HENRY de Bromhead has two nice prospects on his hands in Balzac Turgot and Deans Road who made pleasing debuts over their respective obstacles at Family Fun Day at Limerick, sponsored by Coral last Sunday.
Gigginstown’s Balzac Turgot got his hurdling career off to the best possible start when shaking off the attentions of Wakea from two out to prevail by three-quarters of a length under Bryan Cooper.
The Co. Waterford trainer said of his 9/1 winner: “He’s a gorgeous horse and always worked like a nice horse. We thought about going for another bumper but just said we’d wait for the better ground and the new season. He’s a big horse and I’ll speak to Michael and Eddie (O’Leary) and see what they want to do.”
De Bromhead also hit the target thanks to the all-the-way success of the Davy Russell-ridden Deans Road in the beginners chase. The 11/10 favourite, owned and bred by his English owner Mike Creed, was having his first taste of racecourse fences here and was good value for his five and a half length win over Goulane Chosen who made a bad mistake four out.
SUPER RIDE
“He got a super ride from Davy but just jumped a bit left all the way,” said his trainer. “So we’ll have to get that checked out, but I was delighted with the run and it’s a nice start for him.”
“He had a break after Christmas and we were hoping this type of ground would suit him better. He won a point-to-point for Joe Casey and there are a couple of novice chases coming up for him during the summer.”
Jessica Harrington has her team in top form and captured the mares’ maiden hurdle for the very lucky Flyers Syndicate, most of whose members come from Co Monaghan, with the warm 9/10 favourite Billy’s Hope who hit the front between the last two for a six and a half lengths from West Bridge.
Her rider Robbie Power commented: “I rode her in a few maidens in the winter in heavy ground, but she couldn’t handle it. I said to the lads when she gets nice ground, she’ll pay her way and she was back in maiden company today. On good ground she’s a decent mare and they’ll have a bit of fun with her.”
There’s no stopping Dermot McLaughlin’s team either and he struck with Tilly Conway’s smart mare Dixie Lee who recorded back-to-back wins in the bumper.
Ridden by Mark O’Hare from Banbridge, who is all set to be crowned northern point-to-point champion, the Holy Roman Emperor five-year-old stretched right away from the furlong marker to beat the favourite Bel Sas by three and a half lengths at a price of 7/2.
Her trainer commented: “She’s a good filly and Mark said she was doing handstands and only cantering turning in. She loved the ground (officially good to yielding, yielding in places) and he had to hit the front when he did.
“I think she’s improving the whole time and good ground is the key to her. I’d say she’ll go hurdling now.”
Different tactics were employed on the John Joe Walsh-trained The Mulcare Rover in the three-mile handicap hurdle and they worked a treat to give the 5/1 chance’s Mountmellick owner Tommy Ward his second big handicap success of the week.
Brian O’Connell kept the six-year-old wide to take the spoils by three and a quarter lengths from Little Mitch and Walsh explained: “The last day in Fairyhouse he never settled amongst horses, so today we kept him out the back and gave him a bit of daylight.
“He looked like a good horse there. He didn’t do much in the winter on heavy ground, but goes on good ground so we’ll keep him on the go for a while.”
Co Laois-based Liam Cusack sent out David Cornwall’s homebred mare Who’s That for a half-length victory in the €25,000 mares’ chase.
Backed from 16/1 into 9/1, the daughter of Kalanisi, with Aintree Grand National-winning jockey David Mullins in the plate, found the switch back to the larger obstacles very much to her liking when mastering the odds-on favourite Definite Ruby in the shadows of the post.
Her trainer remarked: “It was such a good prize we had to go for it and when these races are there, you have to support them. I breed a few for myself and have had nothing but fillies, but at least there’s a good programme for them now!
“She won a nice pot in Leopardstown and David, who lives in Rathmore, at the back of Punchestown, is a great owner. I have a few of her relations with me.” Mullins added: “Going chasing brought out the best in her.”
Frank McGuinness’s veteran Blazing Beacon added to his tally of five wins when defying top-weight in the Coral.ie Handicap Chase. The 16/1 outsider got on top for Conor Maxwell in the closing stages to clinch the verdict by three-quarters of a length from Line View.
The trainer, who also bred his pride and joy, quipped: “I thought I would never get back into the winner’s enclosure! It’s been a while but I have a few ready now. He’s a good, genuine horse and hasn’t much mileage on the clock, but it’s just been hard to keep him right. He jumps well and likes this ground.”
ACTING STEWARDS
P. McLernon, Dr C. O’Flaherty, Ms Jill Farrell, A. Ryan, S. Quinn
HORSE TO FOLLOW
BALZAC TURGOT (H. de Bromhead): This big, good-looking horse couldn’t have made a better start to his hurdling campaign and looks to have a bright future ahead of him, whatever route he takes.
Disappointing run
THERE was plenty of confidence behind Peregrine Run in the first race at Limerick, but the 2/1 favourite could finish no better than 10th. His jockey reported that he travelled well until tiring in the closing stages.