AT a track he knows so well, the classy French Dynamite made a successful return to action in the He’llberemembered Hurdle over just short of three miles to take his record at Thurles to four wins from five starts.

A classy novice chaser last term, the Robcour-owned seven-year-old was reverting to hurdles for the first time since April 2021. Darragh O’Keeffe, who was completing a double on the 11/4 chance, set out to make all aboard the likeable Mouse Morris inmate.

As the runners turned for home, French Dynamite still had to contend with the favourite Cape Gentleman and Ballyshannon Rose but the market leader could do no more from the second last. At the final flight French Dynamite produced a much better jump than Ballyshannon Rose and this sealed the outcome with the son of Kentucky Dynamite getting home by three lengths.

“You couldn’t fault him. I’m happy, the horse is happy and hopefully the owners are happy,” said Morris. “I’m not sure where he’ll go as he’s hard enough to place. He mightn’t beat graded horses so we could look for a handicap. He’ll go back over fences.”

The day concluded with a great tussle for the bumper which eventually went the way of the Peter Fahey-trained and Declan Lavery-ridden A Law Of Her Own (3/1). The G & B Partnership-owned daughter of Lawman lined up off a trio of top four finishes – the most recent of which was a second to Williamstowndancer at Punchestown last week - and showed a good attitude to turn over the odds on Little Soiree. A Law Of Her Own loomed up to tackle the favourite off the last bend and got on top inside the distance to score by a length.

The card also featured a winner for Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy as Jungle Prose (100/30) got off the mark on her second start for the trainer in the 80-102 rated mares’ handicap hurdle over just short of three miles.

On her second start for Elliott, the English import took control of this race turning for home and she kept on well for a straight forward five and a half lengths success over Natural Look. The seven-year-old is owned by the Bull On Syndicate.

Jockey Donagh Meyler had a bad fall at Thurles on Thursday. In an update on Friday, the chief medical officer told The Irish Field: “Donagh has been discharged after assessment in Cork Hospital and will be out for a short time. He is sore following his fall but his X-rays are normal.”

Walsh finds punters’ Secret

After a tough day at Navan the previous afternoon, odds on punters got back on an even keel in the first jumps race of the season at Thurles where Secret She Keeps won the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase over an extended two and a half miles.

Henry de Bromhead’s charge ran a splendid race to be beaten by a nose on her chasing debut at Fairyhouse earlier in the month and that effort saw her returned at 8/15 under Mark Walsh who replaced the injured Rachael Blackmore. The Robcour-owned daughter of Shirocco made the running and responded very well to the effort of Hope Des Blins who challenged for the lead from three out and held the outright advantage at one point in the straight.

Secret She Keeps was strong from the last fence though and pulled away to prevail by four and a half lengths.

“Mark was brilliant on her. Unfortunately, Rachael got a bang schooling yesterday so she couldn’t ride her, but Mark gave her a fantastic ride,” reported the trainer. “I was wondering should we stay hurdling but in fairness to Rob (Acheson) he suggested we go chasing. It was a good call. She probably has a preference for better ground and there’s a good programme for mares in the spring but she will run again before then.”

It has been an unimaginably difficult period for the trainer, his wife Heather and daughters Mia and Georgia, following the tragic death of their son and brother Jack early last month. Speaking to Racing TV’s Ruby Walsh after the race the trainer paid eloquent tribute to those who have supported the family in their hour of need.

Support

“With Jack and everything we’ve had a very tough time. We’ve had a lot of tough weeks but the support from our family, friends and this industry and all over but especially our industry has been unbelievable. We’ve been blown away by the support and every bit of support we get gives us a little bit of strength. We feel incredibly lucky to have everyone around us,” he stated.

Still Ciel (4/6) made it a double for the trainer in the mares’ maiden hurdle over just short of two miles where Darragh O’Keeffe deputised for Rachael Blackmore. The Graiglore Limited-owned daughter of Westerner made the running as she looked to build on her second to Bella Scintilla at Killarney earlier in the month. She could never quite shake off Beyond Ambitious in the straight but always seemed to be doing enough to hold off that one, and the line arrived in time for her to prevail by half a length.

Afterwards the trainer indicated that his charge may now have a break before being prepared for the mares handicap hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival.

One to remember for Smithers and Markham

IT was a day to remember for Monasterevin-born jockey Conor Smithers who rode the first winner of his career aboard Vairue (12/1) in the 80-95 rated handicap hurdle over just short of two miles. A first winner in four years for Grangecon-based trainer Helen Markham, the Valentine Cross-owned six-year-old was produced to lead at the last and went on to defeat the front running Muntahez by just under three lengths.

After beginning his career in Ireland with a second to Final Orders at Killarney recently, King Ferdinand went a place better in the 0-102 rated handicap chase over an extended two and a half miles. Micheal O’Sullivan was on board the 9/4 favourite, who is trained by his uncle Eugene, and King Ferdinand struck for home after two out before keeping on in willing fashion in the straight. Union Park threatened for a period before Well Joey emerged to lead the chase, but the latter was still a length and three parts adrift at the line. The victorious six-year-old is owned by the Gortroe Racing Club.