A VERY industrious few months for Lagostovegas reached a new high as she claimed the featured Ladbrokes Ireland Handicap Hurdle which headed a treble for Willie Mullins.
Fresh from a €50,000 handicap success at Killarney last month, the improving five-year-old scrambled home by a neck to secure this €60,000 purse. Lagostovegas isn’t finished her quest for well endowed prizes this autumn, with a tilt at next month’s Cesarewitch now looming for the John Donohue-owned mare.
The strong travelling 5/2 favourite had still to come off the bridle turning for home and she produced an especially quick jump at the last to consolidate her advantage over Boherbuoy and Davids Charm. The latter finished with quite a rattle, having struggled to get a clear run turning for home, and he went down by a diminishing neck.
“She produced a very slick jump at the last which was probably the difference between winning and losing,” said the trainer who first won this race with Castle Windows in 1989. “Maybe a longer trip would suit her better but we felt the ground would bring her stamina into play over this two miles. We might now look at going back to the flat for the Cesarewitch.”
The treble was rounded off by the improving Ben Button who made it three victories in succession in the three-mile Devon Inn Hotel Handicap. The evens favourite was a stone higher in the weights for this assignment but he still appeared to win with something to spare. From before the straight the Martin McHale-owned gelding was going nicely for Ruby Walsh and the pair led before the last en route to a length and a half triumph over Seskinane.
“He’ll keep going for more of the same. He likes a trip and soft ground and could go to Gowran at the end of the month for a €50,000 three-mile handicap,” commented Mullins.
Earlier, Mullins struck with Coquin Mans who made it five wins from as many career starts in the amateur riders’ conditions race over a mile and three-quarters. After two victories over three miles as a hurdler, the five-year-old was trying his hand on the flat for the first time and he was the 1/4 favourite.
For a period in the straight the George Creighton-owned runner looked to be labouring to cut down Ask Susan. He responded to Patrick Mullins’ promptings to lead inside the distance though and he came away to score by two and a quarter lengths. The winner remains a thoroughly intriguing sort as it is impossible to know where the summit of his abilities lies.
“He has raced keenly over hurdles and that’s why he wears the hood but he raced very cold for Patrick today, maybe the hurdles just light him up,” remarked Mullins. “I had it in my head that he’d be going novice chasing but if I can find a suitable programme over hurdles for him we might leave chasing until next season.”
The Last Indian’s rise up the ranks continues unchecked as she made it three wins in a row in the Byrne Family Handicap over a mile. The 100/30 favourite found herself 31lbs higher in the weights as a result of wins at Tipperary and Navan but she dug out another success in gritty fashion. Pat Smullen was pushing her along in fourth on the approach to the straight but she responded with a steady effort that enabled her to overhaul the top-weight Ecoeye inside the distance. The Margaret Miley-owned four-year-old carried the day by three-parts of a length and there was a gap of eight lengths back to the third placed Intense Stylist.
“I was afraid of the ground but Pat (Smullen) twisted my arm to come here and he was 100% right,” commented Aidan Howard. “Jenny and the lads at home have done a great job keeping her fit and healthy as the family are a little quirky. She’ll go for another handicap and then she’ll go back hurdling.”
Highland Fling (9/2) was narrowly denied a Galway Festival win last month but compensation awaited in the Behans Horseshoe Bar & Restaurant Handicap over a mile and three-quarters. Gavin Cromwell’s capable dual-purpose runner stretched clear of his rivals nearing the last couple of furlongs and stuck to his task well for Rory Cleary to finish two and a half lengths ahead of Oiche Mhaith Boy.
“He travelled well and took me into the race easily and he handled that ground well, it was similar ground when he was touched off at Galway last month,” observed the rider.
John Murphy’s Brazos (9/2) looked a horse with a nice future as he progressed from an encouraging debut fourth at Tipperary two weeks previously to take the MAC Fuels & General Supplies Maiden. This mile and a half event contained a few interesting types but, from early in the straight, the field had thinned out to leave Brazos as the only threat to the front-running favourite Solo Saxophone. The last-named was unable to muster a response as Brazos drew upsides nearing the final furlong and the Thomas Keithley-owned gelding went on to score by three and a quarter lengths.
“The ground was a worry but we’re delighted with that. He’s come forward well from his first run at Tipperary,” declared Murphy’s son, George.
Patrick Prendergast and Ronan Whelan combined for their second winner of the week when Kupa River turned the mile maiden into a procession. The Anthony Rogers-owned son of Big Bad Bob came here off placed runs at Galway and Roscommon and was in a different league to these opponents. The front-running 9/4 chance stormed clear of the labouring pack from the turn in to finish nine lengths ahead of Free Ranger (3/1-13/8).
“His last run (third to Knowing You) came in a better race than this and the staff at home have done a great job with him as has the first time hood – he was on his nerves and did a bit too much on his first couple of runs,” reflected Prendergast. “Going left handed has really helped him and he’s probably just a horse growing up. I think he’ll be a better as a four-year-old.”
Une Lavandiere (11/4) got Noel Meade off the mark for the meeting with a battling success in the Kevin McManus Chase which enabled a long term plan to come to fruition. In the colours of Wexford-based owner Pat O’Loughlin who has attended this meeting for countless years, the Sean Flanagan-ridden mare mastered the front running Hand Of The King before the last fence. Une Lavandiere then got the last fence wrong but recovered on the run in to hold Red River Gold by half a length. The other 11/4 joint favourite, Exactoris was fifth but the second favourite, Ballela Boy, exited at the first.
“I’m delighted for Pat. He’s been coming here a long time and this was the plan,” stated Meade. “This mare isn’t the quickest and the ground helped to slow the others down. She’ll stick to mares’ races.”
ACTING STEWARDS
C. O’Mahony, M.J. Doyle, J.P. Barry, O. Kearney, L. Walsh
HORSE TO FOLLOW
DAVIDS CHARM (J.J. Walsh): He had gone up 32lbs in the weights for his last two wins and was dropping back in trip for the day’s feature but ran well to lose out by just a neck. This gelding’s progress is such that he could well have a future outside of handicaps.