Sixpence costs the layers a bundle
The son of Presenting was a big order in the market, finding 11-4 favouritism from 4-1. Ridden close to the pace throughout, he jumped for fun and had the look of a winner entering the final mile.
He led four from home and was kept right up to his work over the last three to hold the game Printing Copper by a comfortable two and a half lengths.
Commented Walsh: “He had good form in the winter and was entitled to beat these summer horses.”
The stewards inquired into possible interference among the placed horses. No alteration was deemed necessary, but Donal MacAuley, who partnered Printing Copper, was found to have ridden carelessly and suspended for two days.
Walsh did well to land Norwich Boy, like Themoonandsixpence, trained by Willie Mullins, a winner of the Corcorans’ Furniture and Carpets Killarney Beginners Chase.
The seven-year-old was hampered when trail-blazing Unforgettable fell three out, but rallied strongly to wear down Tahitien Fix on the run in.
Mind you Tahitien Fix was unlucky enough as well, surviving a particularly bad blunder at the fourth last. Walsh’s double came to a little over 23-1.
If Themoonandsixpence was costly for bookmakers then Tommy Stack’s Magen’s Star was no less so in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Fillies Handicap.
All the 3-1 in the morning soon dried up and she was strong on track as well, returned at 6-4.
It was money well invested, as she never gave supporters the slightest cause for concern.
Billy Lee soon had her swinging along in front and Magen’s Star hardly turned a hair through the last two furlongs to score unextended by four lengths.
Said Stack: “She is improving all the time, is a nice filly, and will probably go for a Stakes race now.”
Johnny Murtagh’s decision to make the journey to partner Aidan O’Brien’s Moon Indigo paid dividends when the son of Sadler’s Wells stayed on dourly to land the Mike Cronin Readymix Ltd In Association With Thermohouse Maiden.
Well-backed John Oxx-trained Anak tried to make all and they were tactics which looked like succeeding for most of the 14 furlongs trip.
Murtagh was rowing along a fair way out, but got a generous response and Moon Indigo was well on top in the final furlong.
Austin Leahy has long had a decent record at Killarney and he struck with 11-1 shot Islanmore in the McGillycuddy Aluminium and UPVC Handicap.
Ridden with plenty of patience by Emmet McNamara, she swept through to lead a furlong down and quickly scampered clear to score by two and a half lengths.
Commented Leahy: “We might up her quarter of a mile at Galway, Emmet liked her and says there’s potential there.”
The ladbrokes.com Handicap Chase developed into a real war of attrition, with victory going to the Eoghan O’Grady-trained Chasers Chance.
Francis Du Mesnil flattered heading to the final fence, but Davy Condon got a real tune from the winner to sweep ahead on the level.
Chasers Chance is likely to make a relatively quick reappearance at Ballinrobe next Monday.
Heavily-backed ex-pointer, Becauseicouldntsee, stormed away with the Bumper, in the hands of the capable Liz Lalor.
