LOGICAL SONG took the step up in trip for the three and a half-mile Paddy Power Cork Grand National in his stride when comfortable claiming the €29,500 prize for the mother and son team of Mag and Danny Mullins.
The 7/1 shot headed the new leader Raz De Maree after two out and soon had his measure in ianding the spoils by 12 lengths, with Undressed a further three lengths adrift in third.
The jockey was the one who persuaded his mother to take the gamble in upping Logical Song in distance, despite the eight-year-old’s Italian owner/breeder Daniel Furini expressing his reservations. The successful trainer explained: “Danny was anxious to step him up, but the owner was worried it would be too far for him. I said we’ll ride him to get the trip and, he’s such an honest and genuine horse, he had no problems with it.
“Over shorter trips, something with a gear would always get to him, but it’s lovely to win a race like this down the country and it opens up a lot of options for him. His owner has the dam and her family as well and George Williams looks after them.”
The lightly-weighted Racing Pulse headed the market in his bid to give the Willie Mullins camp a Munster/Cork double, but he was pulled-up after five out and found to be stiff post-race. Bless The Wings, meanwhile, was pulled-up with a circuit remaining, with his jockey reporting that he tired quickly. Stable-companion King’s Song was reported to be coughing when examined at the request of the stewards after finishing seventh.
Gigginstown’s 5/4 favourite Cracking Smart did all that was required of him in the Listed Paddy Power ACCA Insurance Irish EBF Novice Hurdle when coming out on top under Jack Kennedy by an eight and a half-length margin from Robin Des Foret.
Davy Condon, one of trainer Gordon Elliott’s two assistants, reflected: “He’s only a shell of a horse and whatever he does this year is a bonus, because he’s the ideal model for chasing. Jack said he’s still a baby and really he’s a horse for next year, so I doubt if Gordon will overdo it with him over hurdles.”
Susannah Ricci’s Bamako Moriviere is another fine stamp of a horse who was never out of second gear in the Paddy Power Track My Bet Irish EBF Novice Chase when capturing the Grade 3 contest for the Willie Mullins stable by an unchallenged 16 lengths at the expense of the favourite Jury Duty.
The 5/2 winner’s rider Ruby Walsh commented: “He had plenty of experience with a win over two miles and was in against Jury Duty who lacks experience. He pinged the third last and quickened up really well from there to put the race to bed.”
All eyes were on the towering Castlebrook on his return to action after a near eight-month break in the Paddy Power Betting Shops Maiden Hurdle. In the van from the outset on his hurdling debut, he was no match for the Joseph O’Brien-trained 4/5 favourite Shady Operator who was wound up by Barry Geraghty to head the hotpot just before the last, opening up to master his rival by three and a half lengths.
Shady Operator, who is still quite green, races in the familiar colours of J.P. McManus and had chased home Cracking Smart at Punchestown last month. Geraghty observed: “He ran well first time at Punchestown. Maybe it wasn’t a strong race, but it was a nice performance.”
A Michael Winters-trained winner always generates plenty of excitement at the trainer’s local track and Granny Biddy’s supporters gave the mare a rousing reception on her return to the winner’s enclosure, following her eight-length success in the Paddy Power Extra Places Everyday 80-116 Handicap Hurdle.
Ridden by Donie McInerney, the 11/4 favourite had little trouble defying a 10lb rise in the ratings for last month’s course success when holding Bye Bye O Bye’s effort in the colours of Swinford native Tom McNulty, who is now based in New York.
Said Winters: “She was doing plenty and I’d say she was idling from the last. There’s a 0-140 handicap back here on Hilly Way Chase day and, if she keeps climbing the ranks, the plan is to get her into those good mares chases.”
Philip Rothwell was doubly represented in the Paddy Power Onside App Handicap Chase, but it was the longer-priced of his pair, Shrewdoperator, a 28/1 chance with Conor Maxwell in the plate, who prevailed for his Dublin owner Oliver Barden, by one and a half lengths from Dark Outsider, with market leader Little Stevie back in third.
Rothwell commented: “I had a lot of confidence in him today because of the heavier ground. He was a little bit slow over hurdles where things just happened a bit quick for him, so we said we’d go over fences and today he got his own way.”
The trainer added: “He missed the last a bit, but he stayed at it well. Oliver and his wife Marie are great supporters of mine and he’s an average handicapper who loves heavier ground and a galloping track, so this was the place to come to.”
Trainer John Nicholson’s fine run of success continued with Getoutameway’s emphatic victory over market leader Biddy The Boss in the Christmas Party Packages December 10th Mares (Pro/Am) Flat Race.
The Johnstown trainer, who also owns the Liam Gilligan-ridden 100/30 winner with a group of his friends, commented: “I think a lot of this mare. I bought her at Tattersalls last December 12 months for €1,200 and she just grew.
“A horse galloped into her at Ballinrobe and that set her back, but I would have been disappointed if she hadn’t won today. I might give her a run in that listed bumper at Navan in the hope of getting blacktype for her and, after that, we could have good fun with her over hurdles.”
ACTING STEWARDS
P. McLernon, S. McDonogh, J. McGuire, E. Irwin. H. Hynes.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
ICE COLD SOUL (N. Meade): This full-brother to Outlander faced a stiff task on his chasing bow in the Grade 3 novice chase, but gave a good account of himself when fourth to Bamako Moriviere, despite a very bad mistake at the third from home. Rated 129 over hurdles, he could yet prove to be better over fences than he was over timber.