DEANS Road, who trounced the subsequent Cheltenham hero Tiger Roll at the Harvest Festival, made a victorious return to Listowel in the John J. Galvin Handicap Chase.
Henry de Bromhead’s charge didn’t run at all badly behind Tully East at Cheltenham on his last start and could have the Kerry National as an aim after readily defying a mark of 132. Andrew Lynch was due to take the mount on the eight-year-old but he was stood down after a heavy fall earlier in the day which meant that Davy Russell took over.
The Michael Creed-owned runner was the 4/1 favourite and did everything right through the race before seeing off Lucky Pat in the closing stages to prevail by half a length.
“It’s unfortunate for Andrew but Davy was a very able deputy and he’d won on the horse before,” said de Bromhead. “I think we’re entitled now to start thinking about the likes of the Kerry National and I’d like to try him over a trip. He does want to go right-handed.”
The card concluded with a 50/1 triumph for Humm Baby in the two and a half-mile winners’ bumper but this success didn’t come as a surprise to trainer Michael Hourigan. Humm Baby, who carries the colours of the late Patsy Byrne’s longtime friend Chris Tilly, hadn’t shown much in three previous outings and was pitted against two useful looking previous winners.
However, she produced a revelatory effort under Laura Hourigan and she stormed by the odds-on Fabulous Saga inside the last quarter of a mile to win by six and a half lengths. This daughter of Mahler could well turn out to be quite a smart sort.
“The better ground helped and she was sick earlier in the year so she’s come right. I do think that she’s a promising mare and she’s from a great family,” declared Hourigan.
“I told the owners that they could back her each-way and it’s great she’s gone and done that. Maybe we will be back here in September.”
MCGARVEY DOUBLE
The very capable flat performer Travertine (7/1) returned from two months off the track to take the three-mile handicap hurdle. The J.P. McManus-owned gelding, who was completing a double for Jody McGarvey, came from off the pace to collar the game front-runner Icantsay after the last flight. At the line, Niall Madden’s charge had half a length to spare.
“He came home well the last day (second to Close Shave at Fairyhouse) and the bit of rain that fell last night was a big help to him,” reported the owner’s racing manager Frank Berry. “The trip suited.”
Not for the first time, Willie Mullins worked the oracle with one of his long absent inmates as Uradel defied a spell on the sidelines stretching back to January 2015 in the John B. Keane (C&G) Maiden Hurdle. The smooth-travelling Monarch looked to have this race under control when he cruised past the well-backed Black Key to lead in between the last two flights.
However, he couldn’t withstand the late flourish of the Ruby Walsh-ridden Uradel who stormed home on the run in to lead in the final stride. The Luke McMahon-owned six-year-old was a 12/1 chance.
“The drier ground helped him. We thought that he’d win a maiden a couple of years ago but he just couldn’t go on the heavy ground,” remarked Walsh. “He’d been off a long time but he had loads of experience and he had Willie Mullins training him.”
JUMPS DEBUT
Gordon Elliott added to his flat success the previous afternoon when Penny Jane (8/1) made a successful debut over timber in the mares’ maiden hurdle. The Paul and Clare Rooney-owned daughter of King’s Theatre was always well placed for Davy Russell and, crucially, she was quicker over the last than the front-running High School Days. Penny Jane had all the momentum on the run-in and this carried her to a length and a half victory.
“All credit to the trainer. She was very professional for her first time over hurdles. She jumped great and then she kept at it well in the straight,” remarked Russell.
The first leg of Jody McGarvey’s double came when John Nicholson’s Swift (7/1) pounced late in the 80-95 rated two and a half-mile handicap hurdle.
The complexion of this race changed dramatically at the second last where Cloudybackwest crashed out when in front. His departure left a host of horses in with chances and nothing finished better than Swift who prevailed by a length and a half.
“I thought she’d run well but the one worry was that this was coming a week too soon as she had a break after her last run,” declared Nicholson of the Fair Of Borris Syndicate-owned mare. “She will jump a fence in time but we’ll keep her hurdling for the moment.”
Davids Charm (9/1) looked a horse that could be worth keeping on the right side of in the coming weeks by bolting up in the second division of the 80-95 rated handicap hurdle.
Ambrose McCurtin’s mount was as big as 25/1 at the start of the day and vindicated the confidence of his connections as he seized control of this race leaving the backstraight before a six and a half-length victory over Tough But Honest.
“He loves that ground, that was the first time he had his ground over hurdles since he was placed at Killarney last year,” remarked John Joe Walsh who trains the winner for the Tom O’Brien Partnership.
Another well-backed winner came in the shape of the useful looking Freewheelin Dylan who made all the running to secure the hunter chase for Dermot McLoughlin and Mark O’Hare.
The dual point-to-point winner was backed from 25/1 in the morning into 7/1 and two quick jumps at the last two fences were vital as they enabled him to hold off the 11/10 favourite Minella For Value.
“He could have a break now but he does want that type of ground so we may stay going with him,” reported the trainer. “He might move into open company now but we’ll see. He is only a five-year-old.”
ACTING STEWARDS
P. McLernon, J.P. Barry, J. McGuire, C. O’Mahony, L. Walsh
Horse To Follow
FORT MONTAGU (J.W. Nicholson): This Tramore bumper winner showed up well to finish fourth in the maiden hurdle won by Uradel. A maiden hurdle will not be long in coming his way.
Gleeson ban
JOCKEY William Gleeson picked up a two-day ban for failing to weigh in on the fifth-placed Just Wait And See in the hunters chase.