THE Willie Mullins-trained Listen Dear has been a wonderfully consistent money-spinner for the Supreme Horse Racing Club and turned in a bold display of jumping from the front, under Paul Townend, to record win number eight of her career in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Chase at Limerick.
Sent off the even-money favourite, the seven-year-old daughter of Robin Des Champs ran her rivals ragged and was 10 lengths too good for Annamatopoeia at the line.
Townend said: “She’s won on good ground a couple of times. The step-up in trip was no problem for her and she was back in her own grade today after running in Grade 1s.”
Stablemate Westerner Lady lost all chance at the first when she “landed in the middle of the fence,” according to rider Danny Mullins, who almost went out the side door, and she quickly dropped back to the rear, being pulled-up soon afterwards.
Patrick Mullins commented: “It just didn’t happen for her today and Danny did the right thing.” He said of Listen Dear: “She’s a joy to watch, she’s so slick over her fences. She’s not over-big, but she has so much scope and that’s her main asset. I’d imagine she’ll go for something similar.”
The amateur was in action himself in the concluding Follow Limerick Racecourse On Twitter (Pro/Am) Flat Race, but his mount Minella Beau, the 4/7 favourite, was no match for Adrian Maguire’s representative Gagas Horse.
This turned out to be a real family result because the Kayf Tara gelding races in the colours of the trainer’s wife Sabrina and was ridden to his all-the-way four-length success by their son Finny.
“Coming back to two miles and getting 7lb off Minella Beau from the last time they met was key,” said Maguire about his 6/1 winner. “I put a hood on him today and it was a good performance. If he’s not sold he’ll go hurdling. He’s had four runs and been placed every time.”
Mr Showtime ran out an impressive four and a quarter-length winner of the Jackie Chan Allstars Play Live At Limerick Racecourse June 17th Maiden Hurdle for Noel Meade and Sean Flanagan. The 5/2 chance, owned by the Crooked Crew Syndicate from Cork, made virtually all and opened up from the last to master the favourite, Go Another One, with some authority.
Mr Showtime comes from the same family as the mighty Denman and Meade observed: “He’s a totally different horse on good ground. When he ran in a bumper at Roscommon the ground was really fast and he nearly gave a buck and a squeal when he went out on it.
“Sean said today he lit up on it and jumped brilliant. I was worried about the favourite because he had very good form, but he’ll go for a winners of one in a couple of weeks. He’s jumping so well, you wouldn’t be afraid of putting him into a handicap.”
NAGLE WINNER
Cork-based handler T.J. Nagle saddled his wife Una’s 15/8 favourite Khalessi for an overdue success under Danny Mullins in the 4 Of Us Play Live At Limerick Racecourse June 23rd Mares Maiden Hurdle. Having been headed for second two out, the Milan mare came back again to throw down her challenge between horses after the final flight and she was not going to be denied this time in scoring by one and a quarter lengths.
“She rarely runs a bad race and deserved to win,” said Nagle. “I thought if she got a good ride, which she did, she’d win. The last day in Killarney it rained on top of watered ground and it was too soft for her, but the good ground today suited her and she’ll probably go handicapping.”
The three-mile Michael English Plays Live At Limerick Racecourse July 27th Handicap Hurdle resulted in another winner for Rachael Blackmore who tracked the leaders on the Denise O’Shea-trained 9/2 joint-favourite Kilganer Queen. They scooted home from the last to get the better of Aunt Alice by three and three-quarter lengths. The other joint-favourite, Double Windsor, finished seventh.
The Trans Island mare is one of three horses O’Shea trains for retired civil servant Michael Mee from Limerick Junction. She remarked: “She’s a lovely mare and I bought her after she won her point-to-point in Kilfeacle.
“She just needed the penny to drop a bit and got a lovely ride from Rachael. She’ll probably turn out again soon enough, but she won’t stay hurdling for much longer because she’s a natural chaser. She loves that ground, so we’re looking forward to the summer.”
SURPRISE WINNER
Windsor Higgins sprang a 66/1 surprise in the Liam Hogan Memorial Beginners Chase to provide 24 year-old Paul O’Reilly from Cashel with his first success in the saddle. The 7lb claimer said after his mount had prevailed by two and a quarter lengths: “I’ve had 30-odd rides and hopefully that’s the first of many. I was in France until 14 months ago and am now based with Harry Kelly.”
Steven Ryder has care of Windsor Higgins for fellow Galwegian John Bowes, father of jockey Mattie Bowes, and said: “She’d become a little frustrating over hurdles and on the flat, so I decided to try her over fences.
“She loves that quick ground and probably stripped a bit fitter with the experience of her last run at Wexford behind her. I didn’t fancy her, but everything just fell into place for her today.” The winner, whose explanation regarding her apparent improvement in form was noted by the stewards, was found to have blood in a nostril post-race.
In-form trainer Steve Mahon and jockey Denis O’Regan teamed up to good effect with the lightly-weighted Aranhill Rascal who was left in front by the penultimate fence departure of Sea’s Aria in the Follow Limerick Racecourse On Facebook 0-109 Handicap Chase and went on to collect by five and a half lengths.
The 14/1 winner was homebred by his Ballinderry owner Patrick Kelly and Mahon observed: “I always thought a little bit of this horse and kept faith with him. He just had an awful time of it for various reasons, through no fault of his or my own and his confidence was at a low.
“He’s a horse who likes his head and I put the blinkers back on him today. I was always hoping he’d do what he’s just done some day and it was just a question of getting the ability out of him. Denis says he’ll win again.”
Acting Stewards
J. Moloney, Mrs V. Cooper, J. McGuire, H. Williams, L. Walsh.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
TESSERACT (J.P. O’Brien): Was still in the hunt on his first outing for 312 days and first time over fences in the beginners’ chase, but just beginning to feel the pinch when falling at the last. Should progress.