IT wasn’t quite as clear-cut or as easy as odds of 2/7 might have suggested but Gordon Elliott’s Cheltenham bumper third Queens Brook got her season off to a winning start in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle.
This Noel and Valerie Moran-owned daughter of Shirocco looked a potentially top-drawer novice hurdler on the form of her two starts last season but wasn’t at that level for this comeback win under Davy Russell.
Queens Brook went to the front early on and hurdled well and it was her quick jumping which stood her in good stead in the closing stages. Both at the second last and the final flight, she produced a pair of quick and accurate leaps and this enabled her to get home by a neck from the dead-heating newcomers and Henry de Bromhead stablemates Decimation and Gua De Large.
“Ideally I would have liked another week or two before running her but I wanted to try and get her ready for the Grade 3 mares’ novice hurdle at Down Royal at the end of the month,” said Gordon Elliott. “I thought she did things right but she just got tired and Davy said she blew up twice. I think we’ll see a much better mare next time and it could be an exciting season for her, especially over a little further.”
Mig Des Taillons, who gave trainer Paddy Turley his first winner at Down Royal in late August, struck again for the trainer in the 80-116 rated Killahora Farms Handicap Hurdle over two miles.
Favouritism
This strong-travelling 15/2 chance went to the front for Luke Dempsey coming way from two out and was in control thereafter although the rallying Bold Emperor got back to within a length at the line. The winner could yet add to his tally over the coming weeks.
The lightly-raced She’s Commanche ran out a well-backed winner of the 80-95 rated two and a quarter miles handicap hurdle. Adrian Murray’s charge was ridden by Sean Flanagan and had no trouble justifying 4/1 favouritism on her first run since March.
She cleared away from her rivals between the last two flights to win by five and a half lengths and looks like one that could add to her tally this autumn.
Murray jointly owns this daughter of Getaway with Mrs Paul Murtagh.
Mullins’ day on It Could Be You
THE day ended on an eventful note with the stewards reversing the placings of the first two home in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Auction Flat Race which resulted in Charlie Mullins, the young brother of David, recording his first success on just his fourth ride on the track. A terrific finish to this contest ensued over the last couple of furlongs between Mind Your Money and It Could Be You.
The first-named crossed the line with a short head to spare under Harry Swan but It Could Be You (16/1) was carried steadily left by Mind Your Money (7/4 favourite) and given the margin involved there was a strong chance that the Tom Mullins-trained and Helen Mullins-owned runner-up could get the verdict in the stewards’ room.
It Could Be You was duly awarded the race while the unfortunate Harry Swan was given a three-day careless riding ban and a four-day whip suspension.
Tom Mullins landed the two-mile, five-furlong novice chase with Court Maid.
David Mullins, who also enjoyed a double, was on board this commanding Galway Festival winner as she made it two wins from as many starts over fences. There was a period inside the final mile where the Rory Larkin-owned mare appeared to be struggling at the rear of the field.
However, supporters of the 15/8 favourite need not have worried as she stormed into contention on the run to the last fence before then powering clear to defeat Rapid Response by nine lengths.
“They got racing early on and David decided to wait. We’ll look for a mares’ novice chase with her now and I’ll try not to come back in trip with her as she wants three miles,” stated Tom Mullins.
Heaven takes flight to head for ‘fancy’ races
ON a day featuring mares, Heaven Help Us (3/1) produced a nice display in the mares’ beginners’ chase over two miles. The Paul Hennessy-trained daughter of Yeats was clearly all the better for her chasing debut at Sligo a month previously.
David Mullins’ mount looked to be in control of this race from early in the straight and she defeated Surin by just under half a dozen lengths.
There was early drama here when another Grade 1-placed hurdler from last season, the odds-on Jeremys Flame, crashed out at the first fence.
“I’ve given most of my life to the dogs and this is a great release,” reflected Hennessy who has enjoyed such great success as a greyhound trainer. “I said to John Turner (owner) there that we’ll have great sport now and we can enter her into all the big fancy races now that she’s won her maiden chase.”
It has already been an excellent season for Lord Lariat (11/8) and Karl Thornton’s charge added to two wins over hurdles at Tipperary as he bagged the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Chase under Simon Torrens.
As he looked to build on a second at Punchestown chasing the previous week, the Pat Blake-owned gelding took charge of this race shortly after two out. He went on to a clear-cut triumph over Something Sweet. This strapping five-year-old will now go on a break.
At the other end of the price spectrum Philip Byrne’s Fairytale Empress scored at 66/1 in the second division of the 80-95 rated two and a quarter-mile handicap hurdle. The Barry Browne-ridden Byrne family homebred took the measure of the 11/8 favourite Jiving Jerry after the last to score by three and a half lengths.