HIDDEN Cyclone remains as spring-heeled as ever for the Mee family from Dublin and the veteran set up a double for his trainer Shark Hanlon and jockey Danny Mullins at Listowel on Sunday when returning to winning ways in the Kerrymaid Hurdle.
Sent off the 4/7 favourite, the Stowaway gelding was never headed, being driven out from the last to hold the renewed effort of Draycott Place by one and a half lengths.
Hanlon said: “On ratings he was entitled to win and I suppose his run in the Galway Hurdle was a good one. He’ll stay over hurdles for the time being for some of those graded hurdles and conditions races and I can’t see him going back over fences at the moment.
“I’d love to have another crack at the Galway Hurdle (second this year). I know he’ll be a 12-year-old and it’s never been done but I’ve been looking forward to it for the last five years.’’
The Co Kilkenny trainer doubled up via Diamond Dame’s shock one and three-quarter-length victory over joint-favourite Mill Quest in the Low Low EBF Mares 80-109 Handicap Hurdle.
The trainer revealed: “Two of my horses got killed last weekend so now I only have 12 for the track and two of those have won today.”
The 25/1 outsider races in the white and emerald green colours of Alan Cullen from Thomastown and Hanlon said: “She’s another Darley cast-off and Brian (Hayes) gave her a great ride.
“She was always a good mare but I just couldn’t get her right early in the year. I knew, when I was tacking her up and she was squealing, that she was back to herself.”
DANNY MULLINS BRACE
Danny Mullins also had the good fortune to come away with a brace of winners, thanks to Draycott Place’s stable-companion Kylecrue, who turned in a repeat of last year’s success in the Kerry Group Handicap Chase.
The jockey rides out for his trainer John Ryan, who does well with his small string, a couple of days a week and was rewarded when the 100/30 favourite scored by four and a half lengths at the expense of Rightdownthemiddle.
Kylecrue was winning his ninth race and bringing his prize money haul past the €115,000 mark with this success. Ryan, who owns the nine-year-old himself, said: “He loves it around here and I knew he was better coming here than he was last year.
“He beat Rogue Angel in this race last year and I’m hoping he gets into the Kerry National.”
Westerner Lady, representing the all-conquering alliance of Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh, won as a 4/9 favourite should when leading from start to finish for a convincing seven-length success over Presenting Mahler in the Cheestrings Mares Novice Chase.
Homebred by her Ballycallan, Co Kilkenny owner Anthony Butler, the hot pot was foot-perfect throughout and is now two from two over fences. Walsh commented: “She jumped well and travelled well and did exactly what she had to do. That’s the softest she’s run on but she handled it. She was very good over hurdles, too and is very professional.”
The Jessica Harrington-trained Bobabout was never too far away in the Kerry Group 3-Y-O Hurdle and had the field well strung out turning for home after going to the front before the fourth last.
Mark Bolger had the mount on Howard Spooner’s 6/1 chance and had the race in the bag from the penultimate flight as he went away to take Dodgybingo’s measure by three and a half lengths, with market leader Lord Justice running on to take fourth.
Bolger said afterwards: “He was unlucky last time when unseating three out when he was going to run a nice race. He handled the ground but would prefer nicer ground.”
Crown Of Gold (9/2) gave the locals plenty to cheer about in the three-mile Charleville Cheese Maiden Hurdle when coming out on top for the Kerry-born duo of trainer Jim Culloty and jockey Bryan Cooper.
Dr Ronan Lambe’s Flemensfirth gelding was given a stealthy ride by Cooper, having his third ride back after injury, to head Vinnie Luck three out and kept up the momentum to see off Don’t Wait Up by one and a half lengths.
The favourite River Run was reported to have a wound on both his near fore and off hind legs and to have trotted unlevel behind post-race.
Crown Of Gold’s handler remarked: “He’s a grand horse who’s been second so many times – he’s just been unlucky not to have won before now because he has plenty of ability and a good attitude. In maidens he got beaten by good horses and in handicaps by better handicapped ones.
“He’ll mix it between hurdles and fences and although he copes with slow ground over hurdles, I won’t ask him to jump fences in soft ground.”
Noel Meade and Nina Carberry combined to land some substantial bets with the well-backed even money favourite Le Martalin, who ran out an impressive 14-length winner of the Kerry Group Flat Race from the long-time leader Perfect Leader.
The French-bred, who carries the colours of Jane Dwyer, wife of former Gold Cup-winning jockey-turned pinhooker Mark Dwyer, had just the one outing between the flags for Pat Doyle when a remote fourth to Stretchingthetruth at Dromahane. Meade said: “He was bought to resell, but just ran too free in his point-to-point.
“He’s a gorgeous-looking horse and maybe two miles is what he wants. He’s the most brilliant jumper, very athletic and hopefully he has a good future ahead of him.”
Whip bans
IAN McCarthy (two days, plus one day’s tuition at RACE) and Davy Russell (one day) both picked up whip bans.
Acting Stewards P. McLernon, S. McDonogh, O. Kearney, J. O’Shaughnessy, M.F. O’Donoghue.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
LE MARTALIN (N. Meade) The future looks bright when he learns to settle and he could be very smart. Likely to be carrying different colours when he turns out again.