JACK Kennedy’s astonishing recovery from the beginners chase winner Robin Des Mana and the inexplicable fall of the short-priced odds-on favourite Coquin Mans in the featured three-mile hurdle were the main talking points of Thursday’s Clonmel fixture.

The Jim Strang & Sons Kilsheelan (Peugeot) Hurdle looked to be Coquin Mans’ for the taking until the 30/100 favourite dramatically slipped-up shortly after entering the home straight, leaving Eamonn O’Connell’s 25/1 outsider Admiral Brian to pick up the pieces and record a two-length success over Tagliatelle.

Coquin Man’s jockey Paul Townend later explained: “I went back and had a look on the track, but I couldn’t see any massive hole. It’s hard ground to gallop on, but it was no worse there than the whole way around.

“Luckily he threw me clear and it could have been a lot worse, but it’s still very disappointing because he had done everything right up until then.” The jockey subsequently told the stewards that his mount stumbled independently for no apparent reason.

The hot-pot’s trainer Willie Mullins revealed: “Coquin Mans sustained a nice little injury on his knee, so you won’t see him at Christmas. He just tripped up unfortunately.”

Eoin O’Connell, son of Admiral Brian’s trainer, took the mount on the Know It Alls Syndicate-owned winner from Clare and Laytown, whose spokesman Ken Mullen is unfortunately under the weather at present.

The successful handler said: “We didn’t expect it today, but we’ll take it! He’s a consistent old horse, but today was his first time over three miles and he handled the ground. We might go over fences with him, but he travelled very well today and we might look at the Pertemps qualifier at Leopardstown – we’ll see.”

In-form teenage riding sensation Jack Kennedy can be sure of an even stronger following after his acrobatics on his boss Gordon Elliott’s Robin Des Man in the Clonmel Racecourse Supporters Club Only €90 Beginners Chase.

The 7/2 chance, racing in the colours of Brendan Scully from Kilmoon in Co Meath, was at the head of affairs when blundering at the fence in front of the stands, leaving Kennedy with both legs on the same side of the saddle and one almost on the ground.

Kiera Royale got on terms with the leader with two fences remaining, but Robin Des Mans was not done with and drew on his reserves to get back up again and claim the prize by half a length at a price of 7/2, with the favourite Monbeg Chit Chat, whose rider reported that he never travelled, dropping back to the rear on the descent to the straight. The horse was found to have suffered an over-reach and superficial wounds to his near limbs.

Kennedy modestly commented: “It was a silly little mistake. I was a little bit embarrassed that I got thrown out of the saddle as it was when he hit me up into the ass and I got shot out of the saddle. I didn’t fancy getting galloped on, so I said I’d try my best to get back on him!

“I was lucky the railing was there because, otherwise, I would have gone out of the race, but he pulled out when the other horse came to me.”

Ian Amond, one of Elliott’s two assistants, said: “It was unbelievable what he did. The horse had plenty of experience, but all the credit has to go to Jack.”

Gigginstown were doubly represented in the Clonmel Maiden Hurdle, but it was the Henry de Bromhead-trained 9/2 chance Game Of War who obliged, rather than the odds-on favourite Monbeg Worldwide who faded into third after cutting out a lot of the running.

Game Of War headed the ‘good thing’ before two out and asserted from the final flight to win very readily for Dylan Robinson by an 11-length margin from Reelingintheyears, with a further one and a half lengths back to Monbeg Worldwide.

The trainer remarked: “He had a good run in a bumper last year, but then seemed to lose his way a bit. He was getting 13lbs off the favourite and might get into one of those rated novice hurdles in Limerick.”

Jockey Danny Mullins is becoming a master of front-running tactics and timed it perfectly, once again, on 8/1 shot Rock On Lilly when making all to land the Powerstown Handicap Hurdle by a comfortable 10 lengths from Tintown Robin. The well-supported market leader Musical Ava could finish only sixth.

The 8/1 winner is one of just four horses that Tom Donohue, of Stamp Of Glory fame, trains from his base outside Bagenalstown. She is a valuable mare now, being a sister to Ladbrokes Trophy winner Total Recall and her handler quipped: “I’ll have to tell my wife she’s valuable now after the two of them winning so close to one another, but it’s great to get the win.”

Katie O’Farrell clocked up her 13th winner in the saddle when teaming up with Battling Spirit, Co Cork trainer Jonathan Sweeney to register a four and a half-length success over Ballymadun in the Adare Manor Opportunity 80-95 Handicap hurdle.

Homebred by Kevin Dunlea, the 6/4 favourite has a good jumping technique and went to the front before the last. Battling Spirit was having his second start for the trainer since joining him from the Terence O’Brien yard during the summer and Sweeney acknowledged: “He was off for two years with little problems, but he was fit and well coming here and doing everything right at home.

“He’s a very, very good jumper and Jamie (Codd) rode him the last day and said he’s going to be a smashing horse over fences. He’ll stay over hurdles this season and might be back out again at Christmas.”

Black Scorpion, from the John Gleeson yard, was travelling like a winner under Raymond Barron from a long way out in the Club Stand Restaurant 0-116 Handicap Chase and the 5/2 favourite never gave his supporters an anxious moment in scoring by nine lengths in the colours of the Don’t Go There Syndicate from Bruff.

“He deserved it and was like that in his point-to-points in that he took a couple of runs to get his form,” said Gleeson. “He’s still for sale, but they could have a lot of fun with him. He could be a Thyestes Chase horse down the road.”

The concluding Next Meeting Thursday January 11th (QR) Maiden Hurdle, in which the 8/13 favourite Draconien made virtually all in the hands of Patrick Mullins, gave the rider’s father Willie a welcome change of luck with his facile 12-length victory over Mighty Stowaway.

Mullins, snr, has care of the well-related French-bred four-year-old import for English-based Clipper Logistics Group Ltd, was clearly taken by the performance, commenting: “He was very sharp over his hurdles, especially out of that ground and didn’t waste an inch. Christmas might come a bit soon for him.”

Memorial trophy

J.J. Slevin sealed victory in the annual John T. Purcell Memorial Trophy for the leading claiming professional NH jockey at Clonmel on the very last day from Barry John Foley, an accolade that carries with it a €1,000 cheque.

ACTING STEWARDS:

P.F. Ronan, P. Coveney, J. Kennedy, L. Walsh.

HORSE TO FOLLOW:

DRACONIEN (W.P. Mullins): Jumping particularly well on his Irish debut, the French-bred dominated the amateur handicap hurdle, run at a good clip on testing ground, to win in style by 12 lengths. Could be the first of many for him.