HE might have had to work a good deal harder than odds of 4/9 suggested but Folcano got off the mark in the first division of the two-and-a-half-mile maiden hurdle to make a late bid to join Gordon Elliott’s Cheltenham team.
After an earlier reversal with Showbusiness, Gordon Elliott, Jack Kennedy and owners Noel and Valerie Moran enjoyed better luck with this six-year-old who was hard done by not to get a Navan maiden hurdle in the stewards’ room last month.
On tacky ground that made the day quite an endurance test for most horses, Folcano didn’t look entirely at ease and he was given quite a test by Carrig Rock in the straight.
He dug in well for Jack Kennedy though and ground out a neck success over his aforementioned rival who looks sure to make his mark before long.
“He wasn’t mad about the ground but I really like the attitude he showed,” said Elliott. “He will probably be better over further on better ground later in the spring. He’s been entered in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham and it’s a race that could suit him very well.”
Score wins
Some 716 days since he was last in action, the Henry de Bromhead-trained Full Time Score won the second division of the two-and-a-half-mile maiden hurdle. The Chris Jones-owned seven-year-old, who was second to Shadow Rider in a point and was then placed in a Gowran Park bumper won by Minella Melody last time out, travelled very nicely for Rachael Blackmore.
In a steadily run affair, the 10/11 favourite eased to the front before two out and, without being subjected to maximum pressure, he always had the measure of market rival Fire Squadron whom he defeated by a length and a quarter.
Inistioge success
Inistioge-based trainer John Clifford sent out his first winner in just over seven years as Coole Arcade (5/1) bagged the 80-95 rated handicap hurdle. The race looked over when the favourite Stansfield struck for home well before the last but he began to wilt as the final obstacle loomed and Brian Hayes conjured an unfaltering charge from the Donal Doyle-owned Coole Arcade which got the pair to the front late in the day.
At the line, there was a neck separating Coole Arcade and the strong finishing Get Home.
AFTER making his first ride as a professional a winning one at Navan, Jordan Gainford then struck on his second one as Mt Leinster Gold (5/2), in the colours of acclaimed tenor Anthony Kearns, took the first division of the two-mile mares’ maiden hurdle.
A winner of three of her four starts in points, the Colin Bowe-trained daughter of Gold Well produced a nice effort on her first outing for a year. She made all the running and finished with five lengths to spare over Robyndeglory.
“Colin has done a great job with her and I’m absolutely delighted to get to sit on her. Thanks to the owner and Colin for letting me ride her,” reported the rider. “Her jumping is marvellous and she’ll love going a trip.”
The stewards swung into action after this race with a running a riding enquiry into the effort of the sixth-placed Frisco Queen resulting in her trainer Shane Crawley being hit with a €2,000 fine while her jockey Chris Timmons was banned for 10 days under Rule 212(A)(ii). In addition, Frisco Queen was banned for 42 days.
The second division of the mares’ maiden was a totally one-sided affair as the Enda Bolger-trained Norwigi made short work of her rivals to justify her position as the 4/9 favourite. This J.P. McManus-owned homebred, who was a respectable third to La Chanteuse in a maiden here last month, made most of the running for Mark Walsh and never came off the bridle to defeat Western Zara by eight and a half lengths.
THE day began with a reversal for punters as the odds-on Showbusiness could only manage third in the four-year-old maiden hurdle where the 25/1 shot Zanavi, trained and ridden by Denis Hogan, left the form of his first run over hurdles well behind.
The Champs Elysees three-year-old didn’t make an impact on New Year’s Eve on his first appearance over timber.
However, he did fill the runner-up spot in a Curragh maiden for Dermot Weld on the second of his two flat outings last year.
The Katie and Brian Castle-owned gelding improved to track the favourite to the second last and in just a few strides Zanavi shot clear to finish 13 lengths ahead of the newcomer Brookline.
“He jumped carefully up to halfway but he warmed into the race and was good at the last couple of flights,” stated Hogan. “I wasn’t expecting him to improve that much from his first run over hurdles but I knew he’d progressed well from Punchestown. It’s holding ground out there and tough going but he’s handled it well.”
Curling success
There was further woe for punters in the bumper over two and a half miles as the 6/4 market leader Where It All Began finished down the field behind the Sam Curling-owned and trained Dom Of Mary who made a winning track debut.
A winner of a point-to-point in December, the victorious son of Saddler Maker looked a nice staying type for the coming season. Pa King produced him to strike the front with over a furlong to run and the 9/2 chance went on to defeat Hi Ho Phoenix by four and a quarter lengths.
“He getting better all the time and I’d say he’ll be sold now,” remarked Curling who is enjoying a notable run of success with his racecourse representatives this season. “He’s a very nice horse and is a winter horse who jumps really well.”