CHARLES Byrnes and Davy Russell dominated proceedings at Roscommon on Tuesday night as the Ballingarry trainer landed a monster gamble at the midlands track.
There was a buzz about the course as it emerged that the yard’s three runners on the night had all come in for significant support in the morning prior to racing.
War Anthem was the first of the trio to go to post in the Paul Byron Shoes Maiden Hurdle having been punted from 16/1 into 2/1 early on. He eventually went to post a 6/1 shot after proving easier to back on course.
Davy Russell produced his mount to lead before the second last and he duly went on to record a three and a quarter length victory.
“The man’s a genius,” said Byrnes of the winning rider. “He travelled lovely and jumped well. Brilliant. He had been schooling well. We’ll tip away with him now.”
Mr Smith was next up in the following race, the first division of the JF Hanley Handicap Hurdle. A 12/1 shot in the morning, the gelding who also carried the colours of the Byrnsey Boys Syndicate, went to post the 7/4 favourite.
Similarly Russell produced him with a strong run to lead before the penultimate flight and he went on to record a four and a quarter length victory.
“They are going well. We’ve straightened up a bit after Galway as we were on our knees!” said Byrnes. “He (Davy) is a deadly man. He pushed his way through on the rail all the way down the back straight.”
Naturally, Top Of The Town was sent off a short price to complete the treble and returned the 5/4 favourite having also traded at 12/1 in the morning. Russell again launched his challenge three from home and soon hit the front. The Craigsteel gelding stayed on well in the closing stages to secure a five-length win for owner Josh Sheahan.
“After Galway we needed it. I did my brains in at Galway with Sea Light and Crystal Pearl,” said Byrnes.
“That’s my first treble. It’s just the way it happened. I wouldn’t say I planned it. I had a bunch of horses come into form and I put them in together. It was the last couple of weeks I was able to put it together. Long-term it would be impossible to plan.”
Martin Brassil was rewarding for his foresight in the opening Railway Bar 3YO Maiden Hurdle. The 14/1 shot Auld Brig enjoyed his switch to jumping as he took the first juvenile hurdle of the season under the trainer’s son, Conor. The Holy Roman Emperor gelding hit the lead between the last two flights and kept on well for a two and a quarter length victory.
“He showed me nothing on the flat and Conor said to me last January he would start schooling him and get him ready for the first three-year-old hurdle,” said Brassil.
“He has more hurdles jumped than you would care to count. He loves it and when he jumps one hurdle he’s looking for the next one. He had one nice run last year when third at Killarney. He maybe wants a trip on the flat – I don’t know.
Brassil continued: “He could possibly go to Listowel for the winners hurdles there. This can be a weak division early on.”
CUSACK WINNER
Patience was also rewarded with Lasoscar as he took the second division of the JF Hanley Handicap Hurdle for trainer Liam Cusack. The 9/1 shot came from last to first, under David Mullins, hitting the front before the second last to post a seven length win.
“He won well. He had a lovely run in Sligo,” Cusack said afterwards. “He can be a bit keen and needs to be dropped out. I felt with the two and a half miles here, and where they start, it would suit him and give him a chance to settle.
“I like this horse. He only came to me last September as an eight-year-old, never raced. I told the owner (Martin Kavanagh) to be patient with him and he’d win a handicap. We’ll keep him to that company and see how he progresses. David gave him a lovely ride.”
Hallmark bounced back, having been brought down on his jumping debut, to get off the mark in the Eurona BriskNet Maiden Hurdle. The Joseph O’Brien-trained 11/10 favourite came to challenge at the last, under Mark Walsh, and went on in the run-in to secure a cosy three and a quarter length victory.
“He got the job done anyway,” said Frank Berry, racing manager for owner JP McManus.
“He was running a nice race in Tipperary before he was brought down. He learned a bit from that experience and jumped away pretty well today. We’ll find a little handicap somewhere for him.”
John Nicholson introduced a nice sort in the bumper as Dan McGrue battled well to make a winning debut. The 20/1 shot was prominent throughout under James Slevin, and hit the front a furlong from home.
He came close with Grinditout in the closing stages and found more late on to secure the win by three-quarters of a length.
“He’s a horse that keeps finding a bit all the time at home. We had another to run here but he just kept pulling out a bit so we said we’d run him,” said Nicholson. “He doesn’t show a lot but he just keeps galloping. He was unsold at the August sales and I bought him after he went back home.
“I think a lot of him. He’s a good horse to jump and I thought about going point-to-pointing with him but I’m glad I didn’t now. He’s a beautiful horse with a great temperament.”
acting STEWARDS
T. McDonagh, Capt S.H. Walford, G. McCourt, J. O’Shaughnessy, P.D. Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW
DAN MCGRUE (J. Nicholson) He showed a nice attitude when winning the bumper and looks one to follow when going jumping.