SATURDAY’S morning’s Cox Plate-winning trainer Joseph O’Brien was also on the mark, seven hours later, at Galway as his Global Equity (7/2) landed the unlikely double in the Sanserv Rated Novice Chase under J.J. Slevin.
Global Equity showed good stamina when beating Razzle Dazzle Love by two and a half lengths for the Annus Mirabilis Syndicate.
The daughter of Shirocco appeared held when leader Robinnia went clear jumping the last but rallied well to beat Razzle Dazzle Love, with Robinnia fading to finish third.
Slevin later reported: “It was a good performance, she is a lovely mare and obviously got blacktype last year. They got away on me in the dip when she was tapped for toe and I wasn’t sure if I’d catch them but she is a hardy mare. She ground them down and would probably get further.
“All those mares’ novice chases are open to her and getting more blacktype could be worth looking at now.”
Jerry’s fourth
The most valuable race was the €21,000 W.B. Gavin & Co Handicap Hurdle which saw the return from injury of Rachael Blackmore on Grand National runner-up Balko Des Flos.
Blackmore, who suffered ankle and hip injuries in a heavy fall at the Killarney Festival, was unplaced on Balko Des Flos, behind head winner Jiving Jerry (11/4 favourite), for trainer Jimmy Barcoe, owner Yvonne Hennessy and jockey Cathal Landers,
Barcoe said: “That’s his fourth win and he had a great run the last day. I’d say he came on for it and the form has worked out very well so we were hopeful.
“He goes on heavy and over any trip, he has won over two miles and was beaten two lengths over three the last day, so hopefully he will get into some nice handicaps.
“He could jump a fence in the summer as he is not a big horse but in saying that he is very good to jump. He is a brilliant horse to have.”
LAST season’s Grade 1-placed novice hurdler Colonel Mustard returned from a summer break to shed his maiden tag in the Corrib Oil Maiden Hurdle when scoring by five lengths from Champagne Vacation, for owners Mrs A. Frost and P. G. Davies.
The 5/6 favourite was strongly pressed by the eventual runner-up jumping the final flight but battled well under Conor Orr.
Winning trainer Lorna Fowler reported: “We knew before the race we’d have to make the running. I think we now have a good bar from what he did last season. I’d like to take him to Cheltenham in three weeks for the Supreme Novices’ Trial.”
Castle conquers
Glenquin Castle completed a five-timer in the Galway Handicap Hurdle for his jockey Mark Walsh, owner J.P. McManus and trainer Martin Brassil.
Known to idle when hitting the front, Walsh again delayed his challenge today until well inside the final furlong as the 9/4 favourite scored by a length and a quarter from Humps And Bumps.
Brassil reported: “He keeps surprising us and wasn’t as bad (idling in front) today. But you never know with him as he can actually stall quickly when he gets to the front. I hadn’t looked beyond today as I was thinking the ground would be gone but he (Walsh) said he handled it and it’s now deep.
“I had a horse in similar colours to complete a five-in-a-row, Double Seven in 2013. He was much classier and won the Kilbeggan Midlands National, the Munster National and a listed chase before finishing third in the Grand National.”
Brassil had earlier initiated a double in the Connolly’s Red Mills Irish EBF Maiden Hurdle with the Bernardine Mulryan-owned Choice Of Words (11/10 favourite), which made all, under jockey Darragh O’Keeffe, for a ready win over Derrylinda.
Brassil said: “We always thought a fair bit of her. We were thrilled with her run in the Grade 3 bumper at Punchestown and I was always looking forward to her going jumping hurdles. She was quickening up the hill.
“There is a great programme for her and if she continues to improve, which I hope she would, and with experience, she could develop into a Cheltenham mares’ novice hurdle type.”
Glory for Butler and the Red Strand Syndicate
ROOKIE trainer Padraig Butler got off the mark in the concluding Colm Quinn Bumper with De Capo Glory (9/2), under Darragh Allen.
Allen, a second cousin of Cox Plate winning jockey Johnny Allen, produced De Cape Glory to lead entering the home straight and the pair eventually scored by four and three-quarters lengths from Halligator.
Timoleague-based Butler later said: “That’s my first winner and I got the restricted trainers’ licence in April.
“I have three in training and I worked with Thomas O’Leary (trainer) years ago and with my cousin James Dullea.
“This is a hobby at the moment but I wouldn’t rule out getting bigger in the future.
“There are five of us in the (Red Strand) Syndicate, four are west Cork-based and another is in London.
“He had two good runs in the spring but were half-worried coming here because some of the others had a run and we didn’t. He has an engine though and should make a smashing hurdler.”
Pepper on top
Racing began with the Renvyle House Hotel Maiden Hurdle which was won by the Gavin Cromwell-trained, Conor McNamara-partnered White Pepper who won readily by 13 lengths.
White Pepper (6/1) carries the colours of Maria McCullen Harvey and Cromwell reported: “She learned a lot from the first day and, being by Fast Company, she was in her comfort zone on the bit of ease in the ground today.
“We’ll look for a winners’ of one and being a filly we could look for blacktype along the way over jumps.”