ANOTHER crack at the Galway Plate looks the likely option for Alelchi Inois as the proven good ground performer relished the prevailing conditions to claim the Bet In Play With The Ladbrokes App Chase and set up a treble for Willie Mullins.
The Willie Mullins runner, who finished sixth in the 2015 Plate (just a head behind Tuesday’s Ballinrobe scorer Shanpallas), turned out in fine fettle for his first outing for seven months.
With four of the seven runners in this two and three-quarter miles contest holding ratings of 145 or higher this looked a useful race and Alelchi Inois was right at home on ground that changed to good, good to firm in places after the second race.
As he looked to make it six wins from 12 starts over fences, the Luke McMahon-owned eight-year-old jumped the second last in a close third behind First Lieutenant and the returning Munster National hero Sadler’s Risk.
The latter then moved on as the final fence loomed but he was unable to withstand Barry Geraghty’s mount as the 13/8 favourite finished out his race well to prevail by a length.
“He’ll be going to Galway and I’ll see if I can find something for him in between now and then,” said Mullins. “I’m delighted he was able to do that on his first run back and he loves this ground.”
The champion trainer then secured the well-contested Ladbrokes-sponsored two-miles handicap hurdle with Bamako Moriviere.
This French import showed real signs of progress to show up well in two decent handicaps at the Festival here in April and a switch to this ground and forcing tactics suited him well.
The Susannah Ricci-owned 4/1 favourite travelled powerfully for Danny Mullins and had still to come off the bridle on the run to the last flight.
He needed to exert himself on the run-in but was always holding the effort of Princely Conn and looked value for more than the winning margin of two and a quarter lengths.
“The drier ground suited him and I wouldn’t be afraid to go up in trip with him,” declared Mullins. “He’ll keep going and we’ll aim towards Galway. In time he’ll go chasing.”
The treble was bought by the useful looking Wishmoor (15/8) in the Bet In Shop & Check On The Go With The Ladbrokes Grid App Flat Race. This Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding was placed in two point-to-point outings but was returning from a 550-day layoff here.
The son of Winged Love came into this own in the closing stages as he was going much the best of the leaders nearing the last quarter of a mile. When he was asked to assert Wishmoor responded well to pull eight lengths clear of Seaboard.
“He’s a fine, big horse and is possibly more of a winter horse, we took a chance running him on that ground,” reflected the trainer. “We might put him away to go jumping now. I’ve had him a while but he’s had a couple of little setbacks which meant he didn’t get to the track until now.”
Mr Fiftyone has really found his feet over fences lately and made a second successful visit to Punchestown in three weeks in the Download The Ladbrokes App Rated Chase.
Jessica Harrington’s 139-rated representative was stepping up in grade from the handicap that he won last time and produced an enthusiastic display for Robbie Power.
Mr Fiftyone led from the fourth fence and jumped well throughout while he found plenty from the turn-in to deal with returning Devils Bride.
The 2/1 favourite looked to have done enough once he cleared the last and he kept going to prevail by a length and three-quarters. Bright New Dawn was a further three lengths back in third.
“I’m delighted. He really saw his race out well and jumped brilliantly,” remarked Mrs Harrington of the David Bobbett-owned gelding.
Ger Fox stepped in for a chance winner as he replaced the sidelined David Mullins on Chief Of Panama in the Ladbrokes-sponsored 0-109 rated handicap chase.
The 4/1 shot had work to do to reel in Samanntom turning for home but he gradually got on terms with that opponent and then edged ahead on the run-in to succeed by three-parts of a length. This was just Chief Of Panama’s second handicap outing over fences so there should be more to come from him in this sphere.
“We had a good sub in Ger. It’s dried out a bit throughout the day and I’d say the ground was quick enough for him, although they’ve done a great job on the track,” observed Liam Cusack whose four-times winner is owned by the Knees Up Syndicate.
“I’ll just see how he comes out of this but there’s no problem leaving him for a while as he would be fine on softer ground.”
The Maurice Phelan-trained Petuna took full advantage of the withdrawal of the Grade 1-placed Asthuria to record a smooth success in the Ladbrokes-sponsored mares’ maiden hurdle.
Andrew Ring made the running on the evens favourite and the pair never had an anxious moment, crossing the line eight and a half lengths clear of Is She Diesel. The daughter of Aussie Rules is owned by the trainer’s brother, Eamonn.
“She’s small, she’s only 15.1h but she has a heart,” stated the trainer. “We’ve no plan but she might win a flat maiden and it would be nice to go to Galway with her.”
Everyday Everyhour (5/2) became Gordon Elliott’s eighth winner since Saturday in the two and a half miles maiden hurdle where he led home a one-two-three for the trainer.
The Gigginstown-owned son of Presenting led approaching the last for Jack Kennedy and went on to a seven lengths triumph over Lake Malawi.
“He just lacked a gear in his bumpers so we decided to go jumping with him and he’ll stay hurdling for the summer and we’ll see where we are then,” declared Elliott.
ACTING STEWARDS
J. Weld, J. Rearden, C. Cunningham, C. O’Reilly, P.D. Mathews
HORSE TO FOLLOW
SLICKER CITY (T. Gibney): This five-year-old looked to progress on his two bumper efforts when finishing fourth in the maiden hurdle won by Everyday Everyhour. This effort would suggest that he will find a race over hurdles within his reach in the coming months.
Poor performance
Asangy, who finished down the field when going off the 10/11 favourite for the maiden won by Everyday Everyhour, was reported to have scoped abnormally.