SUCCESS continued for three of our Cheltenham-winning riders Robbie Power, Jack Kennedy and J.J. Slevin at Tuesday’s Clonmel fixture where training doubles abounded for Gordon Elliott, Andy McNamara and Liz Lalor.
It was a case of ‘puppy power’ working its magic for Val De Ferbet and his rookie trainer McNamara in the five-runner Suir Valley Chase after Andrew Heffernan’s 2/1 chance turned a near disastrous blunder at the first fence into a 13-length defeat of My Murphy.
Gold Cup hero Power said afterwards: “He gave the first a fair belt but was very good after that and has a very high cruising speed. The two-mile, three and a half-furlong trip was a bit sharp for My Murphy.”
Val De Ferbet’s Westmeath handler McNamara, who was earlier on the mark with Stay With It, added: “The plan had originally been the race at Thurles at the weekend that he was second in to Jennies Jewel last year but, because he’s not an exceptional jumper, I just entered him for today and said it was worth a try. He’s entered for Thurles, so we’ll see.”
McNamara was notching up his first brace of winners from a team of just 10 horses for the track and remarked: “I don’t have that many horses in and was a bit nervous, coming here today with three runners.”
Fortunately he never had an anxious moment with Stay With It who gave 21 year-old Dylan Maxwell from Mullingar, a key member of the team who used to work for Tony Martin, his first winner from about 18 rides in the Vee 80-109 Handicap Hurdle.
Racing in the colours of the trainer’s wife Rhona, the seven-year-old was given a copy-book ride to head Fridaynighlights after the final flight, going on to land the spoils by four lengths. Nat Lacy, who put up the stable staff bonus for the Grade 2 mares novice hurdle won by Let’s Dance at Cheltenham, has a share in the 9/2 winner.
McNamara explained: “Dylan has been with me for well over a year but I struggled to get a licence for him because he hadn’t enough experience and I didn’t have the type of horses to give it to him.”
ELLIOTT’S STRIKE-RATE
Cheltenham’s leading trainer Gordon Elliott maintained his impressive strike-rate with success through the 10/11 favourite Strike Is Back in the two-mile Goatenbridge Maiden Hurdle. Homebred by her Gorey owner James Kinsella, the Darsi mare was turned out fresh as paint for her third outing in 17 days and took it up after two out to deliver by six lengths from Beginningtogetup.
Her jockey Jack Kennedy commented: “She got in a bit deep to the second last but picked up well and jumped the last very well. She was a small bit keen over further the last day and, dropping her back to two miles suited her lovely.”
The Dingle native and his boss initiated their double via Tom Howley, jnr’s Third Opinion who made a winning return to action following a change of yards and a 680-day absence in the Slievenamon Beginners Chase.
Left in front by the heavy fall of Knockraha Boss at the second last, the partnership had 22 lengths to spare over Game Pupeteer at the finish.
Kennedy said: “He did it fairly well and I thought I had Paul (Townend on Knockraha Boss) covered when he fell. I didn’t know much about him but he jumped brilliant and was fairly impressive. Hopefully he’ll progress and it’s great for his Galway owner because we missed out narrowly a few times with Veignard.”
LALOR WINNER
Nicat’s Benefit, trained locally in Grange by Liz Lalor for her partner Tom Keating, reaped the reward her consistency deserved with a six and a half-length success under Roger Loughran in the Ardfinnan Maiden Hurdle, for which the fifth-placed Hickey’s Rock was sent off favourite.
The easy-to-back 2/1 winner was patiently ridden and pushed out by her rider to collect. “She did it nicely,” Lalor acknowledged. “And she’s a consistent little mare who just met a few too good for her before. She’s handling the softer ground now, even though we thought she wanted better ground and is getting better with strength and maturity.”
Last month’s Borris House point-to-point victor De Rasher Counter gave his trainer her second winner of the afternoon and a first double with a one and a quarter-length defeat of market leader Imperial Way in the Clonmel Flat Race.
Roger Quinlan’s mount, who is also owned by Keating, was walked part of the way to the start and Lalor related: “Roger said he was messing, so just thought it better to get off him before an accident happened.”
She is hoping to find a buyer for the son of Yeats and said: “He was just unlucky in point-to-points that he fell a couple of times when going well, but he has a high cruising speed and Roger knows him well, having ridden him in point-to-points. He’s a nice horse.”
J.J. Slevin became the final member of the elite Cheltenham Festival squad to strike when steering the Pat Cloke-trained 7/1 shot Flynsini to a comfortable 13-length win over the favourite Dinnie’s Vinnie in the Martinstown Opportunity 0-109 Handicap Chase.
The Dr Massini gelding’s Kilmuckridge owner Eamon Sinnott from Kilmuckridge commented: “He’s been going all winter so it’s good to get a win out of him. We’ll keep him going as long as there’s an ease in the ground.”
Cloke chipped in as he was leading the horse away: “He was very well coming here and comes to himself at this time of year. He’s a very good jumper – I’d nearly ride him myself and he’ll go for something similar next.”
Non-traveller
RUBY Walsh reported that The Paparrazi Kid, pulled-up when favourite for the Suir Valley Chase, never travelled.
Acting Stewards
P.F. Ronan, P. Coveney, S. McDonogh, P.D. Matthews.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
THIRD OPINION (G. Elliott) He jumped really well on his first outing for his new trainer, after being off the track for nearly two years, to open his account over fences. Has the experience to build on this success.