LITTLE Haarth looks to have booked his spot at next week’s Galway Festival as Des McDonogh’s charge progressed well off an encouraging comeback to trounce his rivals in the featured McGrath Limestone Works Ltd Handicap Hurdle.
The Peter Newell-owned and bred six-year-old chased home Heist at Bellewstown on his first outing since November and so he was lining up off a career high handicap mark of 115. However, neither that rating nor joint top weight were any hindrance to the Paul Townend-ridden winner, who swept aside Stay With It to take control on the run to the last.
When the chasing Reafadda went wrong before the final obstacle, Little Haarth (9/2) extended his advantage to finish nine lengths ahead of Round Tower.
“He’s a grand little horse and he ran a great race at Bellewstown on his first run back,” said McDonogh. “That was over two and a half miles an the extra furlong was no problem for him tonight. He could go to Galway where there are a couple of handicaps for him. One of them is an €80,000 race on the Saturday and he’s paid for his entry there.”
Rise Of An Empire made it three victories for the season in the Investec Rated Novice Hurdle. The dual Downpatrick winner ran creditably in stronger company on his last couple of outings and this two miles, five furlongs contest did represent a drop in grade for him.
The 5/4 favourite made all the running for Jonathan Moore and always seemed to be doing enough over the last half mile to contain his three rivals. He crossed the line with a length and three-quarters to spare over Lake Malawi, who edged out Miguel Angel for second. The outsider of the field Little Stampy was running creditably when she exited at the last.
“He’ll make a lovely chaser next year. He just wants a trip and fast ground,” said Meade of the Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding. “There aren’t many novices over three miles for him so he might now go for a handicap at that trip.”
KELLY VISIT
UK-based rider Tony Kelly made a fleeting visit back to Ireland a worthwhile one as Kansas Kid, trained by his father Pat, dominated the Mayo News Maiden Hurdle. The 96-rated gelding had shown some promise in a couple of his initial racecourse outings this summer and he took advantage of an excellent opportunity.
Kansas Kid had this race wrapped up from well before the last and the 2/1 favourite finished some 12 lengths clear of stablemate The Lastonetogo. This was the successful rider’s first Irish success since September 2012 and the Cheltenham-winning trainer indicated that a trip to the sales could beckon for the winner.
There were times over the final half-mile when victory didn’t look all that likely but Joseph O’Brien’s Cradle Mountain dug in well for a hard fought success in the Paddy Smyth Memorial Maiden Hurdle. Jody McGarvey was hard at work on the 11/4 joint-favourite from some way out but the Mastercraftsman gelding steadily raised his effort.
After getting to the front before the last, he gave Echo Lady a chance with a blunder at that flight but recovered to score by half a length. The J.P. McManus-owned winner had previously filled the runner-up spot in three of his five outings over hurdles.
“He didn’t jump great but he is highly rated on the flat and is entitled to be a bit better than them. He’s bumped into a few so it’s good to get him off the mark,” remarked the rider.
Sharlanda (11/2) built on an encouraging third at Bellewstown earlier this month to land the Tim Kelly Group Handicap Hurdle for Colm Murphy and Robbie Power. The six-year-old was going smoothly on the heels of the leaders after two out and then stole into a useful lead rounding the turn for home.
The surprise Sligo maiden winner Stormey was bearing down on the leader late on but his effort came up half a length short.
“She ran well at Bellewstown on ground that was softer than ideal and Colm thought that she’d improved a nice bit for that. The good ground and the strong gallop both suited her,” stated Power, whose mount is owned by Thomas Hughes. “Full credit to the track here as they’ve produced lovely, safe ground under difficult conditions.”
The card concluded with a reversal for punters as the Prunella Dobbs-trained Antimatter (7/1) upstaged the odds on newcomer West Burma in the Bank Of Ireland-sponsored bumper. The Jamie Codd-ridden was third to the subsequent Grade 1 winner Don’t Touch It last autumn and was restored to that level of form on his seventh run since then.
Antimatter stole a march on his rivals when he quickened into a decent lead over a quarter of a mile from home and, hard as he tried, the Willie Mullins-trained West Burma couldn’t reel him in. At the line, the Edward McHugh-owned gelding had two and a half lengths to spare.
Niall Kelly rode his first winner of the season as Graney Town notched up the first success of his career in the McWilliam Park Hotel Handicap Hurdle. Not too many were left in contention as Graney Town (6/1) led the field into the closing stages of the 80-95 rated contest and he maintained an unfaltering tempo to defeat Ballygill Princess by three lengths.
“He jumps very well and is really more of a chaser, but he’s been running well enough in handicaps that we kept going over hurdles with him,” commented Peter McCreery of the Paul Doolin-owned winner. “He likes good ground and will go for something similar again.”
Acting Stewards
R. Groarke, D. Pugh, R. Brabazon, J. O’Shaughnessy, M.F. O’Donoghue
Horse To Follow
STORMEY (S.J. Mahon): He followed his 25/1 Sligo win with a somewhat unlucky looking half-length second to Shalanda and there could be more races to be won with him.
McGarvey ban
JODY McGarvey was given a two-day whip ban for his efforts on Cradle Mountain in the maiden hurdle.