THE Thyestes undercard was expected to see Klassical Dream cement his Stayers’ Hurdle claims but a major reversal was in store for the odds-on favourite as he could only manage fourth behind Royal Kahala in the Grade 2 John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle.
Even though the favourite was eclipsed this should not detract from Royal Kahala’s emergence as one of the best mares around. A Grade 3 success against her own sex at Leopardstown over Christmas was no more than the Winning Ways Starlet Syndicate-owned mare deserved but she took things to another level with this display.
Royal Kahala (9/2) travelled smoothly throughout for Kevin Sexton and it was clear turning for home that the front-running Klassical Dream could have a serious rival to contend with.
Determined
The favourite could find little when pressed and headed by the mare and she stuck to her task in determined fashion on the run-in to defeat the 80/1 shot Home By The Lee by one and three-quarter lengths. Klassical Dream was beaten by 11 and a half lengths.
Royal Kahala could now bid to become the first mare in 29 years (the last being Shuil Ar Aghaidh) to win the Stayers’ Hurdle.
“I did expect her to run a huge race and now she’s won it gives us options for Cheltenham between the Mares’ Hurdle and the Stayers’.
“Hopefully she comes out of this in good shape and we’ll rock on to Cheltenham, but this ground is as quick as she’d want, I wouldn’t run her on good ground over there,” reported Fahey. “We were keen to try her at this trip as she can make the odd mistake and going this trip we felt she might jump better and she jumped well today.”
Sublime obliges
The day ended on a much more positive note for odds-on punters with the last two short-priced favourites obliging and the first of these was Coeur Sublime in the Daly Farrell Chartered Accountants Beginners Chase.
A drop in class from the exalted surrounds of a Leopardstown Grade 1 in which he was third to Fenry Hollow and Riviere D’Etel saw the Chris Jones-owned gelding returned at 1/6.
Rachael Blackmore’s mount did have to survive a momentary scare when clouting the fifth last but he had no trouble asserting in the closing stages and he was an easy 10-length winner at the line.
“He jumped great apart from the last one down the back. He’s entered in the Arkle and he’ll get an entry in the Grand Annual so we’ll see what the handicapper thinks and decide nearer the time,” reported the trainer.
Dynamic O’Dwyers
The day began with a victory to savour for Conor O’Dwyer and his son Charlie as they landed the 80-102 rated Langtons Kilkenny Handicap Hurdle with Uncle Gerhard who was getting off the mark at the sixth attempt.
The Dominic Jones-owned gelding was providing his rider with his first winner over jumps and Charlie O’Dwyer produced a display that belied his years. He was ultra cool on the 10/1 chance and still had most of the field to pass turning in but deftly charted a passage down the inner and produced his mount to lead after the last before getting home by a length from the equally patiently ridden The Toothpicker.
“That’s brilliant. It’s great the horse has won today as Dominic, who has been with me a long time, was a great friend of John Mulhern’s,” remarked the winning trainer. “The horse is an out and out two-miler and possibly didn’t get home over slightly further at Down Royal over Christmas. Hopefully we’ll have plenty of fun with him through the summer over hurdles and fences.”
Mercurey is off the scale
WILLIE Mullins ended the day with two winners and he unveiled a horse of major potential in the P.J. Foley Memorial Flat Race as the strapping Mercurey produced a dynamic display.
The Susannah Ricci-owned son of Muhtathir made the running under Patrick Mullins and when the hard-driven Douglas Dc launched an effort on his inner turning for home, the 30/100 favourite found another gear or two with imperceptible effort. He finished with 13 lengths to spare. “He’s been showing that at home. He is only four so I don’t know if he will go to Cheltenham and we might instead go to Limerick and then on to Punchestown but I’ll speak to connections,” declared Mullins.
Glengouly gets up
Glengouly provided Willie Mullins with his first winner of the day in the Connolly’s Red Mils Irish EBF Ladies Auction Maiden Hurdle over two and a half miles. The 2/1 favourite arrived travelling strongly on the outside turning for home but gave his rivals a chance with a decidedly awkward jump two out and then he was idling in front from the last.
However, the Roaringwater Syndicate-owned six-year-old defeated chief rival Sam’s Choice by a length and a half and left the impression that he was better than the bare result. “We felt he was a bit unlucky in Limerick (unseated five out). Jody felt he was very idle in front but everything went perfectly up to that point,” reflected Mullins. “I wouldn’t be afraid to go up in trip with him and we could look at either the Surehaul Novice Hurdle at Clonmel or the Michael Purcell at Thurles.”
Whirlwind Priory
The biggest-priced winner of the day came from a local source as Louise Lyons produced Kells Priory in great shape off a three-month break to spring a 33/1 surprise in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle. This five-year-old turned for home in a moderate sixth but Richie Condon, riding his second winner from just his third ride back after injury, produced him with a whirlwind charge that saw him nail The Gradual Slope late on after that rival seemed sure to succeed. At the line, the five-year-old had a length and a quarter to spare.
“We bought him as a three-year-old and he just took a bit of time to mature and we probably did a bit much with him last year,” remarked the trainer. “I thought he might need the run but the owners (Bulls Eye Syndicate) are local to here so we said we’d let him take his chance and it worked out great.”
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