A FINE crowd attended this St Patrick’s Day fixture, the first of a record 14 meetings scheduled to take place at Bettyville this year.
Eight lined up for the feature Michael O’Murchadha Handicap Hurdle and it was the veteran Dont Go Yet who came out on top under local Ardcavan native Sarah Kavanagh. Owned and trained by Eddie Cawley, the 12-year-old was backed from 14s to 5/1.
Blundering at the first, the 107-rated bay made good headway on the outer approaching the straight and was ridden to the front before the last, going on to score by six and a half lengths.
“This lad has been on the go a long time and I thought he might enjoy today, with a bit of an ease in the ground,” Cawley explained.
“He could come back here for the veterans’ chase in about a month’s time.”
Blinkers key
Cawley was out of luck with his two representatives in the Botanica International Handicap Chase, as the Robert Tyner-trained Connemara Shore (6/1) led home 15 rivals.
In first-time blinkers, the six-year-old raced mainly in mid-division under Darragh O’Keeffe, taking closer order from five out. Improving to lead before the penultimate obstacle, she kept on best from that final fence to score by two and three quarters of a length.
“She just doesn’t watch what she is doing, she is very genuine but is too busy watching everyone else’s business,” Tyner said of the Maghtera Syndicate-owned bay.
“Phillip (Enright) rang me during the week about putting blinkers on her. She travelled everywhere today and the blinkers done the job.”
BACK in action for the first time since their historic fifth Gold Cup win, Willie Mullins and Paul Townend successfully combined with Yoradreamer (13/8f) in the William Hill Each Way Extra Challenge Series Beginners Chase.
Roger Brookhouse’s home-bred led from the seventh and went clear approaching the penultimate fence. Despite a mistake at the last, he still sauntered to a 22-length win.
“It was a bit of a scare at the last, but he had been good up to it. He was just a bit in between on strides and was going too well,” Townend reported.
“His run the last day was decent and, if he repeated anything like that, I thought he’d win.”
In-form owner
Scottish owner Jimmy Fyffe was another Cheltenham winner on the mark, with his Westoftignes (9/2) claiming the Treo Eile Novice Handicap Hurdle.
On his first start for Fyffe and John McConnell, the Westerner seven-year-old raced mainly in third under Alex Harvey, improving into a share of the lead shortly after four out. Travelling best and easing to the front early in the straight, he was merely kept up to his work from there, coming home three and a half lengths clear.
“I kind of twisted Jimmy’s arm to buy this lad,” McConnell reported. “He had a good run the last day for Adrian (Murray) and has been straightforward since we got him.”
Mullins and Townend were earlier out of luck with the easy-to-back Eliodam (9/4jf) in the William Hill Each Way Extra Challenge Series Maiden Hurdle, with this one pulled up and found to have blood in both nostrils post-race.
The Philip Rothwell-trained Zam Bobbler (14/1) edged into a narrow lead before the final flight and ultimately kept on best to beat Mart Lane (9/4jf) by a length and three-quarters under Tiernan Power Roche.
Rothwell, who owns the winner with Paul Dillon, Pearse Mehigan and Michael Hannon, commented: “I had spotted this race a while back and, being part of the William Hill series, I sort of kept it in mind for him.
“I told the lads that he was just big and backward and to give me time with him, so it’s great to get a winner for them.”
WON by Dancing City and Three Card Brag in recent years, another classy prospect claimed the concluding bumper, with Minella Machine (4/5f from 15/8 early) comfortably accounting for seven rivals.
The winner of a point-to-point for John Nallen, the Blue Bresil five-year-old was purchased by current connections for €350,000 at the Goffs Punchestown Sale last May.
Fourth to subsequent Champion Bumper winner The Mourne Rambler over Christmas, the Henry de Bromhead-trained bay raced in second under John Gleeson, improving to the front when pushed along on the turn for home. He was ridden to lead by four and a quarter lengths on the line, completing a cross-card double for Robcour.
“He is a horse that I’d say has improved from his first bumper start, a race that has worked out quite well,” Gleeson reflected. “He is a fine big horse with a nice future.”
Important win
Sarah Connell’s Catchabird (7/4f from 6s early) also justified market confidence, as she deservedly made the breakthrough in the opening mares’ maiden hurdle.
Bred by Connell’s father Pat and owned by her mother Clare, the 96-rated bay was pushed along in a close third on the approach to the penultimate flight. Jumping the last in unison with Jumbos Jet, she ultimately outstayed that rival on the run-in, coming home three-and-a-quarter lengths to the good under Aidan Kelly.
“She is a home-bred and is a full-sister to Getabird, so it was important to get a win with her,” the successful Tallow-based trainer explained. “She’s in at Navan on Saturday and might turn up there.”