MONKSLAND, who finished third in the John Shortt Legends charity race at Punchestown on his first outing since the Coral Cup at Cheltenham, was well-treated by the conditions of the featured He’llberemembered Hurdle at Thurles and showed his rivals a clean pair of heels to come out on top for the in-form partnership of Noel Meade and Sean Flanagan.
Sent off the 8/11 favourite, Patricia Hunt’s Beneficial gelding had the leader Polar Present in his sights off the last bend and took command just before the last hurdle. Polar Present stuck with him, but the 10-year-old winner was driven out from there to claim the spoils by half a length.
Meade said: “The ground was a bit quick for him, because he’s had plenty of problems over the years and just needs it soft.
“Polar Present made it a stamina test and our lad does stay three miles.
“He’s been around for a while and you couldn’t say he’s the horse he was, so he’ll probably stay over hurdles. At some stage we might try him over fences again in one of those big chases – last year I toyed with the idea of running him in the Irish National, but every race is a bonus and I’ll just try and keep him sound.”
FLANAGAN DOUBLE
Flanagan doubled-up when La Bella Vida, from the Liz Doyle yard, opened her account over fences at the second attempt in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase.
Jointly owned by the husband and wife team of Sheila and Pat Martin from Wexford the 11/4 winner led on the sweeping run to the third from home and was one and a quarter lengths too good for the favourite, Magic Of Light, at the line.
The five-year-old Westerner mare was a bargain purchase at Goresbridge and her trainer observed: “She got a beautiful ride from Sean who was the winning of the race. She jumped beautifully and will tip away over fences for the time being. She’s a good ground mare, more of a summer type and in the calendar year, she’s won three races for us – not bad for a mare who only cost €500 or €600 as a foal.”
Doyle followed up with a slightly unexpected victory for Gran Geste who made a successful debut in the Munster INH Flat Race, despite “doing everything wrong,” in the words of her trainer.
Finny Maguire’s mount was kept at full stretch to ‘mow’ down Boot Camp close home for a three-quarter-length win.
The 13/2 shot, owned in partnership by Tom Murphy and Doyle’s mother Avril, is a four-year-old son of the French champion sire Poliglote and this was what attracted the Wexford handler to Gran Geste when she saw him going through the ring at Deauville last year after doing his breeze.
She subsequently discovered that he had only been broken two weeks earlier, so it was no surprise to see him ‘plant’ himself, but she took a chance on him and fancied him to run well here. She said: “He was as raw as you like and has a lot to learn still, but he has an engine.”
EVENTFUL CONTEST
Close Shave’s owner J.P. McManus was on hand to see his 5/4 chance prevail by three-quarters of a length under Barry Geraghty in an eventful www.Thurlesraces.ie Beginners Chase.
Carrig Cathal headed the betting, but his supporters got very little run for their money as he blundered and unseated his rider at the first fence.
The Jessica Harrington-trained winner was always prominent and mastered Adimelo in the closing stages. His trainer commented: “Barry more or less avoided all the trouble and he stays and is bred for the game. The step up in trip helped him.”
The Willie Mullins/ Ruby Walsh alliance rarely leave the venue empty-handed and struck in the Thurles Mares Maiden Hurdle with the 4/9 favourite Glens Harmony who led from start to finish in the colours of her Co Down owner/breeder Fiona McStay.
Tara Dylan was challenging in second when blundering at the penultimate flight, almost sending her rider out the side door, but there was no catching hurdling debutante Glens Harmony who had her measure by four and three-quarter lengths.
The King’s Theatre mare was last seen filling the runner-up spot behind her stable-mate Ainsi Va La Vie in a listed bumper at Gowran Park and Mullins observed: “She’s been very promising in bumpers and we were hoping she’d transfer that ability to hurdle races. It looks as if she has and I’ll keep her to mares’ novice hurdles.
“She was very green and, with so little jumping experience and having to make her own running, she can only improve and there’s lots of improvement in her.”
Turasoir, an 8/1 chance with amateur Paul Cawley in the saddle, came out best in a tight three-way finish to the Leugh 80-95 Handicap Hurdle when pouncing late to shade it by a nose from Mac Cennetig, with Marino Marvel the same distance away in third.
Joint favourites Fairymount Boy and West Light finished down the field, but never travelled, according to their riders.
The winner is owned and trained locally by John Nicholson who said: “I bought her last year from Pat Tallis in Freshford, so I owe him a few pound now! She has a good pedigree and always runs her heart out.
“We’ve had a lot of fun with her and I’ll keep her on the go during the winter. She loves coming from behind and she’ll mix it on the flat and over hurdles.”
Vincent Halley sent out the Andrew Lynch-ridden Carrigready to cause a 14/1 upset in the Premier County 80-102 Handicap Hurdle in first-time cheekpieces, the net result being a four and a half-length defeat of Cher Why Not.
The trainer’s father Lar, the successful owner of the half-brother to Mr Picotee, commented: “He was a slow learner, like myself! He wants a trip, but has always run very well.”
One-day ban
CREZIC’S rider Anthony Fox was banned for one race day for weighing in 1.5lbs overweight in the bumper.
ACTING STEWARDS
T.P. Rudd, P. McLernon, S. McDonogh, P.D. Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW
CREZIC (G. Elliott): Despite being almost left at the start of the bumper and trailing the field, he made up a lot of ground to finish a creditable fifth on his racecourse debut. That experience should stand him in good stead for the future.