GORDON Elliott saddled the top-weight De Plotting Shed to come out best under 7lb claimer Cian Collins in the He’llberemembered Hurdle at the first meeting of the new season at Thurles on Thursday.
The race is named after the horse who won the same contest three years in a row for trainer Paul Fahey.
Sent off the 13/8 favourite, the Ives Ashley Vasey Partnership’s six-year-old was never out of the first two and had the measure of his four rivals from two out, going on to beat Bentelimar by five lengths.
The trainer said: “He jumped and travelled very well and I thought it was a good performance, even though he was wrong at the weights.
“It was unfortunate what happened to Jack (Kennedy) on his first ride back (a fractured leg after a fall in the three-year-old hurdle), but it wasn’t his fault and Cian will get plenty of rides from us.
“This is a nice horse and I might keep him over hurdles this year for some of those conditions hurdles, rather than sending him chasing. I think he’ll be better on better ground.”
World Hurdle runner-up Alpha Des Obeaux, one of last season’s good staying hurdlers, made it second time lucky over fences for Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud when justifying 1/2 favouritism, with David Mullins in the saddle, by a snug length and a half margin from Round Tower.
The six-year-old’s trainer Mouse Morris commented: “It was satisfactory. He idled in front, but his jumping was perfect - I don’t think he put a foot wrong. He’ll go for a winners race somewhere and wants two and a half miles plus.”
Alpha Des Obeaux remains unchanged with both Boylesports at 7/1 and Paddy Power at 8/1 for the RSA Chase at Cheltenham.
Roger Loughran teamed up with Shouband’s evergreen Tallow handler John Morrison to capture the Thurles 0-109 Handicap Chase. The 6/1 winner went to the front before the last and had a little in hand at the finish in defeating Rockshandy by four lengths in the colours of his owner/breeder/trainer, with the favourite, Massini’s Adventure, back in sixth place.
Loughran remarked: “His Gowran run (when third Coolbane West) was nearly good enough to win and it was overdue because he’s been hitting the crossbar.
“He’s a bit hit and miss, and it was a case of which one would turn up and would he settle?”
The Joseph O’Brien-trained 7/2 chance Zig Zag got off the mark over jumps at the sixth attempt for the Annus Mirabilis Syndicate in an eventful running of the Devils Bit 3-Y-O Hurdle.
Jody McGarvey’s mount ranged up ominously in second to deliver his challenge on the approach to the last and headed the long-time leader Moorland in the latter stages for a three-quarter-length win.
The favourite Mega Fortune was an early casualty at the second flight, where the ill-fated Hint Of Frost also came to grief.
McGarvey said of Zig Zag: “It’s been a long time coming and we had a bit of luck on our side. I wanted to get a lead for as long as I could, because he’s a quirky old devil and he’s been the bridesmaid so often.”
Moorland’s jockey Rachael Blackmore went one better with the 3/1 favourite Summer Storm in the Premier County 80-102 Handicap Hurdle when pulling out that bit extra in a duel with Kansas Kind in the closing stages to wrest the verdict by a neck.
‘Shark’ Hanlon, who trains this four time winner for his partner Rachel O’Neill, commented: “That’s the best ride Rachael’s ever given one of mine and she’s improving all the time – she’s unreal. He’s a horse I bought cheap and I sold him this morning to a new syndicate from Athlone.
“They rang me as I was on the way here and I said to them: ‘He’ll win, but you can have him at the same price,’ so I got a bit of prize money for myself as well!”
For Sinead, from the Michael Winters yard, finally got her act together for her popular Killarney owner Donie Sheahan in the Leugh 80-95 Handicap Hurdle when grinding it out under Mark Walsh to register a short-head success over Cloudy Morning.
The Kanturk trainer exclaimed: “She’s very honest, but had a hard old time of it today. We needed the win to sweeten Donie up, because he has a few nice young horses coming on! She did it well and Mark gave her a peach of a ride. She’ll run again in a three-mile race at Wexford next Sunday, if she gets in.”
Kate Harrington gave her mother Jessica’s horse L’andana a strong drive to claim the Munster INH Flat Race by three-quarters of a length at the expense of Ken’s Well. Market leader Bensachuine could finish no closer than sixth.
Owned by the Soon To Be Named Syndicate, whose members come from Dublin and Kildare, the 7/2 winner was well-bought at the sales as a three-year-old by Mrs Harrington’s stable jockey Robbie Power.
Still out of action with an eye injury, Power reported: “He was very athletic and always worked nicely at home.
“I met the lads at a wedding in May and buying a winner means as much to me as riding one.”
ACTING STEWARDS
T.P. Rudd, A.J. Molloy, J. Murphy, R.M. Lanigan, P.D. Matthews.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
LIKE AN OPEN BOOK (John M. Burke): This newcomer was on the heels of the leaders in the bumper, only to lose his position at a vital stage. Whether he would have been closer than his finishing position of fourth is debatable, but with more experienced handling and the run under his belt, he may be capable of picking up a similar event.