MOONCOIN handler Eoin Doyle took the Chia Bia leading trainer’s award at Tramore for the third time when saddling his third winner of the Festival through King High in the Richard Power Private Client Betting Handicap Hurdle on last Sunday’s Family Fun day.
Coincidentally the four-member BA Syndicate’s nine-time scorer was partnered by the meeting’s top rider Davy Russell who scooped the leading jockey award sponsored by the Majestic Hotel.
King High was repeating last year’s success with his comprehensive five and a half length victory over Goal and the 13/2 shot, who had finished sixth behind Clondaw Warrior on the flat the previous evening, took command racing away from the penultimate flight.
Doyle remarked: “Davy said it was never in any doubt. He’s been a right old servant and last night’s run, where he flew home after missing the break set it up for him. He’s in the sales at Doncaster and the syndicate might want to get a fresher horse but I still think there’s a day in him on the flat.”
Market leader The Ring Is King was found to be lame after finishing sixth.
Russell had been quick to get his name on the score sheet with Gusty Rock’s win in the two-mile Family Fun Afternoon At Tramore Races Maiden Hurdle. There was plenty of confidence behind this 10/11 favourite and he duly came up trumps to give trainer Pat Flynn his only success of the four day meeting. On the heels of the leaders throughout, the five-year-old went to the front before two out and contained the late effort of Landau by a length in the well-known colours of the late Dottie Flynn from Dungarvan.
Flynn said of the King’s Theatre son of Liss A Paoraigh: “I didn’t think I’d have many winners this week but I was hoping he was my banker. He’s not a deep winter horse but he’ll probably get Listowel and he’ll go there for a winners’ of one. Davy held on to him for as long as he could and he won it very well. He’s a lovely horse and he’ll go the novice route.”
Jockey Andrew Lynch, who broke his hand in a fall at Downpatrick just over a month ago, made his sixth ride since his comeback a winning one when scoring on Zane Gray for his boss Henry de Bromhead in the Heinz Pollmeier Memorial Handicap Chase.
The nicely-bred Flemensfirth gelding lasted it out by half a length from Raise Hell, much to the delight of the Garristown Aintree Syndicate from North County Dublin which includes the rider’s uncle Val Lynch.
De Bromhead commented: “It’s nice to get a winner because I’ve been struggling over the last couple of days. The horses have been in great form and running well but just not winning. It was great for Andrew and for the syndicate who bought him a few months ago on my recommendation as a horse to have fun with. Andrew said his jumping today was unreal.”
Trainer John Queally and up and coming rider Jonathan Burke combined to take the Frank Gillane Memorial Maiden Hurdle with 9/2 chance Oscar Vespasian who headed the front-running favourite Alileo at the last, going on to win by two lengths.
The six-year-old is owned by the family member Olduvai Syndicate from Galway and his trainer said: “He’s finally got his head in front but I’ve no big plans for him and it’s nice to have a local winner. It took us a while to find out that’s his ground (officially good) and he’ll go for a handicap somewhere.”
Queally also had words of encouragement for Burke, commenting: “He’s good value for his 5lb claim and used his head.”
Absent trainer Michael Hourigan and champion The Irish Field point-to-point rider Derek O’Connor clicked with Magical Moon in the Chia Bia (QR) Maiden Hurdle when the Dansili gelding got on top in the closing stages, despite landing flatfooted at the final obstacle.
The 104 rated 5/2 winner races in the colours of the eight-member Burrow Syndicate from Moyvane and Duagh in North Kerry, only two of whom were present. O’Connor remarked: “He probably ran to his mark in what was probably an ordinary enough maiden hurdle. There isn’t much of him but there’s probably a future for him if he stays on that mark.”
Not to be outdone, the trainer’s son and namesake also collected with James Cregan’s Cut The Corner who caused a 16/1 upset (€25.70 on the Tote) in the Comeragh Veterinary 80-102 Handicap Hurdle. Adrian Heskin’s mount held the challenge of the strong-finishing Coldstonesober by one and threequarters of a length.
Rathkeale-based Hourigan admitted: “I can’t remember my last winner but I spent two years without a licence and only took it out again this time last year. This horse has just learnt his trade and got better and better. There were holes in the rest of the opposition and he’s just improving.”
The honours in the concluding Tramore Amusement & Leisure Park Mares Beginners’ Chase went to Mrs Mac Veale, a half-sister to five winners from the Cappoquin stable of Robert Murphy. Ridden by Andrew McNamara, the steady 7/2 chance showed plenty of dash and, jumping accurately led from start to finish. Strongly pressed by Definite Ruby from the final fence, Paddy Corkery’s mare refused to yield and crossed the line half a length in front of the 6/4 favourite.
With Murphy leading the winner away to the vet’s box, it was left to Villierstown-based Corkery to say: “She was never as good this year as she was today but she was in season yesterday so obviously we were worried.”
Appeal lodged: Owner Edward Sexton has appealed the decision of the stewards not to promote his runner-up Rathmuck Native to first place in the race won by Prickly.
ACTING STEWARDS
N.P. Lambert, P. Coveney, M. Murphy, A.J. Molloy, H. Hynes
HORSES TO FOLLOW
LANDAU (G. Elliott): Showed a good turn of foot from the second last to finish second to Gusty Rocky in the two-mile hurdle and seems to run best on a sound surface. It was a creditable effort, sufficiently encouraging to suggest that he could pick up a contest of this nature before the ground changes.