Guinness Kerry
National Handicap
Chase (Grade A)
A DISPLAY of real quality and assurance from Snow Falcon credited Noel Meade with his first win in one of the country’s biggest handicaps, but after making for pleasing and enjoyable viewing for the winner’s connections, the last 150 yards of the race and the ensuing stewards’ enquiry provided their share of anxious moments.
After looking sure to score from the turn-in, Snow Falcon began to idle after the last and he was strongly pressed by Saturnas inside the final 150 yards.
The Patricia Hunt-owned gelding drifted right late on and carried the runner-up with him which resulted what must have seemed an interminable few minutes for both Meade and jockey Jonathan Moore as a stewards’ enquiry was called.
However, the placings remained unchanged and the eight-year-old was assured of first place and the big prize that his talents have long merited.
A high-class novice chaser last season, Snow Falcon did especially well to finish fourth in the Galway Plate after making a bad early mistake. On this occasion though he produced an exemplary round of jumping to credit Moore with the most valuable success of his career, while providing his trainer with an initial success in one of the few major chases in Ireland to have thus far eluded his grasp.
From the outset of the race Snow Falcon (6/1) looked right at home and he measured his fences superbly and travelled well while never any worse than sixth.
Former winner Rogue Angel made a bold bid from the front and had most of his rivals at fell stretch from the fourth last, but the winner was still travelling notably well at this point and he strode on before the straight to move into a clear lead.
Snow Falcon was still nicely clear after the last but soon afterwards he began to idle while the oncoming Saturnas began to bear down menacingly. Moore was eventually forced to resort to the whip inside the last 100 yards and his mount gamely clung on by a neck, with four lengths back to Rogue Angel in third. Dell’ Arca did best of the English raiders in fourth.
“Everything went exactly to plan for him and I think he was just idling in front late on. The plan was to jump off handy and it all went as we hoped it would although he did probably find himself in front a bit early,” said Meade. “Since Galway the horse has been training really well and I think the slower ground today helped him. At Galway he just didn’t travel as well in the early stages on the quicker ground.
“It’s very hard luck on Sean (Flanagan, who fractured his leg last month) but Jonathan rides out for me five days a week and he’s my go-to jockey if we don’t have Sean. I think he’s a very good jockey and horses really do jump for him.”
As he looked to the future, Meade added: “The Munster National is worth plenty of money and that’s an option while I do think the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury (formerly the Hennessy) is a race that could suit him very well”.
For Moore this was the most lucrative victory of a career that has also yielded a Leopardstown Chase on Empire Of Dirt and a Charlie Hall Chase on Irish Cavalier.
“He jumped brilliantly for me and he learnt from his mistake at Galway,” stated the rider. “His jumping took him everywhere and when he winged the third last I let him go on shortly after that. I wasn’t too worried in the enquiry as he was only idling on the run in and I only took out my whip around 20 yards from the line. Even after the line the runner-up hadn’t got by me.”
REST OF THE CARD
THE card ended with a chilling fall for Richie Deegan and Doctor Duffy in the closing stages of the Listowel Vintners Association Flat Race which overshadowed the 40/1 success of Ray Hackett’s Nibblers Charm.
Deegan suffered a concussion in the incident, which came about after he and the Patrick Mullins-ridden Eileen O were involved in some scrimmaging with over a furlong to run, but the rider was able to walk to the ambulance.
However, the stewards were unable to come to a conclusion as they looked into the incident with Deegan unable to give evidence as a result of his fall. The matter was passed to the I.H.R.B. Referrals Committee.
After Doctor Duffy’s fall Eileen O was left duelling for the lead with Dancing In The Sky but neither of them could muster any response as the Eoin O’Brien-ridden Nibblers Charm surged home in the last furlong to score by three parts of a length.
“He’s been showing all the right signs at home and doing things right and he’s a strong stayer who’d be suited by going three miles. He’s a horse to go jumping with,” reported Ray Hackett who trains the winner for his father, Liam.
J.P. McManus and Joseph O’Brien yielded a fourth winner of the meeting as Air Supremacy took advantage of some drama in the Ballygarry House Hotel Novice Hurdle.
Getareason looked to be holding his odds-on stablemate Easy Game nearing the last flight at which point the Mark Walsh-ridden Air Supremacy appeared held in third.
It was all change at the final obstacle as Getareason made an error and Air Supremacy nipped through on the inner to past Easy Game and prevail by a length.
“It didn’t look like that was going to happen turning in but he battled away well for Mark and he jumped much better than he did when he won his maiden at Killarney. He’s progressing and he handled that ground well,” observed the owner’s racing manager, Frank Berry.
Mullins enjoyed a change of fortune as Quick Grabim made a pleasing comeback in the M.S.D. Animal Health Maiden Hurdle.
The six-year-old was running for the first time since December. The 11/10 favourite eased past the formerly top-class bumper horse Debuchet turning for home and Townend never had to get too animated for his mount to defeat Bakmaj by four and a quarter lengths. 
“He got injured when he last ran and he’s been off a long time but we were waiting for a maiden hurdle on nice ground and this was the race we went for,” remarked Mullins of the Geraldine Worcester-owned gelding.
“Paul said he took a blow down the back so he should improve from this and he will go down the novice hurdle route.”
RATTLED HOME
Donnacha O’Brien’s inexorable march towards a first century of winners continued as he produced Japan to pounce late in the Exchange Inn Ballybunion & Kevin’s Bar Listowel Irish EBF Maiden.
The Ballydoyle colt was a 1/2 favourite, he looked to be in trouble as he was being niggled along in fifth approaching the straight.
Japan still had plenty to do as he looked to close down the duelling pair of Aristocratic Man and Sacchoandvanzetti inside the last couple of furlongs.
The favourite got on terms with the leaders and got on top inside the last 50 yards to see off Aristocratic Man by three parts of a length.
“He was raw and green and it just took him a while to get the hang of things and he’s not used to a sharp track like that, but once I got him going he rattled home,” declared the jockey.
Pat Fahy notched up his second winner of the meeting as the in-foal Stormy Bellecontinued her excellent run of form in the Brandon Hotel Handicap over seven furlongs.
The four-year-old turned in a very willing effort under leading apprentice Ben Coen. In the colours of Fahy’s stalwart patron Pat Byrne, Stormy Belle (5/1) got on top before lasting home by a head from Band Of Outlaws.
“I was undecided where to go with her but various people pointed us in the direction of this race and Pat was keen to try and have a winner here,” commented Fahy.
“She’s in foal to Elzaam and we have until early October so she will stay going until then. In fairness to her, she’s really come good lately.”
WELL DESERVED
A well deserved first success finally came the way of Prosecution (6/1) in the Seamus Mulvaney Bookmaker Handicap.
Johnny Murtagh’s initial Listowel winner as a trainer had filled the runner-up spot on five of his eight outings this season.
Shane Kelly got the Paul McKeon-owned gelding maintained a clear advantage to finish one and three-quarter lengths ahead of Cosmic Symbol.
“He didn’t run well in Laytown last week but he loved it here today. He got a great ride from Shane and he enjoyed the ground too,” stated Murtagh. “Paul thought that he might be a horse to jumping with so that’s why we might do with him.
“We’ll have a few to go jumping with during the winter.
James Barrett’s two strong assault on the Listowel Arms Handicap yielded maximum dividends as Time Queen defeated her stablemate King Of Leinster.
The daughter of Camacho, who carries the colours Timmy Brosnan.
Gavin Ryan produced the strongly supported 9/4 favourite to lead at the furlong pole and kept on well to finish two lengths ahead of King Of Leinster.
ACTING STEWARDS
P. McLernon, M.J. Doyle,
J. McGuire, B.F. Murphy, P.D. Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW:
CHIAVARI (E. Holden): This French import did well to come from off the pace and finish third in the handicap won by Prosecution. She travelled notably well through the race, took a significant step forward from her Irish debut at Sligo last month, and appeals as a likely winner in the coming weeks.