GORDON Elliott enjoyed a treble on the first day of Down Royal’s summer festival with Jack Kennedy booting two of them home.
Clarcam, who landed a Grade 3 chase at Killarney last month, was fully expected to oblige in the two and a half-mile hurdle.
The 1/3 favourite stalked Yes Sir Brian and took over when that rival unseated at the third last. Clarcam then asserted before the last and kept on well under Kennedy to win by 12 lengths.
Kennedy, in the Gigginstown colours, said: “He was the class horse in the race. Ground, trip, everything suited. I was very confident he was a likely winner bar an accident. He jumped and travelled brilliantly and quickened up and did it very well.”
Kennedy had to work harder to get Gigginstown’s Beau Et Sublime (13/8 joint-favourite) home in the beginners’ chase. The pair were strongly pressed by fellow 13/8 joint-favourite The Herds Garden in the closing stages and were all out to prevail by a neck.
“Brilliant round of jumping, he never put a foot wrong. He jumped well the last day in Clonmel. He did it well, he was gutsy, he kept going. He has loads of scope over fences,” Kennedy said.
Elliott was on holiday but doubtless will savour watching the recording of Robin Des Mana’s bumper victory, which brought up the treble.
Once the five-year-old gelding hit the front a furlong and a half down, there was only going to be one winner. He strode on to score by three and half lengths and justified 6/4 favouritism.
Jockey Nina Carberry said: “He did pick up well in fairness to him. He had a nice run in Punchestown and probably didn’t go on the ground in Naas. He wants better ground and he won with a bit in hand.”
DE BROMHEAD
Elegant Statesman took the Galway Plate Trial last year for J.P. McManus and repeated the trick at a shorter price of 11/2.
Henry de Bromhead’s charge moved into contention after the third last and disputed the lead two out with Shantou Flyer. It boiled down to a battle between the pair with Elegant Statesman just getting up by a nose. The runner-up was gambled on from 13/2 to 4/1.
Elegant Statesman’s rider, Mark Walsh, commented: “He won this race last year and was off 12lbs higher this year. He loves it here. Henry had him spot on so all credit goes to him.”
This gave de Bromhead a double on the card as Our Dougal earlier overcame an absence of 385 days to get off the mark in the two-mile maiden hurdle.
The six-year-gelding, sporting Lorraine Mangan’s silks, made a bad mistake at the last and was headed on the run-in by Tajseer before rallying to get up by a head close home.
Jockey Andrew Lynch said of the 9/4 favourite: “He just missed the last. He would probably be a better horse going the other way. It’s his first run back so he is bound to improve. Henry thought he would run well. It’s lovely ground.”
The Supreme Horse Racing Club’s Listen Dear impressed when making all in the opening mares’ hurdle over two miles. When last seen, she landed a Grade 3 over course and distance in the autumn.
Danny Mullins did the steering on the 9/10 favourite for Willie Mullins and said: “Good spin. She’s a nice filly, she’ll probably improve a little bit from that. That was her first run since last October. Hopefully, she’ll pick up plenty more of them. Willie is handy at placing them!
“I just wanted to fill up the tank and let the lads come to me so I had something to quicken with again but you know it’s easy to ride those ones.”
Shake The Bucket showed no signs of age catching up on him as he popped up at 16/1 in the two and a half-mile handicap hurdle for handler Niall Madden.
The nine-year-old led before the final flight and was pushed out on the run-in to win by a length and three-quarters.
“He loves that ground. I think that’s his 11th win now, he has won the majority of races in Dundalk on that lively ground and he was getting it today for the first time in a while. He did it well,” jockey Niall P. Madden said.
“He had been disappointing over jumps in recent times compared to his flat form. Today he showed us that he still likes jumping. He’ll mix it at Dundalk, over hurdles and over fences. we own him ourselves. He’s a massive servant - from a point-to-point to seven (wins) in Dundalk to a maiden hurdle and a handicap hurdle and a beginners’ chase.”
ACTING STEWARDS
R. S. Martin, Mrs C. O’Neill, L. McFerran, Dr J.F. Gillespie, P.W. Murtagh
HORSE TO FOLLOW
JACK SLADE (N. Meade) He ran a cracker off a break when staying on for second. A handicap hurdle looks to be within his grasp.