CARL Millar secured his first racecourse success with a front-running ride on Single Edition in the Energise Energy (Pro-Am) INH Flat Race at Down Royal.
The 20/1 shot raced well clear at the halfway stage but looked sure to be swallowed up in the final quarter of a mile, however, he found plenty when pressed and stayed on well to win by a length and a quarter.
Millar, in Camillus Slevin’s colours, said: “Nigel (Slevin, trainer) is very good to me and gives me plenty of opportunities. Today planned out for us so it was lovely to get it.
“He is keen but there was never a matter of fighting with him, just relax him and get into a rhythm. He found plenty, he is a horse that will stay on and I hadn’t far to go.
“I’m from Blanchardstown, Dublin, and I’m 19. I’m based with Gordon Elliott. He has been very good to me too and gave me my first winner point-to-pointing.”
New season
Niall Prendergast rode his first winner as a conditional jockey in the Ballygowan Opportunity Maiden Hurdle which was the opening race of the new National Hunt season.
He partnered Mark R D Fleming and T Westropp Bennett’s Gaelic Arc (25/1) and the pair tracked the leaders before improving to dispute at the second last. They kept on best in the final furlong to come home by a length and a half.
Trainer John Ryan said: “He’s a funny horse, difficult to train. He’s free and hard on himself. He is going to be a lovely horse over a fence, he schools brilliantly. He’ll go over fences now.
“Probably the ground today suited him. Being by Arcadio out of a Great Palm mare, the ground was key today.
“Young Niall gave the horse a cracking ride. He’s a brilliant schooler and a brilliant cross-country rider. He didn’t get that many opportunities and that is only his second ever winner. He’s a good lad and a nice lad.”
Light leads the way for Torrens
CHINX Of Light survived a mistake at the penultimate flight to readily land the Club Orange Hurdle over three miles.
Simon Torrens sent him clear by the aforementioned hurdle which he dived at, however, the pair were soon back on an even keel to storm home by 11 lengths for owner Derek Kierans.
“He’s a funny sort of a horse, he’s very relaxed in the stable yard,” trainer John McConnell said. “The minute he gets to noise he gets quite worked up. He wasn’t too bad today but he still has a lot left to develop mentally, I think. If we can keep a lid on him, he showed there he has a lot of ability.”
“He quickened up and from three out to two out was very impressive.” Conor Orr came in for a winning spare ride on Gordon Elliott’s Gallyhill in the Cidona Beginners Chase. Sam Ewing was booked for the ride but was injured and stood down after taking a fall from Where It All Began in the preceding race.
Gallyhill, the 10/3 favourite, made headway to get on terms at the third last in this extended two-mile-and-three-furlong assignment. He was headed after the next but disputed at the last and kept on best on the run-in to beat gambled-on Sholsang (33/1 - 18/1) by half a length for owner Claudio Michael Grech.
Elliott said: “We are delighted with that, he is a galloper and a big chaser. I’d imagine he will go on his holidays.”
PAUL Fahey’s Diggin Deep lived up to his name in the Club Mixers Handicap Chase over an extended three miles and two furlongs. The 14/1 shot led at the sixth fence but jumped left causing Cian Cullinan to lose an iron. Their lead was reduced at the third last but Diggin Deep stuck to his task to score by three and a quarter lengths for his owner Killian Carroll.
Fahey said: “We said we would come up and if the ground wasn’t suitable, we were going to bring him back home. He just wants it as quick as you can get it. The young lad lost his iron and when he went to go get his iron back, the horse grabbed the bit. We were absolutely convinced he would never get home from where he took off. He had to go to plan B and be cool and he didn’t panic.
“We haven’t ruled out a trip across the water with him, we might go across to Perth for a bit of fun.”
Handy Headon (10/3) made all and was strong at the business end of the C&C White Maiden Hunters Chase under Ben Harvey.
Ray Nicholas’ 10-year-old gelding hit the line two and three quarter lengths to the good. Trainer David Christie said: “He jumped super. He delighted me because we have sort of got the key to him the last while.
Pat Martin was quick to credit his son for Drumbaragh’s and Paddy O’Hanlon’s success in the Club Lemon Handicap Hurdle.
The nine-year-old mare raced close to the pace and was left in front at the fifth flight. She went clear after three out and easily took the honours by 12 lengths.
Martin said: “In one way it is a shock and, in another way, I’m not surprised because she does show ability at home. Her biggest problem is that she didn’t know how to relax. My son Jack has done a great job in that end of it. He deserves the credit. Paddy (O’Hanlon) has ridden her a fair few times and would be good friends with the owners, Jim (Carolan, owner) owns a stud in Drumbaragh beside Kells.”