Friday, May 28, 2010
MORNING prices again proved more than a good friend to punters at Clonmel last night.
Paddy Power, in their wisdom, considered evens a fair offer about Dainty, in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Fillies Maiden, and there was plenty of 4-5 about elsewhere to boot.
The daughter of Storm Cat proved a major order and eventually went off a 1-3 shot. Even those cramped odds were value.
Wayne Lordan popped David Wachman’s charge off in front and she lengthened nicely in the straight to score by five and a half lengths.
"She did it well and will now go for a handicap," reported Wachman.
Edward O’Grady’s Garlic Hill redeemed the promise of a recent run on this track when landing the Summer BBQ Evening June 10th Maiden Hurdle.
Garlic Hill made most of the running and when the challenging John The Soldier got it mildly wrong at the last that sealed the issue.
"He will stay in training for the summer and seems to like that ground," said O’Grady. "The way he jumps, he should make a nice chaser."
Andrew McNamara partnered Garlic Hill and he and O’Grady combined for a double with heavily-backed Rare Commodity in the Cashel Maiden Hurdle.
Available as high as 5-1 in the morning, he finally lodged as the 13-8 favourite and hardly broke sweat to beat Maple Court.
"I have to thank the vets, he has had four wind operations and there is no more they can do for him," said O’Grady. "Probably the better ground doesn’t exacerbate his problem and he will keep going for the summer."
Pat Smullen, fresh from his fine success aboard Bethrah in the Irish 1000 Guineas on Sunday, guided Harry Rogers’ Elusive Ridge to a clear-cut victory in the Fethard Maiden.
This was a first for Rogers since Mid Mon Lady scored at Leopardstown last October. Smullen pushed the four-year-old to the front a furlong and a half down and he eased clear to beat Odin’s Raven by seven lengths.
"It was an ordinary race, but a winner is a winner," said Rogers. "He likes fast ground, will stay a bit further and is likely to turn up at Galway."
Davy Russell was seen at his strongest when forcing Charles Byrnes’ Campbonnais to win the Tote Trifecta Rollover Handicap Hurdle.
The five-year-old was under the pump a fair way out, but kept responding, powering past front-running Macra Na Feirme on the flat.
Joseph O'Brien rode his third winner of the season on Eoin Doyle’s Dusty Trail in the Knockmealdown Handicap.
Fourth into the straight, Dusty Trail was soon in front, quickly scampering six lengths clear.
Commented Doyle: "He will now head for a six-year-old maiden hurdle at Tramore."
Seamus Heffernan, who rode Passion Ignited in this contest, was suspended for seven days for unnecessary use of the whip when his chance was gone and Keith Maher (Jackdaw Nodaw) got a day for the same offence.
Declan McDonogh forced 12-1 chance Gypsy Rose to the front close home to beat Lombrici a head in the Cahir Handicap.
This was a poor contest, but notable for two failed gambles. Aidan O’Brien’s top weight, His Way, taken from 11-4 to 7-4, was struggling when fatally breaking down before the home turn.
The Tommy Stack-trained Memories Of You was backed from 5-1 to 9-4, but could only finish a never dangerous fifth.
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