EMMET Mullins and Paul Byrne might well have found their next major flagbearer in Corbetts Cross, who posted a smashing performance to edge out the highly regarded Found A Fifty in a thrilling Grade 2 Johnstown Novice Hurdle.
It was the two leading fancies who fought out an excellent finish to the race won by classy hurdlers Jason The Militant, Echoes In Rain and Flame Bearer in recent years, with the mount of Donagh Meyler prevailing by a head from the Gordon Elliott-trained and Jordan Gainford-ridden runner-up.
Dropping the winner back to an extended mile and seven furlongs on yielding ground had raised more than a few eyebrows, as Corbetts Cross had previously impressed when landing a handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse over three miles on soft to heavy going.
However, as is often the case, Byrne and Mullins’ judgement was proven right and the ex-Eugene O’Sullivan-trained six-year-old had more than enough pace to cope with the significant drop in distance.
Corbetts Cross’ only Cheltenham Festival entry is in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, for which the Gamut gelding was cut to 6/1 (from 8/1), but connections will consider supplementing for other possible targets.
Mullins said: “He’s just a very good horse, and that’s what we were told when we were getting him from Eugene. He could go anywhere, he might not even go to Cheltenham if the ground didn’t come up right but he’ll be given every option.
“I’d say this was a good race with two nice horses. It shows the quality of horse we’re dealing with, to be able to mix it over three miles last time and two miles on faster ground today. He’s a high-quality animal and it’s very exciting looking forward to the future.”
The 7/4 winner scored in a time of 3 minutes 40.3 seconds - significantly quicker than the maiden hurdle half an hour later that was run in 3 minutes 56.5 seconds.
Donagh at the double
It proved a good afternoon at the office for Meyler as he doubled up in the Spring Festival Trials At Naas Handicap Hurdle on 22/1 outsider Little Mixup for trainer Denis Hogan and owner Mark McDonagh.
Another hike in the weights is on the cards for the improving six-year-old by Shirocco, as he scored by five lengths off a mark of 110 - 16lb higher than his first winning mark at Limerick three starts ago.
Speaking after Little Mixup’s third success in four starts, Hogan said: “He’s improving away and relished the nice ground. Because he won on heavy, we thought that was what he wanted but he’s versatile. We’ll find something similar for him.”
REBEL Gold delivered another endorsement of Pat Foley’s training talents by landing the Grade 3 Newlands Chase with a gutsy effort to upset 1/2 favourite Coeur Sublime.
It marked an impressive fifth winner from his first 10 runners over jumps since the turn of the year for Foley, who has recorded his two biggest career successes with Rebel Gold this term. In January, he registered a Grade A win in the Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse.
Carrying the colours of Thomas Stanley, Michael O’Dowd, Ann Nolan and Richard Kennedy, the 10-year-old by Gold Well defied being 11lb wrong at the weights with Coeur Sublime to score by a neck under Denis O’Regan.
Foley said of the 5/2 winner: “I’m absolutely delighted with him. Denis was more impressed with him today than he was in the Dan Moore. The Grade 2 [Devenish Chase] at Fairyhouse in April is a realistic option for him now. I’d be happy to go there and then maybe let him off.The horse will tell us, he’s taking his races super but I do want to give him a little break after having a few runs in a short space of time.”
Bialystok shines
Another Naas winner potentially bound for the spring festivals is the Willie Mullins-trained Bialystok, who recorded his first Irish win in the Expert Air Farewell Antoinette Maiden Hurdle over an extended mile and seven furlongs.
Paul Townend, sporting the colours of Susannah Ricci, wasn’t to be denied with a daring ride, sneaking up the rail aboard the 2/1 joint-favourite to fend off a promising hurdles debut from runner-up Thecompanysergeant.
Mullins said: “It was a good tactical ride from Paul. As the ground gets better in the spring, this horse will find it easier to get that trip so there will be a nice race in him over hurdles. I’m looking forward to going back to the flat with him too. I got him from Jean-Claude Rouget and he was very sorry to lose him.”
GAVIN Cromwell is quickly closing in on his best seasonal tally ever and classy mare Limerick Lace made it winner number 51 for the current campaign with a victory in the Grade B Barberstown Castle Novice Handicap Chase.
J.P. McManus’ homebred six-year-old shouldered top-weight on her way to landing the €45,000 contest under talented 7lb claimer Aidan Kelly, scoring by two and a half lengths as the well-backed 5/6 favourite.
Cromwell is now just three shy of matching last season’s total of 54 winners (with approximately 150 fewer runners this term), while his best return for a campaign came in 2019/20 when ending up with a haul of 62 winners.
“She’s a fine, big mare and jumps well,” said Cromwell. “She needed Aidan’s 7lb claim to win, to be fair, and he gave her a smashing ride. It’s a nice pot to win. She always has those mares’ races as options. We’ll see how things go. Blacktype races are a possibility somewhere along the way - you’d imagine she’s good enough for that.”
Up and running
Cromwell was out of luck with market leader Pont Audemer in the opening Naas Racecourse Business Club Handicap Hurdle for four-year-olds as a strong finishing effort from Thetys was enough to provide Tony Martin with a deserved change of luck.
The Co Meath-based trainer had rattled the crossbar with six seconds since his previous winner a month earlier, but the Lannigans Ball Racing Syndicate-owned filly, sent off 11/2, quickened up nicely under Peter Carberry to open her account at the sixth attempt.
Martin said: “She had a great run two starts before this at Navan when she was fifth, and the fact it was her first start in a handicap probably caught her out at Christmas when she was fourth last time. She learned a lot from last time and did it well here.”
Stellar prospect
Leopardstown Christmas Festival winner Ile Atlantique was a hot favourite at 2/5 to follow up in the concluding Nursery Of Champions Bumper, but the Gigginstown House Stud-owned Stellar Story managed to raise his game to another level and provided Gordon Elliott with a fourth straight win in the race.
Sent off at 100/30, the mount of Harry Swan showed a tremendous attitude and defied trading as high as 39/1 on the in-running exchange betting to follow up his previous bumper success at Fairyhouse.
Gigginstown have now won six bumpers this season from just nine individual bumper horses.
Swan said: “He’s a really gutsy horse. I was a little bit worried about the ground but he seemed to like it - he’s a brilliant mover. He’s a lazy type and down the back I had to get after him a little bit, but all he does is stay. He’s a nice horse for the future.”