JOCKEY Danny Mullins renewed his association with owner Barry Connell to take the ride on his mother Mag’s Martello Tower in the Grade 3 Cliona’s Foundation Novice Hurdle on the final day of Limerick’s Christmas Festival and the net result was a game win for the progressive and well-regarded six-year-old.
Willie Mullins’s representative Outlander was the main fancy in this three-runner event, won last year by Faugheen and held a narrow call over the eventual winner over the second last flight. Martello Tower, however, wasn’t done with and rallied back to match strides with the favourite all the way up the run-in until snatching victory in the shadows of the post for a neck win at a price of 5/2.
The Milan gelding showed a very willing attitude and in the absence of the trainer who was at Leopardstown, Danny Mullins stated: “He’s a very tough horse and my mother has done a great job to get him back after a heavy fall at Navan the last day. When he hit the ground we feared the worst but there will be plenty more big days left in this fellow.
“He needs to step up to go to Cheltenham but there’s no reason why he shouldn’t.”
The rider, who has worked hard to rebuild his career, has been riding the pick of his uncle Willie’s horses at Limerick this Christmas and added another winner to his festive haul when the 4/7 favourite Gitane Du Berlais triumphed in the Cube Printing Mares Beginners Chase on her first run over fences.
Owned in partnership by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, celebrating their second win of the Festival the four-year-old was last seen contesting a Grade 1 hurdle race at Auteuil and prior to that was successful in a Grade 3 race.
Because she is a French-bred Gitane Du Berlais missed out on a €5,000 ITBA NH fillies bonus for winning the race but still had all the allowances in her favour here. The 4/7 favourite used them to her full advantage and, despite brushing through the top of the final obstacle put 18 lengths between herself and Feenakilmeedy at the line.
Referring to that incident her jockey said: “It was just a case of getting from A to B and she’ll learn from it,” before adding: “That was a good performance from a four-year-old filly in heavy ground and when she gets good ground the fences will be four inches smaller. I think she can go wherever she likes and there’s a good novice programme for mares so it’s a case of wherever she fits in.”
LIKEABLE
It was the turn of Enda Bolger to strike for a second time at the venue thanks to another very likeable performance from racecourse debutant My Hometown in the Family Fun Day Maiden Hurdle.
Mark Walsh’s mount headed the betting and the 2/5 favourite took it up in the J.P. McManus colours on the approach to the penultimate flight, going on to score by two lengths from Cest Notre Gris.
His trainer observed: “Mark said he was finding the ground a bit tough out there with the frost. He’s a beautiful moving horse so I’d say spring ground will be up his alley. He’s a big raw horse and he’ll be a chaser next season so we’ll sit on the fence for a while.”
There was drama in the Ryans Cleaning Beginners Chase when Jessica Harrington’s mare Annie Oakley took a heavy fall at the last, leaving the John Joe Walsh-trained 16/1 shot Sonny B to come home a comfortable nine and a half length winner under Brian O’Connell from Shamiran.
Owned by Anthony Byrne from Donegal the Spadoun gelding seems to be on the upgrade and his shrewd handler commented: “He loves the ground and is a stayer. He won a maiden hurdle well in Mallow but just took a long time learning how to jump. He should make a nice chaser when he gets the hang of things and he’ll improve. He might go into novice company now.”
After a night of heavy frost Black Ice was a topical winner of the Racing Home For Christmas 80-102 Handicap Hurdle for his Kildare owner Kirsty Hickey. Trained by Seamus Fahey the steady 16/1 chance was sent to the front by Shane Butler before the last and asserted on the run-in for a two and a half length win over Admiral Brian.
“He had a very good run here last year behind Kitten Rock, who won yesterday and ran pretty well in Navan behind Sizing John but then he disappointed in Clonmel for whatever reason,” said Fahey. “We were hopeful more than confident coming here but he ran right back up to his best today. He’s in again at Tramore on Thursday.”
Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud has had a Christmas to remember and Ravished, from the Mouse Morris stable, gave the outfit yet another success in the Flying High This Festive Season Handicap Hurdle run over three miles.
Ridden by accomplished 5lb claimer Ger Fox the 10/1 chance has been knocking at the door over fences in recent outings but showed his appreciation for a return to the smaller obstacles to give his rider his third win in four days by seven lengths from joint favourite Sarah Battle. The other joint favourite Zekarya finished fourth.
Fox was well-pleased with Ravished’s performance and said: “He’s very good and has loads of scope for a handy sized horse. He won well, relished the ground and did it very easy.”
Co Wexford handler Colm Murphy took the final race on the card, the Happy New Year From All At Limerick Racecourse Flat Race with Merry Westerner who finally got his turn for his London-based owner Tom Friel at odds of 9/2 with an emphatic eight and a half length win in the capable hands of Michael Doran.
His trainer acknowledged: “He seems to be improving the whole time and it’s nice to get one over Christmas. Santy came at last! I’d say he just wants a trip and soft ground because he’s a hellavu big horse and the further he goes the better he’ll be.”