WHEN Nina Carberry rode Up The Town into fifth place in a Naas bumper on November 6th, the racing public wasn’t aware that they wouldn’t see her in the saddle again for over 10 months. It was like she was never away though when she triumphed on Cask Mate in the Connacht Tribune INH Flat Race.
The last meeting of the year it may have been, and Thursday afternoon fare at Ballinrobe, but there were still plenty of people about to congratulate Carberry after a dream comeback.
Having given birth to daughter Rosie four months ago, the former champion amateur had a comfortable time of it aboard the strongly backed Cask Mate (8/1 in the early markets and 3/1 into 9/4 co-favourite on track).
Heroine of the hour in the 2011 Irish Grand National on Organisedconfusion, Carberry was keen to credit Noel Meade for supplying her with an easy 12-length victor in the High Spirits Racing Club’s Cask Mate.
“Noel gave me a nice horse to ride and thank God I steered him in the right direction,” she said.
Owned by a grouping from Irish Distillers, Cask Mate reappeared off a 149-day break a much improved performer with a first-time tongue-strap deployed.
If Ballydoyle work-rider Carberry is a busy woman, it was a case of ask a busy man if you want to get a job done as Denis Hogan registered a double in his dual role as trainer and rider.
His endeavours with Foxy Lass (16/1 into 14/1) brought great joy to owners, the Playground Syndicate, after the bargain buy came up trumps in the On-Course Vets 3-y-o Maiden Hurdle.
A much bigger price in pre-meeting betting, 58-rated flat racer Foxy Lass made it third time lucky over flights, by half a length from odds-on favourite Azua Emery.
“Colm Sharkey recommended this one out of Willie Haggas’ and she only cost three and a half grand,” reported Hogan.
“I couldn’t be happier for the owners. They’re a nice bunch of lads. They’re fierce sporting – even when she wasn’t winning they were happy.”
The 59/1 brace was completed for the Cloughjordan operator on Eiri Na Casca (3/1) in the Yupana Inc. California Handicap Hurdle.
It was just Hogan and the groom at the number one spot this time, after the attractive Spadoun gelding battled to a neck win over Granny Biddy (2/1 favourite).
Quiet it was at unsaddling time, but the success certainly wasn’t unexpected.
“It’s great for the owner, Adrian McNamara. He’s away on holidays and so are the family. He couldn’t be here but he backed him anyway,” commented Hogan.
Ruby Walsh also weighed in with a couple of winners. There was a good crew from the Blue Blood Racing Club in attendance, and they were understandably thrilled with the way Court Artist (7/4 favourite) landed the spoils in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle.
Trained by Willie Mullins, Court Artist very convincingly defeated The Rap Queen by 10 lengths, prompting Walsh to say: “Her experience and the step-up in trip was a help.”
Later, in the Eamon Sheridan Groundworks Chase, Walsh joined forces with brother-in-law Ross O’Sullivan on Zorka Wentworth’s Call It Magic (9/2 into 4/1). It all came together nicely for the first-time blinkered seven-year-old as he made all to account for Net D’Ecosse comfortably, by 11 lengths.
“If you can keep him right it clicks, and it clicked today. He got into a rhythm – he loved it – a pair of blinkers on him, Ruby on him – and from the word go you could tell it would be good a day for him,” reasoned O’Sullivan.
The John Mulhern Mares Handicap Hurdle was the feature. Brian Cawley’s decision to turn Nellie Pledge out quickly, three days after a Galway third placing, was vindicated as she triumphed by four lengths from Kilganer Queen.
The 7lb claimer Liam Gilligan did the steering and Cawley said: “Liam is very good, he’s got an old head on young shoulders.”
Nellie Pledge is owned by Cawley’s father Padraic, and the five-year-old found a starting price of 3/1, from as big as 8/1 when the race was first priced up.
In the other two races fortunes changed late on, starting with Theatre Run (8/1 into 6/1 co favourite) mowing down Bad Cigar near the line to edge things by half a length in the Tuam Herald Handicap Hurdle.
Successful handler here, Mark Cahill, was also on lead-up duties with the One Eight Seven Four Syndicate-owned daughter of King’s Theatre.
Shane Shortall rode Theatre Run and he reflected: “She had a great run on good ground in Wexford the last day after getting her wind done. I ran into a lot of trouble on the home bend but she pulled through.”
Jockey of the second home, Shane Butler, or those observing, hardly bargained for the flying late run of Off The Charts, as he got up to touch off Caniwillyegiveme by a head in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Chase.
This was a win for the sponsor, as J P McManus owns the eight-year-old, pulled-up on his three most recent outings.
Donie McInerney was on Off The Charts as he began for Martin Brassil.
He hadn’t run since March when he finished up for the now retired Sandra Hughes.
Clipped from 6/1 into 5/1, Off The Charts seemingly benefited from the fitting of a tongue-strap for the initial occasion.
ACTING STEWARDS T. McDonogh, P.J.A. O’Connor, D. Pugh, R.W.T.Brabazon, M.F.O’Donoghue.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
VANELLOPE (P. Croke): She made a satisfactory hurdles debut, after a 148-day absence, when fourth behind Court Artist.