Danny Mullins brought his Christmas tally to five winners with a double at Limerick on Monday. He rode the Willie Mullins-trained Gitane Du Berlais to a wide-margin success in the mares beginners’ chase and followed up with a battling success on Martello Tower, trained by his mother Mags, in the Grade 3 3m hurdle. Likewise Mark Walsh enjoyed a fine week and he landed the opening 2m maiden hurdle on newcomer My Hometown, trained by Enda Bolger. Ger Fox added to his Down Royal double when taking the 3m handicap hurdle on the Mouse Morris-trained Ravished while trainer Seamus Fahey and Shane Butler landed the 2m2f handicap hurdle with outsider Black Ice. John Joe Walsh was back in the winners’ enclosure after Sonny B landed the 2m6f beginners chase and the final race of the meeting went to Merry Westerner which routed the opposition in the bumper for Colm Murphy and Mikey Doran.
Naas Host Historic Grade 1 Hurdle
Champion trainer Willie Mullins won the inaugural running of the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Hotel Novice Hurdle at Naas on Sunday with the Paul Townend-ridden Mckinley. A 33/1 outsider, the five-year-old proved too strong for his stable companion and odds-on favourite Tell Us More on the run from the final hurdle. Free Expression, trained by Gordon Elliott, finished a close up third as a crowd of 5462 looked on. The Henry de Bromhead-trained Sizing Granite was arguably the most impressive winner of the day as he defied his penalty to win the 2m novice chase. He beat Fine Rightly under a confident Jonathan Burke and could go for the Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Shane Walsh, who trains in Mullinavat, County Kilkenny, sent out Lisclogher Lad to win the opening 2m3f maiden hurdle under jockey Stephen Gray. The good recent form of Robert Tyner and Phillip Enright continued as Leap Dearg completed a hat-trick of wins in the 2m handicap chase. Tony McCoy was out of luck in the Grade 1 event but he scored a comfortable success as Tyner’s Whatwillwecallher returned from a three year absence to win the mares’ beginners’ chase. David Mullins added to his Cork success when winning the opportunity handicap hurdle on the Gordon Elliott-trained High Expectations while trainer David Harry Kelly won the first four-year-old bumper of 2015 with Sir Will, ridden by Pa King.
Mark Walsh Continues Fine Run At Cork
Mark Walsh continued his remarkable run of success when taking the 2m maiden hurdle on the Martin Brassil-trained Vent De La Cote at Cork on Saturday. A well-supported favourite, the six-year-old ran out the easiest of winners and will now go handicapping. Willie Mullins landed the 2m rated novice hurdle with the Paul Townend-ridden Bosman Rule which scored an easy win as his better fancied stable companion Valyssa Monterg disappointed. With Ruby Walsh in the saddle, Urano ran out a good winner of the beginners’ chase to complete a double for the champion trainer. Also over fences, Bothair Clei won the 2m4f handicap chase for Philip Enright and Midleton-based Daniel Murphy. Robbie Power and Jessica Harrington took the 2m maiden hurdle with Walk To Freedom while David Mullins and Paul Nolan combined to land the 2m4f handicap hurdle with Shuilamach. Hurry Henry, trained by Henry de Bromhead ran out a wide margin winner of the bumper under David Roche and he might be one to follow when he goes back over hurdles.
Four Up For Sharjah At Dundalk On Friday
The Andy Slattery-trained Sharjah claimed his fourth success on the polytrack at Dundalk on Friday night when taking the 10f handicap under Donnacha O’Brien. The five-year-old saw off the three-time course winner Rose Angel to win by half-a-length and the Ladies Derby at the Curragh in July is a long-term target. Another 7lb claimer to enjoy a winner was Donagh O’Connor who teamed up with Johnny Levins to win the 5f handicap with Your Pal Tal. Other apprentices to get on the score sheet were Robbie Downey who won the 1m handicap on the Shane Nolan-trained Sister Slew and Conor Hoban who landed the 12f maiden on Andy Oliver’s Heart In The Air. Ronan Whelan claimed the 10f handicap on the Jane Foley-trained Bomber Jackson which just edged out Pepparpot by a head. Tommy Stack sent out Robin’s Choice to win the 1m maiden under Billy Lee while Michael Hussey was the most popular man at the track as he brought home the gambled-on Indian Landing the winner of the 7f handicap for Curragh handler Tracey Collins.
New Year’s Day Treble For Mark Walsh At Fairyhouse
Mark Walsh is setting a blistering pace at the top of the riders’ championship and brought his seasons’ tally to 60 with a treble at Fairyhouse on Thursday. The Michelle Gannon-trained Missyspet built on her promising bumper form to win the 2m4f mares’ maiden hurdle and Walsh went on to ride two more winners, both over fences. He took the beginners’ chase on Tony Martin’s Noble Emperor and wrapped up another successful day on the Christy Roche-trained Sword Fish in the handicap chase. Martin got a second winner when Mydor won the 2m6f handicap hurdle under Shane Shortall. Peter Fahey and Andrew Leigh combined to win the 2m maiden hurdle with O Ceallaigh and the same trainer supplied Davy Russell with a winner when Frontline took the 2m handicap hurdle to complete only the second double of his career. Nina Carberry made it two wins in as many days when she landed the bumper on the Gordon Elliott-trained Jetstream Jack, a first Irish-trained winner for owners Diana and Grahame Whateley.
Ruby Walsh And Declan Queally Share Riding Honours At Tramore
Both Ruby Walsh and amateur rider Declan Queally were the toast of the punters at Tramore on New Year’s Day where they each rode two well-fancied winners. Walsh landed the 2m maiden hurdle on the Willie Mullins-trained Avant Tout and followed up for the same trainer on another odds-on favourite Sambremont in the 2m5f maiden hurdle. Queally got his day off the mark on West Of The Edge for trainer James Dullea in the 2m5f handicap hurdle and his second winner came in the shape of Davinia’s Tip for trainer Adrian Maguire in the 2m beginner’s chase. James Dullea, who trains in Bandon, County Cork, had earlier sent out Just Get Cracking to win the 2m handicap hurdle with Paul Townend in the saddle. The Gordon Elliott-trained Roi Du Mee won the listed At The Races Chase for the second time in three years when seeing off last year’s winner Marito under Kevin Sexton and racing concluded with a first racecourse winner for rider Marshall Watson who partnered his father Keith’s Tyrone House to success in the 2m6f handicap chase.
Hourigan Charge A Cheltenham Possible After Punchestown Success
The Michael Hourigan-trained The Job Is Right finished to good effect under Mark Enright to win the 3m1f beginners’ chase at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve. He raced clear from the last to win the As De Ferbet threw away his chance with some indifferent jumping. The winner is now a possible for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham in March. There was a controversial outcome to the 2m4f hurdle as Sadler’s Risk, who finished first-past-the-post, was disqualified as his rider had been weighed out 4lbs lighter than the correct weight that he was supposed to carry. The race was awarded to the admirable He’llberemembered, ridden by Jonathan Burke, and the 12-year-old will now be aimed at the Leopardstown Chase, a race he won last year. David Mullins notched up his second winner as a professional when taking the opportunity handicap hurdle on Indian Rupee, trained by his father Tom. Another claiming rider to enjoy success was Jody McGarvey who partnered the Christy Roche-trained Golden Ticket to success in the 2m handicap chase and in the same JP McManus colours, Mark Walsh continued his fine run when landing the 2m4f handicap hurdle on Eddie Harty’s Sort It Out. Davy Condon made all the running on the Gordon Elliott-trained Chatham House to win the 3yo maiden hurdle and Nina Carberry has the distinction of riding the last winner of 2014 when taking the bumper on the Noel Meade-trained Bonny Kate.
Crowd Favourite Hurricane Fly Remains The Leopardstown Star
Undoubtedly the most popular horse in training, Hurricane Fly recorded his 21st Grade 1 success and kept his remarkable unbeaten record at Leopardstown intact when winning the Ryanair Hurdle on Monday. He outbattled his great rival Jezki to win again for Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh with his stable companion Arctic Fire running the race of his life to finish third. The trio could clash again in the Irish Champion Hurdle at the same course on Sunday, January 25th. Mullins also took the final Grade 1 event of the Christmas festival when his Don Poli won the Topaz Novice Chase for owners Gigginstown House Stud and jockey Bryan Cooper. The winner showed plenty of determination to see off Apache Stronghold and will be well entered up at the Cheltenham festival in March. The Grade 3 mares hurdle was won in impressive fashion by the Robert Tyner-trained Carrigmoorna Rock which scored as she liked under Philip Enright. Dermot Weld saddled two winners at the meeting with Windsor Park winning the 2m4f maiden hurdle in convincing fashion under Davy Russell and the Finny Maguire-ridden Vigil taking the bumper. Jonathan Burke brought the Francis Flood-trained Down Under from well off the pace to win the opportunity handicap chase while 18-year-old Luke Dempsey was seen to good effect when getting Shay Barry’s Bentelimar home the narrow winner of the 2m4f handicap hurdle.
Racing News
Aidan O’Brien Honoured At Moyglare Stud Dinner
Having sent out three consecutive winners of the Epsom Derby, Aidan O’Brien was honoured at the annual Moyglare Stud dinner in Kildare on Saturday night. The Ballydoyle trainer has won the race on five occasions but created history when becoming the first trainer to win the race three times in a row with Camelot (2012), Ruler Of The World (2013) and Australia (2014). Also honoured were the organising committee of the inaugural Irish Champions Weekend at Leopardstown and the Curragh in September. Over 24,000 people attended over the two days and plans for the follow up event on September 12th and 13th are well underway.
Upcoming Fixtures
Thurles – Monday 5th January (First Race 12.55)
Dundalk – Friday 9th January (First Race 6.05)
Punchestown – Saturday 10th January (First Race 12.40)
Fairyhouse – Sunday 11th January (First Race 1.00)
