SADLY news emerged from the track’s penultimate meeting of the season that Adrian Maguire is on the cusp of relinquishing his training licence as he outlined the plight that faces both he and many of his contemporaries at present.
Some 15 years to the day after he had his last ride as a jockey, Maguire sent out Knockraha Pylon (15/8) to take the Irish Stallion Farms Mares Beginners Chase. The trainer, who has had the Munster National hero Golden Kite, the dual Grade 2 scorer Celestial Wave and the Grade 3 winner Let Yourself Go under his care, revealed that this could be one of his final winners.
“It’s getting tougher and tougher. I can’t make ends meet and it’s costing me money to train horses,” said Maguire. “I’ve no other choice (but to consider handing in his training licence). If something is costing you money you can’t keep doing it, I’ve five paying paying horses at the moment. It’s getting tougher and I know I’m not the only one but that’s the way it is with me.”
For her part, Knockraha Pylon was making a successful return to chasing having been in good form over hurdles. The 15/8 favourite produced an assured display under Paul Townend and quickly stamped her authority on the race when brushing aside Monbeg Rose after the second last. The daughter of King’s Theatre crossed the line six and a half lengths clear of Blazing West.
“If things worked out for her she was going to be there with every chance,” reflected Maguire whose charge carries the colours of the late Michael O’Donoghue. “There is a listed chase back here towards the end of the month and we might have a look at that next.”
The best performance of the day came in the bumper where the Emmet Mullins newcomer As Your Were (4/1) dominated his rivals. The five-year-old son of Azamour travelled nicely and then came with a strong challenge shortly after the turn-in which which saw him shoot clear.
Throughout the last furlong and a half he extended his margin of superiority to come home 16 lengths ahead of Judgement Day. This success ensured that Patrick Mullins and Jamie Codd head into the weekend tied at the head of the amateur riders’ championship.
“He’s a lovely big horse and there’s a fair engine in there. I’m sure Patrick would like to head for a winners’ bumper with him,” commented Mullins of the Frank Doyle-owned gelding.
AINTREE PREP
The Grand National hopeful Raz De Maree warmed up for a trip to Aintree with a fine second to the Andrew Ring-ridden Diamond Cauchois (12/1) in the near three-mile handicap hurdle. The winner, who was giving owner-trainer Sue Bramall her first winner for 11 months, subdued Raz De Maree nearing the last to prevail by half a dozen lengths.
“He’s been running in better class races recently and he just doesn’t have the pace to go with them and get disheartened. Today he was down in class and had his ground,” remarked Ring.
Earlier, Aint Dunne Yet outclassed his rivals in the two-mile maiden hurdle. Noel Meade’s charge, who is out of a half-sister to the top chaser Merry Gale, had shown promise in each of his three previous runs and a drop back to the minimum distance was ideal for the well backed 7/4 favourite.
In the colours of his breeder Noel O’Brien, a nephew of the late Vincent O’Brien, Aint Dunne Yet led coming away from the second last and he shrugged off a final flight error to increase his margin of superiority all the way to the line. The six-year-old finished 13 lengths ahead of Three Kings.
“Noel (O’Brien) has been saying to me for a while to bring him back to two miles as the family doesn’t stay and I’d say coming back in trip has been a big help to him. He’s really a chaser for next season,” remarked Noel Meade.
The consistent Ask Susan (10/1) got her turn in the INH Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle. This near three-mile event looked to be at the mercy of the front-running favourite Freeway Space when she crashed out at the third last. Her exit left Magic Of Light in front but that one was unable to contain the Mark Enright-ridden winner who asserted from the last to come four lengths clear.
“There’s a three-mile race for her back here later in the month and she will go for that next. We might then leave her off. It’s been a long time (22 years) since we last had a winner here,” reported owner-trained John Nicholson.
A game Boher Call (4/1) notched up the fourth success of his career and his first in 14 months in the two and a quarter-mile rated chase. The Paul Flynn-trained nine-year-old helped to force the pace from the outset under Barry Browne and turned in a typically good round of jumping. From the turn into the straight, the Cyril Kiernan-owned gelding pulled out plenty to deal with the favourite Knockraha Boss who went down by three and three-quarter lengths.
POWERFUL TRIP
“The conditions of the race suited him well and the trip was perfect too as he’s not quick enough for two miles and two and a half is too far for him,” declared Flynn. “He’s had a wind operation and that has defnitely helped him today. We might give him a break and then look at the likes of Ballinrobe with him.”
Just 19 days after suffering fractured ribs and a bruised kidney in a fall at Gowran Park, jockey J.J. Slevin marked his first day back from injury with a winner as Coole Craft (12/1) landed the 80-95 rated two-mile handicap hurdle. The experienced 15-race maiden opened up a useful lead in between the last two flights before a three-quarter-length defeat of the staying-on The Church Gate. Johnny Fogarty trains the eight-year-old for his breeder, Donal Doyle.
On his last start Coole Craft’s jockey reported to the trainer that the horse hung badly and the following morning he was found to be very lame on his near fore shoulder. After looking into the improvement in form of the winner the stewards referred the matter on to the Turf Club. This was owing to their opinion that Rule 213, which governs the reporting in the first instance of anything which might have affected the running of a horse in a race, had not been complied with.
ACTING STEWARDS
T. Rudd, N.P. Lambert
Mrs. J.O. Onions
P.D. Matthews
Horse To Follow
TIKKEN AWAY (T. Mullins): On his first start over hurdles, this gelding put in some reasonable late work to finish fifth in the maiden won by Aint Dunne Yet. He should be able to improve again.