JAMES Nash, out of luck when Scheu Time fell at the last holding every chance at Aintree the previous weekend, enjoyed much better fortune as he saddled All Good Things to take the two-mile and three-furlong maiden hurdle at Limerick on Friday evening.
The well-backed 11/4 chance, owned by Nash’s wife Sarah and her mother Pauline Gavin, made all under Cathal Landers for a convincing success although his task was eased when 2/1 favourite Falak slipped up on the home turn bringing down stablemate Isle Of Destiny. Thankfully riders Keith Donoghue and Andrew Ring and their mounts were fine afterwards.
Nash said: “Hopefully everyone is alright and we’ll never know (what would have happened) but we’ll take it and we were due a bit of luck. We gave him a break after Christmas as he’s a summer horse and this was his comeback run. The maidens were always going to get a bit weak this time of the season so it’s worked out.”
Gordon Elliott, who sent out Falak and Isle Of Destiny in the opener, gained quick compensation in the following two-mile maiden hurdle where Kuraka also successfully adopted front-running tactics. The evens favourite was in command from the penultimate flight and kept on well to easily beat Ilikedwayurthinkin by 11 lengths.
“He’s a grand dual-purpose horse. It wasn’t the strongest race in the world, and on his run at Leopardstown (third to Mr Adjudicator) he was entitled to win it. He’s a good fun horse and will do his job grand,” said Elliott, who trains the four-year-old for Susan Frost and Caren Walsh.
FEATURE RACE
The www.limerickraces.ie Handicap Chase was the feature race on the card, and Concordin also raced prominently throughout to take this extended two-mile, three-furlong event. Trained by Robert Tyner for J.P. McManus, the easy-to-back 7/1 shot kept on well under pressure from the last for Mark Walsh to hold Take The Cash by three quarters of a length.
“He jumped great for Mark and seemed to enjoy it. Hopefully we can find something similar for him. He was a bit unlucky at Thurles the last day where he got a bad fall at the last,” said the Kinsale trainer’s wife Mary.
Perfect Man (16/1) returned to form when landing some nice bets in the three-mile handicap hurdle. The top-weight was produced by Trevor Ryan to challenge at the last and kept on under strong driving to beat Nerual by two and a half lengths.
“I backed him three times this morning at 40/1,” said Borrisleigh-based owner/trainer Pat Hurley before adding: “He won in Thurles and Punchestown last year but was very sick after that with stomach problems and all the credit goes to Gerry Kelly in the veterinary hospital in Fethard. He’s a good tough little horse and the run at Thurles the last day put him right.”
TRUMP SIXTEEN
A wind operation proved just the trick for Trump Sixteen who overcame a maximum of 17 rivals in the two-mile handicap hurdle. Yet another to race up with the pace, the well-backed 6/1 chance stayed on well on the run-in under Danny Hand to beat Sil Ver Klass by two lengths.
“I bought him for 500 as a yearling, and he was a big baby last year and just needed time,” said Steve Mahon, who trains the six-year-old for his chief patron Tom Quinn. “He made a bit of a noise here at Christmas and he’s had a wind operation. The vet, Ben Brain, did a great job, and I knew the first morning he cantered after it that he was perfect. We fancied him a bit but he’s more of a two-mile and four furlongs horse and Danny was supposed to hold him up a bit. He did the right thing and he switched off as he’s a lovely gentle horse.”
Lakemilan added to previous wins in a bumper and maiden hurdle when opening her account over fences in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase. Trained by Terence O’Brien in Carrigtwohill for Denis Wilson, the well-backed 2/1 chance reeled in the front-running Zipporah before the straight and stretched clear on the run-in for Donie McInerney to beat that rival by an easy 14 lengths.
O’Brien said: “She will mix it over the summer and it would be great to get a bit of blacktype with her. She’s a light-framed mare and will go on good ground too. I think she can improve again and she is easy enough to train as you don’t have to do a lot with her.”
GOLDEN SPELL
Charles Byrnes has enjoyed a golden spell with his bumper horses since the start of the year, and added to his tally here with Alpine Cobra. The 6/1 chance led early in the straight under Ray Barron to beat Small Farm by three lengths.
“He’s had two decent runs and two-mile and three furlongs seemed to suit him well. He could be kept going for the first half of the summer anyway. He’s by Scorpion and would go on slightly better ground. He’ll go jumping now, and is a fine scopey size so he’ll jump a fence in time,” said Byrnes of the Nay Syndicate’s gelding.
Whip ban
TREVOR Ryan was given a three-day ban for using his whip with excessive force and frequency, and above shoulder height, on Perfect Man in the three-miles handicap hurdle.
ACTING STEWARDS
J. Powell, J. O’Shaugh-nessy, P. Barry, P. McLernon, P.D. Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW
SIL VER KLASS (A.J. Martin): Successful on the flat in France and should be winning soon for present connections judged on this fine start to handicap life over hurdles following a four-month break.