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WILLIE Mullins and Paul Townend combined for a double at Fairyhouse on Wednesday as two smart prospects made winning starts over fences. El Fabiolo was a skinny price on his chase debut in the opener beginners’ contest and it proved a straightforward task for the 1/5 shot. Townend, in the colours of Simon Munir and Issac Souede, made all on the Spanish Moon gelding and despite a couple of novicey errors, he was unchallenged to score by 19 lengths.
“He’ll learn from that, I think, he’s not there yet but there is a brilliant jump in him,” said Townend afterwards. “When I wanted him to get in (tight) a couple of times he kept going a little bit but when you go to the well it’s there. He didn’t have much racing last year but I think he’s going to be a smart horse. His run against Jonbon (second in the Grade 1 hurdle at Aintree) looks good now.
“A better race will suit him and trip-wise he could end up going up in trip as well, he’s versatile enough I think. If you wanted him you could use his jumping and stay at that trip.”
Stablemate
Ha D’Or had chased home his stablemate at Punchestown back in April and went to post 2/1 favourite to make a winning start over fences in the rated novice chase over two miles, five furlongs. Again Townend employed front-running tactics and the Rich Ricci-owned gelding jumped well to record an 11-length success.
He did wander a touch approaching the last and the champion jockey said: “He was like a handicapper the whole way around, you wouldn’t think it was his first time. He had a look at the outside of the wing at the last but I was coming close enough to it I suppose.
“Once I straightened him up he was very good at sorting himself out again. He feels a more relaxed horse this year and he’s after growing up a lot which will be a big help to him. You can actually ride him now.”
THE Gordon Elliott-trained Jazzy Matty was a warm order in the three-year-old maiden hurdle on the card and it was fairly comfortable viewing for his backers. The Doctor Dino gelding went to post a 4/7 shot, after a promising runner-up effort at Navan last month, and was soon in front under Jack Kennedy. He shook off the attentions of Jackpot De Choisel before the last and held the late charge of Komedy Kicks by three parts of a length.
“Jack said he wasn’t doing a stroke the whole way up the straight and he pricked his ears,” said Elliott. “He was bought to be a chaser, he’s a half-brother to Delta Work. He’s a fine big horse. I don’t know where we go with him next. We’ll keep it small.”
Willing partner
In the other maiden hurdle on the card Kilbree Warrior galloped her rivals into the ground with a well-judged front-running ride from Richie Condon. Oliver McKiernan’s filly was soon well clear and Condon gave the 6/1 shot a breather before the straight before kicking on again after two out for a cosy 16-length success.
Condon said: “It’s nice when you have a good willing partner. She wears her heart on her sleeve, she loves that ground and I’d say she would have gone around again. I didn’t want to be looking around too much and I was trying to listen, we kept going anyway. She’s so versatile, she’s an honest mare, and I’d say she’ll be a great chaser. She might progress to some of those big staying chases.”
THE soft ground took it’s toll on plenty of the runners on the day but Robert Tyner’s belief that it would suit Big Debates proved well founded in the Tote Handicap Chase over two miles. Maurice Kelleher’s gelding was produced to lead at the last, by Philip Enright, and pulled clear late on to score by six lengths at odds of 11/2.
Tyner said: “I’d say he just handled the ground better than the others, it was very gluey out there. It was music to my ears when I heard it was a bit sticky as I thought it would really suit him. I’d say we’d be on the edge now with chasing and we’ll probably look at a hurdle race somewhere for him.”
MARY’S Pride attracted support on his second handicap start in the Kevin Sheedy Bowel Cancer Handicap Hurdle and came with a well-timed run under Liam McKenna. The Eddie Cawley-trained 11/1 shot (20/1 in morning) came to claim front-runner Steppenwolf on the run-in and record a length victory in the two-miler.
“We bought him with the intention of winning a lot earlier but it didn’t materialise for us. He had a few problems along the way,” said Cawley. “He jumped well the last day in Thurles but he sort of blew up. I was hoping coming here that he’d get placed at least. I might come back here on New Year’s Day with him.”
Crossgaleschicflic didn’t go unbacked when claiming the other handicap hurdle over two miles, six furlongs. The Milan mare survived a mistake at the last to lead on the run-in and record a three-quarter-length win under Charlie O’Dwyer.
THE concluding four-year-old fillies’ bumper looked a hotly contested event but the Jessica Harrington-trained newcomer Marie Philippe settled matters in good style down the straight. The 3/1 shot, owned by the Backbenchers Racing Syndicate, went to the front five furlongs from home and kicked a few lengths clear passing the two pole. She got a bit tired close home, under Barry O’Neill, but had enough up her sleeve to hold Tilloughna by three-parts of a length.
Assistant Kate Harrington said: “That was great and it’s a nice tonic for Mum who is in hospital today. She’s over the moon. That filly is only about 80 percent there and there is so much more improvement in her. I’d say we’ll stick to bumpers this year and probably go to the Dublin Racing festival.”
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