KIERAN Purcell’s five-time course winner You Can’t Catch Me is a horse with relatively few needs. “He loves it here and all he wants is Clonmel, good ground and two and a half miles,” was the response from the former Kilkenny All-Ireland winning hurler after his daughter Elaine’s nine-year-old had romped home in the Orchard Thieves 80-109 Handicap Hurdle at last Friday’s BBQ meeting in Powerstown Park.

Partnered by J.J. Slevin, the 12/1 shot made good headway from mid-division on the downhill run to the home straight and lived up to his name when drawing clear from the last to slam the two co-favourites, Courtin Bb and Coolfighter, by 14 lengths and four and three-quarter lengths.

Derby De Thaix, the other joint-favourite, was subsequently examined at the request of the stewards and reported to be blowing hard and have evidence of a nasal discharge at the left nostril.

“He likes coming from behind,” said Purcell of You Can’t Catch Me. “He needs two miles on the flat.”

Duc D’Allier, with Mark Walsh in the saddle, was an easy winner of the opening maiden hurdle for Henry de Bromhead, leading from the fourth and opening up from the final flight to justify 5/4 favouritism at his leisure by 12 lengths from Analytical Mindset.

The successful trainer was on duty at the Curragh and his stable amateur, David Roche, remarked of the Annette Kelly-owned winner: “We thought, coming here, he was a real nice horse and he looked it there. He’ll head to Galway now.

“They’ve done a great job with the ground – it’s perfect ground and he jumps well. Colin Bowe had him before in point-to-points and Annette, who is from Tramore, sent him to us. The size of him, he’ll make a chaser and he just wants a big galloping track.”

Danny Mullins is riding with plenty of confidence and gave Slainte And Thanks an enterprising ride from the front to take the mares’ 80-102 handicap hurdle by a convincing 12-length margin from Petite Gina, with market leader Littlestickarubarb back in fifth.

Leamlara-based Garrett Ahern is both the successful owner and trainer and he attributed the mare’s win to the ground, explaining: “All last year she didn’t get her ground and she needed the run in Tramore last week. It was Danny’s decision to go wide – they’ve watered the track and on the inside it’s just riding summer soft.

“There’s a 0-102 hurdle for her at the end of the month and, as long as the handicapper isn’t too hard on her, that’s where she’ll head next.”

FAMILY AFFAIR

The beginners’ chase, won by 25/1 outsider October Revolution, turned into an all-family affair, with the longshot proving to be a willing partner for his Dungarvan owner Mary McGrath’s son Derek, registering his first success under rules in winning by half a length from Matin D’Anjou.

With the successful trainer David on lead up duty, his son commented: “He stays at it well and is tough out. I was a little bit surprised, but he just enjoys the summer ground and comes to himself once a year.”

Venezia swooped late under Philip Enright to wrest the spoils in the John Kennedy Motors (Toyota) Clonmel Beginners Chase for Edward O’Grady and his joint-owners Australian Paul Hickman and Gavin Johns from Epsom.

The line came in time for this gelding who held Imperial Way by half a length, but there was no such joy for Eric Larkin’s Oakfield Rose, who was throwing down a strong challenge to the 7/2 winner when taking a fatal fall at the final fence.

The winning grey is the first Galileo that O’Grady has trained and the handler reflected: “For a horse with only three runs over hurdles, he jumps well. He needed all the assistance and the luck he got, but he won nicely in the end.

“He loves the ground and that makes a big difference to him. He can probably do everything from chases to hurdles and the flat, but I’m not in a hurry with him either. He’ll probably have to go handicap chasing, because he wouldn’t be good enough for novice chases.”

BLINKERS

The application of blinkers worked the oracle for 8/1 chance Double Windsor who left past disappointments over fences behind him when coming good for the Fastey For Fun Syndicate, notching up their second success of the week, in the 0-102 handicap chase.

The six-year-old was unleashed with a perfectly-timed challenge by Sean Flanagan to get the better of Native Lass by half a length, after which his trainer, David O’Brien, said: “He tried to run out at the first but the blinkers seemed to do the trick on him – that and Sean Flanagan!”

Beautiful Citi became the third of Joseph O’Brien’s four winners on the day when claiming the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Mares) Flat Race in good style. Homebred by Sean O’Driscoll out of a mare who won a point-to-point for the trainer’s grandfather Joe Crowley, the Tom Hamilton-ridden 4/1 chance prevailed by an unchallenged seven and a half lengths from Vic’s Little Miss, with market leader Condarcia only fifth.

“That’s 15 winners in 15 days,” was the satisfied comment from O’Brien’s travelling head lad Mick Molloy. “She’s a nice filly who ran very well first time in Tipperary and she improved a lot from the run. She appreciated the good ground and got a good ride from Tom.”

Whip ban

MARTIN Mooney, rider of the fifth-placed King’s War in the first race, was banned for two days for using his whip above shoulder height.

Abnormal noise

FIRE In His Eyes, favourite for the beginners’ chase, was reported to be blowing hard and making an abnormal respiratory noise post race.

Acting Stewards

P.F. Ronan, M. Carroll, T.P. Rudd, L. Walsh.

HORSE TO FOLLOW

INDIAN MUSIC (W.J. Burke): Showed up well on her first outing over hurdles to go second before two out where the 12-length winner had the race sewn up. There was a lot to like about her fourth place in a race that could throw up a few winners.