SHARK Hanlon’s horses have shown signs of returning to form in the past couple of weeks and an opening race double for Rachael Blackmore at Thurles on Monday, through market leaders Mighty Stowaway and Whatsinthecorner, was confirmation of the Fenniscourt stable’s revival.
The 8/11 favourite Mighty Stowaway kick-started proceedings in the Munster Beginners Chase when responding to Blackmore’s urgings, after being ridden along after three out, to head Punches Cross at the final obstacle for a three-and-a-half-length success in the emerald green and mauve halved colours of Annette Mee.
The 122-rated seven-year-old was winning his first race, and Hanlon reflected: “The ground was too quick for him and the trip too short, so that was against him. I’ll step him up in trip now to two miles six on heavy ground and Rachael gave him some ride.
“I’ll leave him until Christmas where, more than likely, he’ll go for a novice. My horses haven’t been 100% all year, so it’s great that they’re coming back. I had a winner at Naas on Saturday and we’ve had three point-to-point winners and a second, so they’re running well.”
CONSISTENT
The same trainer and jockey duo kept punters in the money when completing a quick-fire double in the Thurles 0-109 Handicap Chase via 5/2 favourite Whatsinthecorner who was switched to challenge the front-running Seskin Flyer at the last, going on to score by a three-length margin.
The Windsor Knot gelding is owned by T.J. McDonald from Naas, and Hanlon, who is down on numbers to about 14 horses for the track this season – the remainder being pointers – said: “Rachael gave him some ride again and he deserved that – he’s been consistent. He’ll go handicap chasing and should pick up one over hurdles.”
Summerhill-based David Broad, whose last winner was at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day, came in from the cold with a win for 8/1 chance Jimmy Rabbitte in the Cashel Maiden Hurdle. Four horses were in with chances coming down to the final flight but Broad’s charge was travelling marginally the better under Denis O’Regan on the near side and came out best in a driving finish by a head from Western Honour, with the favourite, Leave Your Mark, a neck back in third.
Jimmy Rabbitte, who carries the colours of the trainer’s father Albert but is a family horse, co-owned by the trainer’s partner Rozalyn and their three children Oliver, Hannah and Kate, ran in a handicap at Fairyhouse last week.
Broad said: “It wasn’t the plan to come here but when I saw there were only 12 entries and he was fresh and well after last week, we said we’d take a chance.
“I would have been disappointed if he hadn’t been in the first three and we’ll up him in trip, freshen him up and have a bit of fun with him.”
Like many of his contemporaries, the trainer has less ammunition these days. “I’m way down on numbers – things just dried up but I have a few young horses and point-to-pointers and you have to keep going,” he said.
DECISIVE WIN
A winner for popular Kanturk handler Mick Winters is always guaranteed to create a buzz and he was mobbed by well-wishers following the decisive success of the even-money favourite Fintown Boy in the Templemore 80-95 Handicap Hurdle.
Despite Brian Hayes’s mount meeting the last on a long stride, the result went their way by a four-and-a-half-length margin from Lleyton. Richard Stack’s scorer is on a roll, and Winters said: “Brian is a great horseman and winners give everybody confidence.
“He’s a big strong horse and the owner is anxious to let him off for the winter but I hopped up on him yesterday morning and he seemed to be on top of the world, so he might stay going.”
There was plenty of support for the Pat Flynn-trained Jake Peter in the www.thurlesraces.ie Maiden Hurdle and Jody McGarvey gave the 5/2 favourite a confident steer to do the business by one and a half lengths from the long-time leader Yarraman.
The winner, owned and bred by Frank McNulty, is out of his good mare Kate Emily, and the Waterford trainer said: “It’s great for everybody and he’ll definitely go for a handicap now. I might try him once on heavy ground and then give him a break but I still like to think I’ll go to Dundalk with him.”
PROGRESSIVE
Charles O’Brien’s progressive mare Rain In Spain had her 4lb penalty for winning over the same course for the Just An Excuse Syndicate the previous Thursday offset by Ricky Doyle’s 5lb claim and the partnership mastered Toosey close home in the Urlingford 80-102 Handicap Hurdle to register a neck victory.
Doyle enthused: “She jumped and travelled super and you wouldn’t think she’d had a race at all.
“The quicker the ground (officially good, good to firm in places), the better she is and she fought hard to the line.
“I won on her in Clonmel and Charles said he’d give her a few quick runs before the ground went but here we are two months later and she’s still winning. She’s a good fun horse and she’ll be a fun horse again next year.”
Miss Shoe City was a warm order for the Go Racing At Thurles Racecourse INH Flat Race, only to be accidentally ‘knocked down’ out of her stride by Kilbeg Bernie turning out of the back.
As a result, she had to settle for the fourth spot behind the all-the-way Derek O’Connor-ridden 4/1 shot Pakens Rock who kept up the gallop to win in good style by six and a half lengths from Extrapolate.
Barry Murphy trains the five-year-old in Clarinbridge under a restricted licence for Ray Healy from Loughrea and was a happy camper afterwards. When asked about future plans, he responded: “We’ll celebrate first!”
“He did that well and we’ll take our time and see how the form pans out. He’s improved with every run so far but he’s nearly due a short break.”
ACTING STEWARDS
J. Murphy, M. O’Driscoll, J.O. Onions, J. Powell,
H. Hynes.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
TOOSEY (G. Cromwell): Seemed to enjoy the switch back to hurdling after a couple of runs over fences. Judged on that performance, this natural front-runner looks well capable of making the break through over obstacles in the near future.