TWO months on from his successful debut over fences Bob Olinger showed that he is destined for the top over the larger obstacles with a taking success in the Grade 3 Kildare Novice Chase.
Henry de Bromhead’s Cheltenham hero faced a decent test in this two-and-a-half-mile affair and he came through it with flying colours. However, before making a return journey across the Irish Sea the Robcour-owned gelding looks set to try to get another Grade 1 win on the board at Leopardstown in a fortnight’s time.
The race itself went smoothly for Bob Olinger who jumped nicely apart from getting in a little close to the last fence with a circuit to run.
Pushed along
As the leaders moved on from the second last the 1/2 favourite had to be pushed along by Rachael Blackmore to get to grips with the very taking Naas winner Capodanno. Bob Olinger found another gear on the run to the last and soon moved on before another good jump put the seal on a four-and-three-quarter length triumph.
There was a gap of some 27 lengths back to the third-placed Gaillard Du Mesnil.
“It was a class race and I couldn’t believe the price he was but he jumped great and we’re delighted with him. The experience he got at Gowran has really brought him on and our thinking now is the Ladbrokes Novice Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival where there will hopefully be a nice cut in the ground,” said the trainer.
Must’s success
Tom Gibney needs just two more winners to equal last term’s career best 16 victories for the yard as Must Be Obeyed (12/1) bagged the mares’ handicap hurdle over two and a half miles.
A Ballinrobe bumper winner in the summer, the Frank Daly-owned six-year-old was in control of this race from the second last where a good jump carried her to the front. Darragh O’Keeffe’s mount wasn’t all that fluent at the last but the race was already in safe keeping at this point and she went on to score by eight lengths.
“I thought the handicapper was very fair in giving her mark of 106 and we were hoping she could do that.
“I’ve felt for the last six or seven weeks that my horses weren’t running to their best but hopefully they are back now,” remarked the trainer.
Dynamite display from Manning’s Dysart Dynamo
THE card began with a stunning display from Dysart Dynamo who annihilated his rivals in the Grade 2 Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle. After showing prodigious potential in landing his second bumper here last April, this Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old once again displayed stellar quality.
The 4/9 chance set a relentless tempo under Paul Townend and just went further and further clear of his rivals from halfway.
At the line the Eleanor Manning-owned homebred was unextended to beat the Grade 1-placed Gringo D’Aubrelle by 19 lengths and the latter finished some 30 lengths clear of the others.
This was an eighth win in the race for Mullins whose roll of honour in this contest includes top novices Douvan, Min, Vautour and Mikael D’Haguenet.
“He’s a proper horse and he did the talking there. He couldn’t be owned by nicer people and it’s lovely that they now have a horse like this,” reflected Paul Townend.
Whiskey cheers
Willie Mullins and Paul Townend also picked up the two-and-three-quarter-mile beginners’ chase for horses rated 109 or less over hurdles with Whiskey Lullaby.
A nine-race maiden for Paul Nicholls, this Blue Blood Racing Club-owned mare finished third in a Limerick maiden hurdle on her Irish debut last month and made a seamless transition back to fences.
The 13/8 favourite was possibly just about to take the measure of Ballyadam Destiny when that one got the last fence wrong and she then withstood the late charge of Difficult Decision by three- quarters of a length.
Another Willie Mullins winner looked to be on the cards in the first division of the two-mile maiden hurdle as Goven looked to be travelling much better than the free-going front-runner Hiaou turning for home.
Hiaou’s day
Goven edged ahead nearing the last but he could muster little response on the run-in as a rallying Hiaou answered Jack Kennedy’s call to move back in front and carry the day by three-quarters of a length. The 11/8 favourite is owned by Caldwell Construction Ltd.
“I thought he did quite a few things wrong and wants a better gallop but I love the way he fought back and he’ll have a nice future. He’s a bit weak still so we won’t over race him this season but we might look at some nice races in the spring for him,” stated Gordon Elliott.
THE day concluded with a memorable success for jockey Ross Berry, the son of famed amateur rider John Berry, as he partnered the first winner of his career John Adams in the Total Event Rental Amateur National (Q.R.) Handicap Chase.
On his first ride over fences, Berry was entrusted with the mount on a horse who had parted company with his rider on three of his last four starts.
However, the 19-year-old jockey got the best out of Colin Bowe’s charge who was never out of the first two and sustained his effort in fine style in the closing stages of this near three-mile event to defeat Exit To The West by seven and a half lengths.
This was compensation for the 8/1 winner who exited at the last in a similar even here last month when still holding the lead.
“I ride out three days a week with Henry de Bromhead and three days with Colin Bowe as well. That was unreal. I thought this day would never come,” commented a delighted Berry.
Jet dominates
Supreme Jet, who had Hiaou several lengths behind him when placed in a Naas maiden won by Eric Bloodaxe over two months ago, dominated the other division of the maiden hurdle.
The 5/2 favourite was untroubled up front from some way out and ground his rivals into submission under Barry Browne to score by a resounding 17 lengths.
A drop back to the minimum trip seemed to suit the winner well after he appeared to be caught out over two miles, five furlongs at Limerick over Christmas.
“I’d say he got bogged down in the ground at Limerick, it was very deep, holding ground,” remarked the trainer. “He has a nice bit of experience jumping which I thought might be a help to him if we were going to make plenty of use of him. He’s a scopey horse and should make a nice chaser.”
Tyner’s tally
Robert Tyner is on course to post his best tally since the 2014/15 season after Feyan (15/2) made it 14 winners this season for the trainer in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Chase.
This Nayef mare surged into the lead well before the last and galloped on strongly to the line for Jack Foley to score by some 18 lengths.
The winner is owned by the trainer’s wife, Mary.
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