THE former Group 3 winner and classic-placed Housesofparliament could well have found his true vocation over timber as he made a resounding return to form in the featured Ashgrove Stables Jack Duggan Memorial Handicap Hurdle.
Joseph O’Brien’s charge, who finished third in the 2016 St Leger, came here looking to add to his solitary hurdling success which was achieved at Galway last August.
This was also the first time that the J.P. McManus-owned five-year-old was stepping beyond an extended two miles but the switch to three miles was absolutely ideal for the well backed 4/1 favourite.
Barry Geraghty had the winner nicely placed throughout and the pair loomed up to tackle the front running High Nellie with two to jump.
The last-named gamely attempted to cling on but she could do more after the last as Housesofparliament asserted to finish with a length and three quarters to spare.
“He likes that fast ground and the trip looked to suit him too. He ran quite well at Ballinrobe last time and he battled well when he had to. He jumped well and he’ll go for something similar again,” said the owner’s racing manager Frank Berry.
Trainer John O’Shea made a very welcome and popular return to the winner’s enclosure and he could have a lot to look forward to with the promising Amschel who made it two wins from three starts in the Kilkenny City & County Vintners Hurdle.
The 8/1 chance, who was providing his trainer with his first triumph in just under five years, won a Clonmel maiden for Ellmarie Holden last month but coped well with this stiffer task to prompt thoughts of a trip to Galway.
The Rachael Blackmore-ridden Amschel, who is owned by Ray and Gillian Cody, wasn’t all that fluent at either the second last or final flights as he looked to fend off Room To Roam. To his considerable credit though Amschel answered his rider’s every call and he got on top on the run in to carry the day by a length.
“I can’t take much of the credit for this as I only have him a few weeks,” declared O’Shea. “He is a horse with a big engine and he really put his head down and battled. I won this with a horse called Devils Bit back in 2011.
“He was a 125-rated horse and this fellow would be a good bit better. We could look at a novice hurdle at Galway for him and we might try him on the flat as I’d say that he’d be up to winning a maiden.”
Rachael Blackmore promptly followed up aboard Henry de Bromhead’s Due Reward (7/1) in the First Auto Finance Maiden Hurdle.
The Gigginstown House Stud-owned winner and Storm Rising served up a terrific battle in the straight and the latter seemed sure to have done enough early on the run in but a brave Due Reward fought back to prevail by a neck.
Paul Townend picked up a chance winner as he stepped in for the unwell Bryan Cooper to land the Kullens Kitchen Thomastown Mares Maiden Hurdle on Paul Nolan’s Chisholm Trail.
The John Brennan-owned daughter of Presenting wasted no time stamping her authority on this two and a half miles affair when she strode to the front with two to jump.
The 9/4 favourite’s lead was cut back late on but she still hit the line with a length and a quarter to spare over Presentingprincess.
“She disappointed us a little in Listowel last time and this was probably an ordinary race but she’s won and she’s now picked up two mares’ bonuses which is another €10,000 – it’s like winning another race with her,” observed Paul Nolan whose charge will stay going for the rest of the summer.
The 20/1 chance Wild Desire completed a double for Paul Nolan in the first divide of the Whitfield Orthopaedic & Sports Injury Clinic Handicap Hurdle.
The Dylan Robinson-ridden mare had been badly out of form lately but she produced a career-best display to come out the right side of a three-way finish, defeating Oakmont by a head, with Derby De Thaix a further half length away.
Martin Burke was taken to hospital with suspected fractured ribs after his mount Ask David slipped up in a very nasty incident early in the straight.
“We said we try something different with her today and bring her back to two miles and get her settled and it’s great she’s done that,” remarked Nolan of the Ratpack Partnership-owned mare.
As well as landing the day’s feature, Barry Geraghty was also successful on Smitty Bacall (9/2) whose last gasp surge carried the day in the two and a half-mile Gain (C&G) Maiden Hurdle which provided Shay Barry with his first victory of the year.
The seven-year-old looked held in third early on the run in as Judgement Day and Zaofu duelled for supremacy but Smitty Bacall angled off the rail and threaded his way through the narrowest of openings to lead on the line. The Circle Of Six Syndicate-owned gelding had chased home Amschel at Clonmel on his previous outing.
“He had a hoof injury which kept him off for most of last season,” reported Shay Barry, whose charge was third in this race 12 months ago.
“Since he’s come back he’s run two good races and he got a super ride from Barry. I’d say he might head to Galway for a novice hurdle. He’s from a good family and his half-sister, Palm Sur, won two bumpers for us.”
After narrowly missing out with Zaofu, Eoin Doyle enjoyed better luck with Ingleby Mackenzie (11/2) in the second division of the Whitfield Orthopaedic & Sports Injury Clinic Handicap Hurdle.
The complexion of the race changed markedly at the second last when the top-weight Balinaboola Steel exited at the second last when holding a lead of several lengths.
In the aftermath of that one’s departure the Sean Flanagan-ridden Ingleby Mackenzie stole through against the far rail to make his bid and got the better of Dixie Highway to score by half a length.
“It’s important to get him to switch off which he did today and he stayed at it well when he had to. He’s a horse that we might try in a staying handicap on the flat too,” reflected the winning trainer.
On her debut for Tom Gibney, Tina Marie sprang a 25/1 surprise in the PRL Kilkenny Joe Bollard Memorial Flat Race and she did so in style.
On her fifth outing the daughter of Dubai Destination made the running for Noel McParlan and she maintained an unrelenting gallop from the turn in to defeat the favourite Jolucy by half a dozen lengths.
“That’s her first run for me and I wasn’t sure what to expect as my horses have been sick for a while and she’s only my third runner back. She’s done that very well,” stated Gibney.
Stewards’ reports
GLORIOUS Legend was found to be blowing hard and to have pulled a shoe after his sixth place finish in the maiden won by Smitty Bacall for which he started favourite.
Davy Russell reported that the favourite Kuraka didn’t handle the ground following sixth behind Amschel.
ACTING STEWARDS
N.P. Lambert, E. Halley, V. Connolly, Ms. D. Brophy, P.D. Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW
PRESENTINGPRINCESS (D.A. Love): This former point-to-point winner produced her best effort on the track to date when chasing home Chisholm Trail in the mares’ maiden hurdle and a repeat performance could enable her to make her mark at some point during the summer.