AFTER Kevin Prendergast’s heroics at the Curragh the previous weekend, another octogenarian trainer made headlines on this card as Francis Flood won with his two runners at Down Royal last Friday night at the combined odds of 87/1.
In his 86th year, and nearly up to the half-century mark as a licence holder, Flood started off a good evening with the Shane Shortall-ridden and Kevin Cunningham and Tim Owens-owned Fighting Days (12s into 10s) in the WorkPal Handicap Hurdle.
Shortall has been enjoying some success on his visits to Britain of late, and here he chased the leaders on the inner aboard Fighting Days. The Artan gelding struck the front approaching the last, and stayed on well for a three-length verdict over the market-leader, Dollar And A Dream (100/30).
The winning trainer’s son Fran said: “Shane gave him a beautiful ride. He really gave him every chance to settle and relax and that has been a bit of a problem with him.
“Young Shane started off with us before he went across to England. I’m delighted he got a winner for us.”
Darragh Maher took a horrible fall from Cullentry Royal two out, on his first racecourse ride. He was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast to be assessed with suspected concussion.
A couple of hours later it was Ger Fox in the saddle, but the result was the same, as the Flood representative in the O2 Handicap Chase, Kylestyle, added to his course and distance win from back in March.
The John Nestor-owned Kylestyle (7/1) benefitted from a patient steer by Fox, coming through to lead on the inner at the second last.
On the run-in, the victorious Oscar gelding stayed on well to keep Holeinthewall Bar at bay by four lengths. “He’s always better when he has a bit of a better surface. I have to say Ger didn’t panic when he wasn’t travelling down the back. He held onto him and he nursed him away, and he got a lovely run down the inner,” reflected Fran Flood. “He’s after getting two now so we’ll see where we go. We’ll definitely have a think about the Galway Plate trial .”
There was drama in the Barclay Telecom Handicap Hurdle as rider and trainer of the first past the post, Denis Hogan, was suspended for 10 days when found guilty of dangerous riding on Misdflight (9/2). He is appealing the ban
Misdflight was disqualified and placed last. He’d jumped left at the last before drifting right on the run-in, in front of Vote Of Confidence, and then tightening-up Clontarf along the rail.
Ultimately a length and the same split the front three, but after a lengthy stewards’ enquiry Misdflight was disqualified from first place, with the race being awarded to the Dermot McLoughlin-trained Clontarf (7/2), the mount of Keith Donoghue. Clontarf is owned and was bred by Oliver Maguire.
CLEARER OUTCOME
There was a much clearer outcome to the opening Data Select Maiden Hurdle, as the Gary Ryan-owned, Royal Ascot-bound Wakea (4/6) ran away with the two-miler by 13 lengths under amateur rider John Barry. A mistake two out gave connections and backers of Karl Thornton’s all-the-way winner a momentary scare, but he soon recovered on the way to an easy win over Dove Mountain. “He’ll go to Royal Ascot for the handicap on the Friday. He’s rated 97 so he’s entitled to go. You’d think going jumping it might just bring the spark back in him. He does everything right at home,” revealed Thornton.
Ryan Treacy had a well-deserved win, as the 5lb claimer came home in front aboard Fleurys Fort (20s earlier into 11s) in the O2 Office 365 Handicap Hurdle.
Treacy was bridging a gap going back to his triumph on Kylecrue at Ballinrobe in July of last year, but he hasn’t had many opportunities in the meantime. That came about due to his lengthy spell on the sidelines after the terrible injuries he sustained in a fall in the Galway Plate last summer.
The Fermanagh man brought the Margaret Marshall-owned and bred, and Leslie Young-trained Fleurys Fort home three and a quarter lengths to the good from By The Banks.
Karen Ferris got a two-day ban for using her whip with excessive frequency, and without giving her mount sufficient time to respond, after coming in in fifth place on Deputy Consort.
After teaming up together to get the right result with Weather Watch at Tipperary the previous day, Jessica Harrington and Mark Bolger struck again for another winner when Duckweed (well-backed evens favourite) captured the Barclay Communications Mares Beginners Chase.
The point-to-point and dual hurdles-winning daughter of Wolfe Tone made a bright beginning over racecourse fences when convincingly holding the staying-on Carole Rose by three lengths.
Second market choice, Annamatopoeia, was a further 15 lengths adrift of the Kieran Guinness-owned and bred Duckweed.
In the Glenpatrick Sport Horses INH Flat Race, Wexford raider Bosco Di Alco (3/1 favourite) beat the local hope, Jimmy Breekie, by a length and a half after an exciting tussle between the pair.
Finny Maguire rode the Dom Alco grey for owner Glen Howitt and trainer Liz Doyle.Miss Doyle said: “He was a real baby last year but he ran a beautiful race and improved a stone since the last day in Punchestown. He’s not really a bumper horse and I think he’s quite good. He’s the last of the Dom Alcos and they’ve have been lucky for us.”
ACTING STEWARDS
R. S. Martin, J. Hunt, N.B. Wachman, F.G. Fitzsimons, M.F. O’Donoghue
HORSE TO FOLLOW
BLUE EMPYREAN (G. Elliott): He seems to be progressing and he could be placed to advantage soon.