THE Long Mile may have taken a little time to find his feet on the track but he is now on quite a roll and he made it three wins from his last four starts in the €50,000 Holden Plant Rentals Shamrock Handicap Chase at Gowran Park’s last National Hunt fixture of the season.
The deep ground was of no concern to the Philip Dempsey-trained The Long Mile who won a novice handicap on dire ground at this track last month.
Both of the Kayf Tara gelding’s previous wins had come over two miles but this two-and-a-quarter-mile trip wasn’t a worry either as he had already proved his stamina over further and, lastly, he coped splendidly with a rating that was 20lb higher than the one he first won off.
Luke Dempsey was on board his father’s charge and the J.P. McManus-owned gelding produced his most complete display to date. The patiently ridden 5/2 favourite picked off Diamond Turf on the run in to prevail by just under two lengths. There could be another decent handicap to win with this horse before the end of the season.
On a day when favourites ran riot – winning six out of seven races – the 4/6 shot Discordantly banished some recent jumping mishaps to the past in the Irish Machinery Auctions Beginners Chase over two and a half miles.
The Jessica Harrington inmate had fallen on two of his last three starts and his most recent departure came just six days previously at Leopardstown.
However, his confidence was in no way diminished as he produced a fine round of jumping for Robbie Power and responded to the threat posed by the 20/1 chance Montagne D’Argent in the straight to score by six and a half lengths.
The six-year-old carries the colours of the Odds Fellows Partnership and he has the Punchestown Festival as his long-term target.
Assignment
Future Proof got off the mark at the 10th attempt over hurdles in the four- and five-year-old two-mile maiden hurdle. Noel Meade’s charge had filled the runner-up spot on four occasions over timber and took advantage of his easiest assignment to date since he went jumping.
The fall of Cosa Ban at the second last left the Eoin Walsh-ridden 8/13 favourite in command.
Future Proof coasted home to defeat Royal Rhythm by 16 lengths.
The Lyreen Syndicate-owned winner will now revert to handicaps and he is likely to return to the flat once the turf season gets underway.
Future star
Sam Curling looks to have a future star of the hunter chasing scene on his hands in Aloneamongmillions who made his first venture to the track a winning one in the BoyleSports Tetratema Cup Hunters Chase.
The Tessa Foreman-owned son of Mahler came here as the winner of all four of his starts in point-to-points and he more than looked the part throughout this assignment.
He travelled well and jumped boldly for Derek O’Connor and there was lots to like about the manner in which he picked off the useful Some Man between the last two fences.
Aloneamongmillions was a cosy four-and-a-half-length winner at the line. Curling reported that the seven-year-old would be aimed at next year’s Cheltenham Festival and that he might well be finished for the season.
Bob Olinger looks a terrific prospect
THE two best performances of the day came at the end of the card and there was a really striking effort in the offing in the Doc’s Bumper Point To Point INH Flat Race where Henry de Bromhead’s Bob Olinger looked a future star.
In a race with quite a notable roll of honour, this Sholokhov gelding, who is owned by Brian Acheson’s Robcour, delivered on the promise of his wide margin success for Pat Doyle in a Turtulla point-to-point last November.
Patrick Mullins made all the running on the 6/4 chance who brushed aside the odds-on favourite and fellow promising winner Coqolino to score by 10 lengths.
First Lieutenant, Yorkhill and Minella Melody all feature on this race’s roll of honour and the initial evidence would suggest this five-year-old could be as good as any of them.
“I was worried about the ground but he coped with it. He looks an exciting horse,” remarked the trainer.
“He’s entitled to go for a winners’ bumper, and you have Aintree and Punchestown, but I’ll speak to the owners and see where we might go.”
Lady McCabe a good winner for Cork trainer Fitzgerald
CORK-based trainer Martin Fitzgerald sent out his first winner for just under seven years as Lady McCabe came good in the Xenon Handicap Hurdle over two and a half miles.
This eight-year-old daughter of Yeats, who is also owned by her trainer, had shown ability on a number of occasions in the past including when third to Birdie Blitz at Fairyhouse last month.
Sean O’Keeffe was on board the 7/2 favourite who led from the second last to finish two and three quarter lengths ahead of Bread And Butter.
Weekend
Paul Townend reached 100 winners for the season on his only ride of the weekend as Energumene produced a display in keeping with his position as the 1/4 market leader in the MansionBet-sponsored maiden hurdle for six-year-olds and upwards.
The Tony Bloom-owned Thurles bumper winner did everything at his leisure from the front.
He never came under the slightest semblance of pressure to hand out a 19 lengths beating to Coolagh Park.
This six-year-old is likely to run again between now and the Punchestown Festival.
A switch to fences next season could see this gelding really come into his own.