Mornings Handicap Hurdle, scoring for owner-trainer Tom McGuinness and jockey Dylan Robinson.
Having regularly refused to race and once been banned from racing for 30 days for bad behaviour in starting stalls, Esticky End had nonetheless also scored five times on the flat some years ago, and today gained a last-gasp neck success from Rightfolksplease.
Local Rosslare-based McGuinness was registering a first course success and reported: “This means a lot as he is so difficult to train and it has been a long journey with him. He won once for us in Dundalk previously and this is our first every jumps winner today.
“I took out my jumps licence for him as he played up in the stalls at Leopardstown one day and Gary Halpin came in and said not to ask to ride the horse again! He was always tricky in the stalls but has relaxed over hurdles, although it has taken him a long time. It has taken a lot of runs and Dylan got him going when he was hard to ride.
“I’d love to go back for another flat race but the danger is, he might get another suspension. He is that kind of horse and you never know what he is going to do.”
DEL Boys Diva (100/30 favourite) followed up a Roscommon success earlier this month, with a second career win in the Park Run At Wexford Saturday Handicap Hurdle (Div II), scoring for owner Pat McKeon, trainer Shane Crawley and rider Keith Donoghue.
Despite being raised 9lb following her Roscommon success, the six-year-old mare again scored readily here.
Crawley commented: “This horse’s dam [Cashelard Lady] was my first winner as a trainer here and she was a good mare. This is our family’s third generation with the pedigree and hopefully she will be one to breed from in time.
“It is unfortunate Sean [O’Keeffe] couldn’t ride as unfortunately he broke his leg on Tuesday and Keith is a very good friend of mine and got the opportunity. We were actually at Keith’s stag in Killarney last weekend, so his freedom is nearly over! There is a mares’ handicap hurdle in Tramore next month for her next.”
Philip Rothwell continued his good form with success in the Wexford Racecourse Ladies Handicap Hurdle, where the trainer combined with jockey Joanna Walton to win with the Julie Thomas-owned-and-bred Ocean Murphy (9/1).
Ocean Murphy survived a scare at the final flight but was clear at that point, and held on well to beat Costanuci by 5.5 lengths.
Rothwell said: “I met Julie [Thomas] in Doncaster a few years ago and she breeds some top class horses in Newmarket. Her pedigrees are very good and told me that this horse wasn’t a commercial sales horse because he wasn’t hugely big, so she offered me to get involved. To have an overseas owner having a winner in Ireland is fantastic.
“We’ll keep him handicap hurdling now and we could look at a four-year-old handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe later this year. It’s Joanna’s first winner for me and she is very loyal and able when Phildelma [Elvin, stable amateur] isn’t available.”