CHAMPION elect Davy Russell treated his legion of fans to an opening race double at Tramore through Decision Time and Gigginstown’s Monatomic, 24 hours on from his Grand National triumph aboard Monatomic’s stable-mate Tiger Roll.
Coincidentally, Liam Gleeson’s Decision Time is trained by John Kiely whose Carlingford Lough also ran in the Randox Health-sponsored event and was pulled up after the final obstacle. “I was very happy with him,” said the trainer. “He jumped all the fences but finished very tired.
“He trotted up perfectly this morning and we’ll sit on it for a week and see how he is before deciding about Punchestown.”
Decision Time, who had failed to shine since winning a flat maiden at Fairyhouse in October, returned to winning ways in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle. Making her move to join issue with the front-running Kiera Royale two out, she was driven out from the last to justify 13/8 favouritism by three-quarters of a length from Beliou Le Fume.
The Gleeson family from Ardmore have had a long association with Kiely who commented: “They’ve always been great supporters of mine and also Tramore and she’s a nice mare who probably would like better ground.”
Russell followed-up on Gordon Elliott’s 9/2 chance Monatonic, who led at the second last and had sufficient left in the tank to contain the three-way challenge of Kingsteel, Touch Base and Kellyiscool by two short-heads and half a length in the Family Fun Afternoon Maiden Hurdle. Market leader Aherlow trailed in fifth.
The jockey stated: “I was a winner everywhere, but the line was my most worrying point. He just lugged out a little bit, but I’d say he was watching the horse on his outside (Kellyiscool who veered across to the near side). It’s grand to get a win for him as he has been struggling.”
Templemore handler Billy Harney is another man with fond memories of the Grand National at Aintree, having sent out Monanore to finish third in the race in 1988 and sixth and eighth in other years, and his gallant veteran Joxer rolled back the years in the 0-109 handicap chase to upset the favourite Mindsmadeup by nine lengths at odds of 12/1.
HAT-TRICK
The 11-year-old was kept up to his work by Ryan Treacy to score for the third time, after which his trainer commented: “He’s in semi-retirement, having fractured his cannon bone and ‘done’ two tendons, so this is a bonus. There might be a race in Killarney for him.”
High Nellie, with regular partner Cathal Landers in the saddle, landed a touch (8/1 to 5/1) for her owner/breeder and trainer Michael Bowe in the Waterford & Tramore Racecourse Annual Members Chase when following up her Cork win with an all-the-way four and a quarter-length success over All Hell Let Loose.
MISTAKE
A series of mistakes cost the favourite, Pylonthepressure, his chance and he was pulled up before four out, subsequently reported not to have travelled or jumped.
Bowe has been amazed by High Nellie’s rate of improvement in recent weeks and said: “She’s actually improving faster than I can keep up with and, since her Cork win, she’s enjoying life and has taken to fences like a duck to water.
“What amazes me is how she copes with the ground after winning her maiden hurdle in Wexford on firm ground, and Cathal rode her brilliantly. We might have a look at Punchestown for her.”
Course specialist Glendine River, the only horse her Dungarvan owner/breeder/trainer Dermot O’Brien has in training, certainly knows her way around Tramore and overcame a five-month plus absence to notch up her fourth course win in the 80-109 handicap hurdle.
The 12/1 shot stayed-on late for Donie McInerney to get on top in the closing stages for a half-length win over Carrigready, with a further six lengths back to the favourite, Cappuccino Man, in third.
O’Brien admitted: “She’s just a Tramore specialist who just stayed at it. She goes on any type of ground and we’ll keep her going for the summer and probably try her over fences later on.”
BOOST
Just Get Cracking is another horse you could set your watch by at this seaside venue and he gave James Dullea’s Bandon yard a boost with his one-length defeat of market leader Luckyinmilan in the handicap chase.
The Philip Enright-ridden 7/1 shot was delivering his challenge in second when making a hash of the final obstacle, prompting his trainer to say: “He jumped well, bar the last just to give us a fright which he likes to do! He hadn’t run for a while, but we were happy enough that we had him ready and that he’d handle the track and the ground.”
Just Get Cracking, jointly owned by Sean O’Connor and West Cork country and western singer Catriona O’Donovan, is another four-time winner at Tramore and Dullea reflected: “We haven’t had a winner since the autumn and it’s great to get it. We might have a look at something in Punchestown.
“He ran in a Grade B there last year and he might go back for that, depending on the ground. It’s been a long winter with this weather and not having a winner – we ran three in Mallow over Easter and two of them pulled up and the other one was well-beaten.
“The whispers were out that my horses were wrong, but they just couldn’t handle the ground and we just had to wait our turn.”
BUMPERS
Mag Mullins has an enviable strike rate in bumpers and saddled Augusta Gold to make a winning debut under her nephew Patrick Mullins in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares (Pro/Am) Flat Race. Sent off the evens-favourite, the five-year-old, from the family of 10-time scorer Farmer Jack, is owned in partnership by Kieran Leavy, Fergus Healy, Lorcan Cribbin and their trainer and she hacked up by a six-length margin from Late Again.
Mullins remarked: “She’s a lovely mare and I like her a lot. She’s a real chasing mare who jumps well.”
Acting Stewards
E. Halley, M. Murphy, D. Brophy, P. Coveney, P.D, Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW:
KELLYISCOOL (R.P. Burns): This newcomer had every chance of taking a hand in the finish until forfeiting valuable ground by veering across towards the stands rail, but still finished fourth. He can be expected to be sharper next time.