CHEVELEY Park Stud’s Allaho, Ruby Walsh’s only ride of the day at Clonmel on Thursday, booked his ticket to Cheltenham for the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle when shedding his maiden tag in the three-mile Grade 3 Surehaul Mercedes-Benz Novice Hurdle.
Despite running freely, the 100/30 favourite delivered his challenge at the penultimate flight and, although he flattened a section of that hurdle, took it up before the last, being pushed out from there to defeat the more experienced Minella Indo by four lengths.
“He’s a nice horse but he disappointed me hugely at Christmas, compared with what he’d been doing at home,” said Willie Mullins, adding: “The form of that race has worked out but he was just green at Leopardstown, where I was hoping he’d win his bumper and that was the problem.
“I had him in the second race here (a maiden hurdle) but he would have been only second reserve and I needed to get a run into him. It’s not something I usually do (going into a graded race) but sometimes you have to think outside the box.”
The trainer continued: “He did it very well but was very free. He has two entries in Cheltenham and I came here, thinking if he won that, he’d go for the Albert Bartlett but if he pulls like that in Cheltenham, I’m not sure he’ll come up the hill. The way he won there, he’ll go for the Ballymore.
“He looks a real chaser in the making and he’ll go straight to Cheltenham.”
Cappoquin native Michael Sweeney, who received plenty of media coverage for his incredible handling of triple point-to-point winner Ask Heather at Boulta, did punters a good turn when notching up his first racecourse success for Declan Queally aboard the 6/4 favourite Bothar Dubh in the Kilmolash (QR) 80-95 Handicap Hurdle.
The six-year-old’s three-and-a-quarter-length success over Mlily was a poignant one for owner Eileen O’Mahony as her brother Tom, who picked the horse up for just €2,000 at the sales, has died since making that purchase.
Joseph O’Brien’s winning streak continued when 6/1 chance Glen Of Aherlow reeled in the favourite Marino Marvel by three-quarters of a length under Mark Walsh in the Minorstown 80-102 Handicap Hurdle.
Owner J.P. McManus’s representative Frank Berry commented: “His jumping let him down a bit and he missed a few but he’s learning all the time. Probably the bit of an ease in the ground was a help. We’ll find something similar for him and he’ll jump a fence in time.”
DOUBLE
Pack Your Bags, with Philip Enright in the saddle, brought up the McManus double when making light of a 10lb penalty for last month’s easy Down Royal victory for the Robert Tyner yard with a six-length defeat of Ballybrowney Walk in the Sporting Press 0-102 Handicap Chase.
The 13/8 favourite has proved frustrating to follow up and the trainer’s wife Mary agreed, remarking: “He disappointed us for a long time but he’s getting confidence now.”
American-based rider Jack Doyle, who has been back home for the last couple of months, teamed up with his first cousin James King to cause a 33/1 upset with Annie Odds in the Surehaul Race Day Mares Maiden Hurdle.
Owned by the Holycross trainer’s mother Josephine, the five-year-old stayed on stoutly to wear down the front-running favourite Gipsy Lee Rose by half a length close home, with Edene D’Arc a length away in third.
Annie Odds was a third winner on the track for King who is mainly involved in the point-to-point sphere. He observed: “She just took a long time to get it together and I know she was a big price today but it wasn’t a complete shock. She’s a good mare and she’s for sale if anyone wants her – if not, we’ll continue on.
“She ran well first time out in a winners’ bumper but then she let me down in Limerick. She jumped green the last day (in Punchestown) but we did more schooling with her and she just came alive today.”
BLUNDER
The Gordon Elliott-trained Rakhine State, whose jockey Davy Russell reported that his mount jumped poorly throughout, was another to get off the mark over timber when holding the thrust of Weihnachts by a short-head in the Derrygrath Maiden Hurdle, despite a bad blunder at the penultimate flight.
The 9/10 favourite sports the royal blue and yellow colours of the Armagh Bhoys Partnership from New York and their trainer said: “They’re a great bunch of lads but they haven’t had much luck up until now and it’s great to get a winner for them.”
He said of the winner: “His jumping let him down at times, especially at the second last but it was nice that he got there.”
Snugsborough Hall finally got his turn over fences when making the break-through over the larger obstacles for Liam Cusack and the Rising Sun Partnership in the MicrodogID Beginners Chase.
Sent off the 7/4 favourite, the six-length scorer is “kind of a work in progress,” according to his handler who reflected: “The inside track here can be tight but I was delighted with how he picked up after the last.
“He was entitled to win on his runs in handicaps and he likes a bit of nice ground.”
Acting Stewards
P.F. Ronan, S. McDonogh, C. Powell, J.D. Kennedy, L. Walsh.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
GIPSY LEE ROSE (J.P. O’Brien): A winner between the flags at Dromahane, she gave a good account of herself on her hurdling bow and should be able to build on this.