FOR the second year in succession Gordon Elliott’s Walkabout claimed the Burleigh Accountancy Handicap Hurdle as the capable five-year-old made a resounding return to form under Davy Russell.
The top-weight hadn’t been at his best over the last 12 months but was restored to the peak of his powers for this €30,000 prize and he won with some authority. Only five runners went to post here and Davy Russell had the 9/2 chance disputing the lead from the early on.
The son of Papal Bull, who carries the colours of Martin Wasylocha and is part-owned by At The Races presenter Gary O’Brien, moved into the outright lead well before the last. At this stage, The Irregular was his only meaningful threat but that was one was readily dealt with as Walkabout surged clear in the straight to win by half a dozen lengths.
“It was the ideal race for him and he obviously has a liking for this place,” said Russell. “He just got away with the ground (yielding, yielding to soft), he wouldn’t want it much slower and there wasn’t too big a spread in the weights either.”
The improving Snugsborough Benny (3/1) turned in another very likeable effort as he made it three wins from his last four outings in the Broderick’s Electrical Handicap Hurdle. This race served up a cracking battle between the Richie Deegan-ridden winner and the unlucky Galway loser Rosie Alice as they went toe-to toe-after the last. Snugsborough Benny always looked to be doing enough from the turn-in though and he possibly had more to spare than the half-length winning margin would suggest.
“He’s a horse going forward and he handled the ground well, I was worried it might be a bit slow for him,” declared Liam Cusack who trains the winner for his breeder Raymond Loughnane. “He’s game and always looked to be holding the other horse in the straight. He will make a nice chaser.”
JUMPS CAREER
The capable bumper winner Fabulous Saga couldn’t have made a better start to his jumping career as he annihilated his opponents in the Bank Of Ireland Maiden Hurdle. Ruby Walsh made all the running on the Willie Mullins representative and with over a circuit to run in this two-mile, five-furlong heat the 4/9 favourite enjoyed a lead of over 20 lengths.
Over the last mile it was merely a question of Fabulous Saga safely negotiating the remaining obstacles and he did so to finish 20 lengths ahead of Masterson.
“His form in bumpers was good enough but his point-to-point form was probably better and we were hoping that jumping and a step-up in trip would bring about improvement in him,” observed Walsh of the Sullivan Bloodstock Limited-owned gelding.
MULLINS’ DOUBLE
Willie Mullins ended the evening with a double as Diamond Hill, who is owned and bred by his wife Jackie, made a winning debut in the Cummins Homevalue Hardware Flat Race. In a race that was initially run at a pedestrian pace, Diamond Hill (4/6) showed plenty of class when the sprint for home began in earnest.
The Patrick Mullins-ridden daughter of Beat Hollow led with over a quarter of a mile to run and kept quickening to keep several possible challengers at bay. Getoutameway and Youghal By The Sea both threatened but Diamond Hill was an assured three-length winner over the last-named.
“She’s a good filly and is a half-sister to Blackstairmountain,” reflected the rider. “She’s probably a blacktype mare and she might be one for the good mares’ bumper at Gowran in late September- she’s that sort of level. She’s got plenty of gears.”
Joseph O’Brien’s three-strong challenge for the J.J. Burke Peugeot 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle yielded near maximum dividends but not in the order the market expected as Pronounced sprang a mild surprise. The Anne Marie O’Brien-owned gelding lined up as a 52-rated 16-race maiden on the flat but a switch to jumping showed umprovement.
In the second event of its kind to be run in Ireland this season Pronounced (9/1) took his time under Jody McGarvey who was niggling his mount along with half a mile to run. Pronounced responded with a steady effort that saw him brush aside stablemate Thomas O’Malley after the last before a five-length triumph. Richard Strauss, a stablemate of the first two, was the evens favourite to improve on his third to Brutal at Cork the previous week but he finished seventh and was subsequently reported to be blowing very hard and to have lost a hind shoe in running.
“He had a bit to find on flat ratings with a few of these. They went quick early and I took my time which paid off as the leaders stopped before the turn-in,” remarked the jockey.
Conor O’Dwyer has his team in outstanding shape and he made it four winners from his last four runners as Don’t Let Go secured the Maloney & Mathews Mares Maiden Hurdle. This race was confined to mares that hadn’t previously finished in the first three and last month’s fourth to Law Girl at Roscommon was enough to see Don’t Let Go returned the 5/4 favourite.
The J.P. McManus-owned daughter of Yeats moved to the front for Ricky Doyle just before the last and settled the outcome in just a few strides. She came home seven lengths ahead of Aimee Kate.
“The conditions suited her,” reported the trainer. “At home she always pleased me but she disappointed on her first two runs. I’d imagine she will go handicapping now.”
Youngnedofthehill (9/1) looks like one that could add to his tally in the coming weeks as he made short work of his opponents in the Supermac’s Ballinrobe Handicap Hurdle.
The Shane Nolan inmate quickly stamped his authority on this race when Roger Loughran produced him to lead before the final flight. The lightly raced Santana Syndicate-owned nine-year-old left Alterno toiling in vain from the turn-in to cross the line with half a dozen lengths to spare.
Bolger ban
MARK Bolger was given a one-day suspension for failing to obey the starter’s instructions and anticipating the start which led to a false start being called in the juvenile hurdle.
ACTING STEWARDS
T. McDonogh, N.B. Wachman, D.H. Gavin, J. O’Shaughnessy, P.D. Matthews
Horse To Follow
THOMAS O’MALLEY (J.P. O’Brien): A winner on the flat at this track last month, he should sharpen up after his first outing over hurdles which saw him take second behind stablemate Pronounced.