AFTER an overcast week in the north west, the weather took a turn for the better at Sligo on Sunday and a good crowd was in attendance at Cleveragh for family day and the first jumps fixture of their season.
Favourite backers drew a blank but there was a great cheer from the stands when Jack Kennedy got market second choice Daisy Dufresne (10/3) up on the line to land the Durkin Bros. Electrical Maiden Hurdle for previously unplaced horses.
Gillian Browne’s homebred daughter of Doyen, a full-sister to smart chaser Andy Dufresne, had plenty to do in third rounding the final turn but stayed on strongly to foil Ladiam by a head.
“I wasn’t sure if I’d get there at the back of the last but she dug deep for me,” said Kennedy. “A stiff two miles like that suits her. I’d say two and a half would just stretch her a little bit.”
Elliott double
That success gave Gordon Elliott an opening race double after outsider As Tears Go By (18/1) had taken the Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel & Lodges Maiden Hurdle under Jordan Gainford.
Kennedy was on better fancied stablemate Wrecking Ball Paul but he was wayward around the bends and was pulled up on the final circuit.
Well beaten on his sole previous outing in the Goffs Land Rover Bumper at Punchestown, As Tears Go By, a half-brother by Vadamos to last year’s Cheltenham Mares’ Hurdle heroine Black Tears, tracked the leaders before taking over at the second last flight.
The four-year-old, owned by Caren Walsh and Dee L’Estrange, kicked clear in the straight to beat Baron Wild by five and a half lengths.
“He’s a well-bred sort. We went a right good gallop, he jumped well, a little bit close to the last but still quick away, and he did it well.
“His first run was too bad to be true because he had shown plenty at home.”
AFTER also snaring the first two races at Perth, Gordon Elliott was denied an across-the-cards five-timer in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Novice Handicap Hurdle. His charge Hophornbeam threw down a strong challenge after the last but the always prominent Innisfree Beauty (10/1), in receipt of 23lb, stayed on resolutely under Mark McDonagh to score by half a length.
The winning daughter of Yeats, bred by Gabriel O’Gara who owns her in partnership with Sean O’Brien, is trained by Ciaran Murphy who used to have the runner-up in his care.
Murphy remarked: “She stays that trip well and probably would get a little bit further.
“There’s a nice mares’ handicap for her in Cork in three weeks’ time, although it depends on what the handicapper does.
“She’s a half-sister to Galvin, so she’s a lovely broodmare prospect, and she’ll jump a fence too which is exciting.”
Skippin bounces
A maiden winner at last year’s Listowel Festival, Skippin Court (13/2) bounced back to form after a few below-par efforts to take the Friends Of Brian Mulligan Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.
Patiently ridden by Neil Ryan, he tackled Peckham Springs at the final flight and raced clear to account for that rival by three and a quarter lengths.
Peter Fahey, who trains the Court Cave gelding for the Dexys Midnight Runners Syndicate, said: “He wasn’t right after his Punchestown run and we gave him plenty of time to come back here. There’s a great syndicate involved in him. A lot of them are from Leixlip and Neil is good friends with them.
“He’ll definitely be better when we step him up in trip and he’ll probably go for one of the two-mile-five handicaps at Galway.
Sphagnum’s success
Having tracked the leaders, Sphagnum (7/1) gained a narrow lead before the last and stretched clear on the run-in to land the Taylor Construction & Civil Works Handicap Hurdle by eight lengths from Zaccarela to provide trainer Shane Broderick with his first winner since 2016.
Winning rider Denis O’Regan said: “He wants real good ground and it’s a bit cut up on the middle to inner, that’s why I kept him wide. He was a little outpaced at times but his jumping kept him in it.
“It’s good to ride a winner in these Snugsborough Benny colours and it’s great for (owner) Ray Loughnane. His two sons do a lot of the work with this horse along with Shane Broderick.”
DOUR stayer Not So Simple (15/2) was handy throughout and relished the near three-mile, two-furlong trip to land the Sligo Park Hotel Handicap.
The Kalanisi gelding, winning for the third time in his career, led before three out and kept up the gallop in the straight to hold Arthur’s Baby by two and three-quarter lengths.
It was a notable victory for 7 lb claimer Robbie Geoghegan who rode a bumper winner at this track in 2007 but was enjoying his first winner as a conditional. The Galway native had some time away from the sport in the interim and relocated to Australia for a period of time.
Genuine Grivei
Winning trainer Norman Lee said: “Robbie’s been with me the last two years and is a great worker. He gave him a brilliant ride, he never asked him and he kept it economical. It’s great for Rose and John Devitt who are great supporters of ours.”
Favourite backers had one last chance in the two-mile, two-furlong bumper but punters’ choice Grivei was too free and faded in the closing stages as the always prominent On The Sixth Day (9/2) kept up the gallop under Harry Swan to beat Eire Street by a length and a quarter.
John Ryan, who trains the daughter of Westerner for Sean Monaghan, commented: “She stays very well and is very genuine.
“She’ll go to Galway for a winners’ bumper.”
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