REST OF THE CARD

SHANAHAN’S Turn delivered on the considerable promise of his successful debut over fences here last month as he claimed an intriguing Dobbins Outdoor Catering Florida Pearl Novice Chase to set himself up for a crack at the highest level.

This two and three-quarter miles Grade 2 also featured last year’s Cheltenham Festival hero Very Wood but he was in trouble after making mistakes at the fifth and fourth last and eventually pulled up early in the straight.

At this point, Jonathan Burke produced Shanahan’s Turn with his bid and the Alan and Ann Potts-owned six-year-old took over in front before the second last. The 11/4 chance was a little ponderous at the final fence and this allowed the chasing Indevan to close in but Burke’s mount picked up smartly on the run in to draw on and prevail by four and three-quarter lengths.

“For a staying horse he has a real turn of foot. He jumped well and got a super ride from Jonathan and the dream is still alive,” reflected de Bromhead. “I was a little worried that this was coming up soon after his last run and we were moving up in trip on much softer ground but he coped with it. I wanted to get most of my business done with him up to Christmas where we’ll consider the Grade 1 Fort Leney Novice Chase at Leopardstown and then we can look at Cheltenham.”

Noel Meade’s Chancol (3/1) made it two wins from as many starts over fences in somewhat attritional Grade 2 Madigans Bars Craddockstown Novice Chase where only three of the six runners completed. It was only late on that the J.P. McManus-owned winner got the better of the free-wheeling Un Beau Roman but Paul Carberry never got too serious with the winner and it will be intriguing to see how Chancol fares when upped in grade.

With Un Beau Roman setting a brisk pace and opening up a decent lead, the challengers fell by the wayside in behind with the favourite Alelchi Inois making a race ending mistake at the sixth.

Azorian was already struggling badly when pulled up three out and, at that fence, Sizing Granite exited when beaten. At this stage a game Un Beau Roman continued to hold a useful lead but this was steadily eroded by Chancol who eventually prevailed by three lengths.

“He’s a very big horse and still very light so I think he should improve as he fills out,” reflected Meade. “We’ll try and keep the weight on him so he certainly wouldn’t run before Christmas and we’ll see whether he runs then. He’s such an athletic horse that jumping fences is a big help to him.”

Bordini looked a bumper horse of real quality by taking the Dick Grainer Memorial (Pro/Am) Flat Race to complete a double for Willie Mullins. The Susannah Ricci-owned son of Martaline, who was placed on his sole point-to-point start last season, was sent off the 11/8 favourite to account for a field that included a very well-backed newcomer in Falcon Crest. The latter and Bordini were both going easily heading into the last two furlongs but Patrick Mullins only needed to shake up his mount to assert and the pair had a comfortable two and three-quarter lengths to spare at the finish.

“He did that nicely and on that performance I think he will stay in bumpers and go for a winners’ race around Christmas time,” declared Mullins. “He had a couple of well regarded sorts behind him there and I was happy with his home work coming into this.”

Dual bumper winner No More Heroes enjoyed a leisurely success in the INH Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle and he will surely make up into a staying novice of some substance this term.

Bryan Cooper made all the running on the 2/11 favourite who enjoyed a thoroughly straight forward time of things throughout this two and three-quarter miles event. The Gigginstown House Stud-owned runner never came off the bridle and had any amount to spare in beating Mells Theatre by eight and a half lengths.

“He’s a grand big horse and he’d have no problem with three miles. The owner will have plenty of novices to split up so we’ll see where he goes next but he’s a nice horse,” commented Elliott.

On his first outing since March, Pairofbrowneyes produced a nice display to claim the two-mile handicap hurdle for Liz Doyle and Mikey Fogarty. The 7/1 chance was having only his third run over hurdles and could just be a horse to stay on the right side of this winter. The Luso gelding led before the last flight and he produced a better jump there than the chasing Pivot Bridge who lost valuable momentum with an awkward leap. On the run-in Pairofbrowneyes was always holding his rival and a length and a quarter separated the pair at the finish.

“I thought he’d win and I felt he was my best chance of the weekend,” commented the winning trainer whose charge is owned by the Cork-based Fibbage Syndicate. “When he last ran (fourth to Sammy Black) he just didn’t get home having looked a winner until after the last. He’ll go for something nice over Christmas and he’s a lovely horse who is going to be progressive. It’s just taken the trainer a while to figure out his best trip!”

The Charles Byrnes-trained Lite Duties landed quite a gamble in the two and three-quarter miles handicap hurdle where he was returned at 11/4 having been as big as 10/1 in the morning. The Eamon Casey-owned and Davy Russell-ridden gelding jumped the last in unison with three other rivals but was much the strongest on the run in as he pulled away to prevail by four and a half lengths.

“He’ll tip away in handicaps and he would have been closer at Cork last time (eighth to Burning Issues) but for a horse falling in front of him,” commented Byrnes.

Race reports

AZORIAN was reported to have made a respiratory noise in running when pulling up in the novice chase won by Chancol.

Very Wood’s jockey Bryan Cooper reported that the horse stopped travelling from before halfway in the race won by Shanahan’s Turn and, in the same race, Lots Of Memories was found to have burst a blood vessel.

Acting Stewards

Mrs J.O. Onions, Ms. M. O’Connor, T. Hunt, J. Gaisford St Lawrence, P.D. Matthews

Horse To Follow

BORDINI (W.P. Mullins): This son of Martaline is hardly an original choice following his victory in the bumper but the manner of his win suggests that more high profile wins are on the cards.