Eoghain Ward
IT was a case of mission accomplished for Aidan Fitzgerald, as having set himself the goal of saddling a career best of 10 winners during the season, he did just that with the victory of Shetland Bus (2/1-3/1 favourite) in the Tattersalls Ireland five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
In scenes reminiscent of a race over the national fences at Aintree, the day’s opener eventually got away at the third time of asking following two false starts, in what would only be the beginning of the dramas in a grief stricken event.
A breakneck gallop from flagfall caught out the majority of the field, with eight of the 13 runners parting company with their riders.
With most of the field having already exited the race coming to the final fence, pacesetter Steelers Appeal held the advantage over Fitzgerald’s Sholokhov gelding, only to crash out whilst about to be challenged.
That allowed Richie Deegan to ease down his mount on the run-in and prevail by 10-lengths and earn his 13th winner, matching his personal best of last season.
“Richie (Deegan) said he was going to win. In fairness they went an awful gallop and Richie sat in and took a lead,” reported the Carlow handler of his own chestnut gelding who will now be sold.
“I’m delighted with that because at the start of the season we had wanted to get 10 winners and that is our 10th, so we’re looking the 11th now!”
Fitzgerald and Deegan, who have proven to be a formidable combination this season, had high hopes of doubling-up in the following Heffernan Family winner of two, however their representative, Simply Gooch, was forced to settle for the second spot behind the eye-catching winner Our Henrietta (3/1-4/1).
The only two-time winner in the line-up, the eight-year-old had previously been campaigned in testing conditions, however she certainly proved her liking for a quicker surface by kicking clear from the second-last to prevail by eight lengths for the father and son team of Liam and James Kenny.
“She did that very well. We were running her in the muck all year long and I think we’ve discovered that this is her ground. She is a completely different mare on it,” remarked the winning handler of the Winged Love mare who carried the colours of Carnew man Joe Whelan, with the bay mare now likely to be aimed at a bumper.
FEATURE RACE
For the second Sunday in succession Maxine O’Sullivan returned to the winner’s enclosure aboard her father Eugene’s A Decent Excuse (1/1-f/4 joint-favourite), as the likeable 11-year-old claimed the day’s feature race, the Ashbourne Meats ladies open.
Bouncing back to form when scoring at Stowlin seven days earlier, the Fruits Of Love gelding who carries the colours of the Kilshannig Racing Syndicate, which is made up of members of the O’Sullivan’s local GAA club, had started of the season by winning three on the bounce including one of the hottest opens of the season at Castletown-Geoghegan.
The arrival of genuine spring ground has brought him back to his best as he defeated the veteran Aces And Kings by two lengths. “He loves the good ground and is back to his best. He loves running. He would go every Sunday as he does nothing all week,” reported the winning rider following her fourth winner of the season.
“As you can see he is a burly fella but he just loves it and will probably go again in two weeks’ time.”
For the second Stradbally fixture this season, Niall Prendergast and Shark Hanlon teamed-up to success as they narrowly prevailed with Windy Bottom (3/1-7/2) in the McLoughlin’s SuperValu older mares’ maiden.
Using her pace to steal a march on the field at the third-last, the Milan mare, who had chased home recent Bishopscourt Cup winner Alpha Male at Borris House before Christmas, had built-up enough of an advantage to repel the fast finishing favourite Tourgar Pure Gold by a short-head.
The winning handler was understandably delighted that the decision to wait for better ground had paid off. “She flies on good ground. I had her in the confined too but I said I would leave that race to my other horse who I thought would have won and was very unlucky. She wants good ground and I think she will win a bumper.”
Owned by Susan Archdeacon from Fethard in Co. Tipperary, who also owned subsequent listed bumper winner Posh Trish, this seven-year-old is now set to be offered at the upcoming Goffs UK Spring sale.
The Carlow handler was indeed very unfortunate not to leave the Laois venue with a double, as his Whiskeys Brother had the lead when parting company with Shane Fenelon at the second-last in the Alison Dowling Memorial adjacent maiden, leaving Bunninaden with the advantage.
POWERED HOME
However, victory would cruelly be snatched from the grasps of the six-year-old in the dying strides, as Carlow Farmer (4/1-9/2) powered home to give Jamie Scallan a second winner of the season.
Carrying the colours of his breeder Edward Kearney, who led the Stowaway gelding back into the winner’s enclosure, the five-year-old, a half-brother to Indian Leader who finished third at the same course four years earlier for the same connections, is now reported by his winning handler Sean Doyle to be for sale.
“His owner really wanted to win this local race if he could, so it is great that he has done it. This horse is probably a bit better than just average. He was very green today as he has not been in that long, but Jamie (Scallan) said that the further he went the better he got.”
The Glanbia Ballacolla older geldings’ maiden will live long in the memory of Andrew Phelan, as he passsed the post in front for the first time on just his sixth ride aboard Batchelors Walk (10/1).
Owned and trained by his father Eamonn, the seven-year-old track recruit, who had twice finished placed in juvenile hurdles, put in a big leap at the last which sealed victory, allowing him to return two and a half lengths in advance of recent Lisronagh runner-up Ozean.
“We just have the horse for my son Andrew to ride. He is the only horse that we have and he is after doing his job. It’s great experience for him to get so we will keep pointing with him,” reported a clearly delighted and proud winning father.
Ladies draw level
THE ITM Ladies Series is really beginning to build to an exciting climax, as victory in round five for Maxine O’Sullivan, sees her join Liz Lalor at the top of the standings with 13 points, four clear of Jody Townend with just two rounds remaining. The series moves to Dromahane in eight days’ time before concluding at Ballingarry on the final day of the season.
First for Phelan
The 19-year-old Andrew Phelan returned to a jubilant reception in the winner’s enclosure following his initial success, with plenty of well-wishers on hand to congratulate him following the success.
A native of Fethard, Co Tipperary, Phelan is currently combining his Auctioneering and Valuation degree at Dublin’s DIT with riding out for trainer Joe Murphy.