THE father and son duo of Philip and Luke Dempsey took the honours in the Frank Hogan Mercedes-Benz Limerick Mares Maiden Hurdle at Limerick with Routes Choice, picking up a €5,000 NH fillies bonus for her first-time owner Louise Austin, a teacher in Dubai in the process.
The 7/2 chance headed market leader Midnight Theatre, who lost a front shoe, after three out and only had to be kept up to her work to hold the effort of Danali by three and three quarters of a length. Dempsey, snr. said: “The two mile five furlong trip suited her because she was caught flat-footed early on in Clonmel last time over two miles and didn’t travel there.
“We’ll keep her to mares’ races and there’s a winner’s race coming up in a month’s time.”
The Kieran Purcell-trained Oiche Mhaith Boy put his experience to good use when getting off the mark over obstacles in the Irish Wire Maiden Hurdle confined to four-year-olds.
It was the Alhaarth gelding’s first win and his handler, who owns the 10/11 favourite in partnership with Noreen O’Higgins from Newcastle, Co Down and Pat Clune from Ennis, commented: “In fairness to him he was due a turn.”
Runner-up to subsequent Grade 3 winner Newberry Boy on his latest outing at Gowran, Oiche Mhaith Boy was never too far away under Brian O’Connell. Taking over at the final flight he went on to score by three lengths from Noble Vision.
“He likes the ground (officially heavy) but is a smallish horse. He’ll go for a winners’ of one and we’ll see what that turns out like, but he did the job today.”
Claimer Shane Shortall enjoyed a welcome change of luck in the Signsplus 80-95 Handicap Hurdle when combining with Toomevara handler Stephen Ryan for an eased down nine-length success aboard Liclash.
The 11/1 shot carries the colours of Pallasgreen skip hire owner William Fitzgerald and had been off the track since November. Ryan said of his dual course winner: “He’s a fine horse but I was a bit worried about the ground.
“I was happy enough he’d go on soft ground, but it’s probably more extreme here today. He’ll go for something similar and we’ll keep him to hurdling for another run or two. I’m looking forward to him going over fences.”
Wexford raider Notwhatiam cut out a lot of the running for amateur Barry O’Neill in the Woodlands House Hotel Adare Maiden Hurdle to lift the spoils for trainer Richard Rath and his Enniscorthy patron Seamus O’Connor, whose late father Michael bred the 25/1 outsider.
The longshot overcame a slightly awkward jump at the last to defeat the odd-on favourite Inch Rise by a comfortable four and three-quarters of a length.
Notwhatiam was formerly in the care of John Murphy and Rath remarked: “I only have this horse two months and that’s his first run for me. I fancied him today and he’s a tough, hardy horse like Moylisha Tim. He might go handicapping now.”
Harry Kelly’s top-weight Edvardo, with Sean Flanagan in the saddle, made light of his burden in the McManus Bookmakers 80-95 Handicap Hurdle and was kept at full stretch to justify 13/8 favouritism by one and a half lengths from the long-time leader Mick The Jiver, who blundered badly at the penultimate hurdle.
Kelly has care of the six-year-old for Sandra Murphy and stated: “He’s still raw and green enough and was weak and immature last year. He’ll jump a fence in time.”
Twiss’s Hill brought up a closing race double for Kelly and Flanagan in the four-runner O’Kelly Brothers Demolition Novice Handicap Hurdle when left in the lead after the short-priced favourite Unic De Bersy exited the race at the fifth flight.
Fortunately his rider Bryan Cooper was unscathed but the hot-pot did the eventual 6/4 winner no favours in the incident. “She was lucky not to be brought down,” said Kelly of Eamonn Durack’s home-bred mare.
He concluded: “She won a point-to-point in Ballingarry last year and is very genuine. She’ll stay over hurdles and wants a good dig in the ground, so when it dries up that’ll be her finished.”
ACTING STEWARDS
J. Moloney, B. Murphy, J. Murphy, Mrs F. Ward, S. Quinn
HORSE TO FOLLOW
GIVE BATTLE (C. Byrnes): Caught the eye when running on to take third in the two mile maiden hurdle, an event that probably wasn’t the hottest contest. This represented a step up on his previous hurdle form and he may be best watched.
Stewards’ inquiry
The stewards held a running and riding inquiry into Give Battle in the first race and opted to note the explanations proffered after receiving a report from the Turf Club veterinary officer that the horse had a cut in his right nostril.