LAST Thursday’s Clonmel Oil Chase runner-up Alpha Des Obeaux won his first race since joining Gordon Elliott from Mouse Morris this season. The winner jumped with zeal at the head of affairs under Davy Russell in the Listed Boomerang Animal Bedding And Boomerang Horse & Country Store Chase.
Gigginstown’s three-time chase winner was never headed in accounting for the same owner’s Valseur Lido by one and a quarter lengths. The 4/9 favourite was being niggled off the last bend and all three runners were off the bridle between the last two but Russell took a fresh hold of his mount at the final obstacle and the French-bred responded generously to take the spoils.
Russell said: “He’s a marvellous horse and a credit to everyone. It was a lovely opportunity for him to get his head back in front. He still has a lot of rungs on the ladder to climb from where he was but that might help him on the way. He jumped well today.”
Commandant, having his first outing for Joseph O’Brien’s yard, sealed a double for Michael O’Leary’s stud in the Racecourse Bookmakers 80-95 Handicap Hurdle. Sent off at a price of 9/2, the five-year-old challenged the favourite and top-weight Lleyton on the run to the last and touched down in front for Rachael Blackmore, going on to prevail by seven lengths.
O’Brien remarked: “He’s a nice big good looking horse in a low grade (race). The better ground today (officially good to firm, good in places) suited him, compared with what he had been running on.
“He’ll jump a fence, for sure and I guess he’ll be better when he jumps a fence. He has a tendency to be a bit keen but he settled well today and Rachael gave him a great ride. He’s in here again next Thursday.”
WINNERS
Gordon Elliott and Davy Russell had earlier initiated their own brace of winners courtesy of Mrs Lovett in the opening Go Racing At Thurles Mares Beginners Chase, a race that cut up to just four runners and that was reduced to three with the second fence exit of Famous Day.
Racing in second behind the pace-setting Indian Music, the 2/5 favourite jumped on at the penultimate flight and was chased home by Kilbarry Calling in running out an easy three-length winner in the Footpad colours of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.
Russell commented: “She jumped well and did everything right. It’s grand to get that out of the way.”
The Willie Mullins-trained Irish Lass became the third good thing on the bounce to oblige when coming good for Ruby Walsh in the INH Stallion Owners EBF Rated Novice Hurdle.
Dispatched as the 5/2 joint-favourite with Ozzie’s Way, the English-based Bowes Lodge Stables Partnership’s three-time winner headed Ozzie’s Way before the final flight and put the race to bend in a matter of strides to record a three-length win.
Walsh said: “The step-up in trip suited her. The extra six furlongs were a big help to her and she got to jump and travel today.”
COMPENSATION
Shane Mulcahy, who was aboard the runner-up there, gained compensation with Fleury Fort’s surprise 16/1 victory in the Hill Fabrication 80-116 Handicap Hurdle. Carrying the colours of Margaret Marshall from Birr, the homebred Robin Des Pres gelding was having his last run before going home for the winter but earned a reprieve when coming from off the pace to nail it close home by half a length from Authorative.
Local trainer Leslie Young has care of this six-time scorer and he could be tempted to go to the well once more, commenting: “We might get another spin out of him. Not many horses win six races but we had to get him mentally right.
“He was very tricky all along but when he’s right, he’s not too bad!”
Miss Chievous Girl was a leading fancy for the Sportsmens Mares Maiden Hurdle but the odds-on favourite was not making much impression on the leading pair of Baltygirl and Court Adjourned on the run on the last where Baltygirl took a false step after the hurdle, handing the advantage to Court Adjourned who went on to collect by three-quarters of a length, with the jolly back in third.
Dermot McLoughlin trains the 3/1 winner for Sean Gallagher and reasoned: “It’s been a while coming. She’s tough and she’s genuine and has been knocking at the door.
“She won a point-to-point and has been on the go for a while, so I might give her a break but she’s a big strong mare and she has a nice little mark over fences, too, so she might stay going while the ground is lively.”
Willie Mullins, who was in London attending the Sir Peter O’Sullevan awards lunch, rounded off the day with an unchallenged success for Cathal Hughes’s even-money favourite Westport Lady who made every yard under the trainer’s son Patrick and stretched clear to win as she pleased by 15 lengths in the absence of the paper favourite Osmotic.
Hughes is a new patron to the Closutton yard and the Wesport businessman, whose company Portwest is a safety and workwear manufacturer, recently bought Westport House.
Patrick Mullins admitted: “We didn’t think we’d have to wait this long for her to win a bumper.
“We think she’s a mare with a bit of ability but she broke her wither last year when she reared over.
“It doesn’t seem to have left any ill-effect and it’s great when a new owner has a winner. She has a strong pedigree, so she’ll make a nice broodmare afterwards.”
Acting Stewards
J. Murphy, A.J. Molloy, P. McLernon, R. Mahon, H. Hynes.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
BALTYGIRL (M.J. Tynan) In front from the start of the mares’ maiden hurdle, this racecourse debutante looked to have a bit left in the tank when losing her footing after the last and dropping back to second. She could pick up a race over a trip.