INCHIQUIN High, runner-up on all three of her bumper starts this year and only collared in the last stride at Limerick on her latest, got it together at Wexford on Friday of last week to produce a happy outcome for the Kiely clan in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Flat Race.
The seven-year-old, who also has four wins between the flags to her credit, headed the betting and the 11/10 favourite lived up to her billing when powering home by a five-length margin under trainer Paul Kiely’s older brother Richie.
The Mountain High mare is owned by their father Richard and was led up by another brother, Tom, who is a farrier by trade. Dungarvan-based Paul Kiely said: “We’ve just put in a new gallop and it’s starting to pay off.
“She was unlucky in her last three runs and deserved that. She goes on any ground and might go for a maiden hurdle now.”
Royal Ascot-winning trainer Jarlath Fahey teamed up with Ian McCarthy for a narrow victory with his wife Suzanne’s The Rite Article in division one of the three-mile Monart Destination Spa Ladies Evening 80-95 Handicap Hurdle.
However, the 6/1 chance had to survive a stewards’ enquiry into possible interference between the two principals in the straight before the result was allowed to stand.
Fahey commented: “He’s an honest old devil and that’s his level. I might step him up to a 102 or 109 handicap but, if he just struggles over hurdles, I’ll send him novice chasing. The ground has to be dry for him – on the quick side of good.”
The Rite Article’s breeders Peggy and Eamon Kelly were present to see him win, which made the result twice as good.
The second division was claimed by another of Definite Article’s progeny, Definite Income, who was sent to the head of affairs by Brian Hayes before the turn-in and driven out in the colours of her Clashmore owner Liam Curran to score by four and three-quarter lengths for the John Kiely stable.
Hayes commented: “She’s been very disappointing on her last three runs, but today was her first time over three miles and I think that made the difference.
“She’s been working well at home, but just hasn’t been doing it on the track and today I rode her a bit handier. When a mare starts winning they can be improving and hopefully she’ll be one of them.”
MORRIS MARE
Carole Rose, from the Mouse Morris stable, was an eyecatcher on her debut over fences at Down Royal and fulfilled that promise with an all-the-way win for Mark Enright in first-time cheek pieces in the two and a half mile Ferrybank Opel Beginners Chase.
Morris is not normally a trainer associated with mares, but he was sent this one by her Cork owner/breeder Sean O’Driscoll, the CEO of Glen Dimplex.
The trainer observed: “She jumps and she stays and they still have the mare, so it’s all positives. She wants three miles and if I can find a mares’ race for her, all the better.”
William Codd saddled Tellthemnuttin for a popular one and a half-length success under talented 7lb claimer Dylan Robinson in the Tintern Abbey 80-102 Handicap Hurdle. Owned by the Heads Or Harps Syndicate from Dublin and Limerick, the 100/30 winner is leased to them by the mare’s breeder Billy Devereux.
The trainer said: “Her Downpatrick disqualification was hard to take for the boys, who are really enthusiastic and love their racing. While we thought Dylan might have got a holiday that day, none of us felt the mare would lose the race. She’s tough and takes her racing well.
“In Roscommon the trip just tested her and the ground was on the soft side, so I dropped her back in distance and she’s better on better ground.”
The favourite Shan Dun na nGall’s rider reported that his mount never travelled.
This venue is always a happy hunting ground for Willie Mullins, who sent out Gary Swanson’s recent Killarney handicap hurdle victor King’s Wharf for a three and three-quarter-length follow-up in the Martinstown Opportunity 0-109 Handicap Chase.
The Niall Kelly-ridden 9/4 favourite did well to stand up at the seventh fence and Patrick Mullins reflected: “It was a brilliant sit by Niall, who is a very important part of the staff at home. The penny is only dropping with this horse now and he doesn’t go right-handed. Hopefully he’ll win another one or two and he’ll mix it between hurdles and fences.
“I’d imagine he’ll go for another similar race in August and John Codd, who looks after Faugheen, rides him out at home and has done a great job in making him more manageable.”
winning again
The Gavin Cromwell-trained As De Pique, with Bríen Kane in the saddle, had little difficulty repeating last year’s win in the Opel 162 Handicap Chase for the Pique Syndicate Partnership.
The 5/1 winner joined issue with Give Her Bach at the penultimate obstacle and asserted in the latter stages to gain the upper hand by two and three-quarter lengths, with joint-favourites Altiepix and Burning Issues finishing third and fourth respectively.
As De Pique had been absent for almost 10 months and his jockey reported: “Going into the race I was expecting him to need the run but I was always confident.
“That’s my 15th winner and I’ve won four on him. He’s an old gem to have on your side.”
Tinahely trainer Philip Rothwell, who was at the RDS, missed seeing Joan Lambert’s well-backed 15/8 favourite Runyon Rattler return from a break to take the www.wexfordraces.ie Maiden Hurdle in the hands of Andrew Ring.
In the leading group throughout, the six-year-old was in front at the third from home and was a comfortable nine-length winner at the line from Henry Howard.
Ring said: “He’s been disappointing and has had plenty of problems. He didn’t jump great today, but it was a bad race and he won well. He’d hold his own in that sort of company.”
Acting Stewards
P. Coveney, V. Connolly, J. McEnery, L. Walsh.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
TOMCOOLE LAD (E. Sheehy) Showed signs of a return to form when jumping well in the opportunity chase to take fifth place. Might appreciate a step up in trip and may be capable of going in again.