Bahrain storms home in Hurdle
It was a first win in the race for trainer Flynn, and the biggest success so far in the career of rider, Stephen Gray (22) from Dundalk.
“The horse came here in super form”, said Flynn. “He was stuffy, so I cantered him at 6am this morning.”
Bahrain Storm appeared to have his share of weight with 11-3, but absolutely bounded clear in the closing stages.
Gray sent him on heading up hill to the home turn and the six-year-old surged away. Fosters Cross was a beaten second when falling at the final flight, bringing down Cuan Na Grai and hampering top weight, Raise Your Heart.
“He’s a beautiful horse”, remarked Flynn. “I’ll see how he is, but he might turn out again tomorrow on the flat.
“He didn’t have a hard race there and we’ve brought his luggage and pyjamas! When Davy Russell rode him to win at Cork last time, he came back in said he was sheer class.
“Davy was offered the ride, but thought he had too much weight. So, I said let the young fellow, Stephen Gray, ride.”
This was Gray’s 27th career-win and he reported: “I can’t believe it. He was a bit rusty down the inside and I moved him out one. I gave him a squeeze up hill and he came onto the bridle.”
Bahrain Storm paid 38-1 on the Tote and a whopping 74-1 on Betfair.
The return price of 15-8 about Deutschland, you would have to describe as ridiculous. He was available at 11-2, after declaration time on Wednesday morning, and then a sustained gamble followed.
But everything seemed to happen too fast for him and he never hit any sort of rhythm, before running on powerfully when the race was literally over.
Rider, Ruby Walsh, said: “It took him a long time to get his jumping together. He lost a length, or half a length, at every flight and you can’t do that, he was a chaser jumping hurdles.”
There was compensation for those who backed the favourite, however, with Cashmans. Win singles, up to €300 per customer, were returned by them on the horse, in this case Deutschland, who finished second in the Hurdle.
After Walsh had partnered Dual Gales to take the Signature Novice Hurdle, Willie Mullins described it as “an extraordinary piece of riding.”
Dual Gales is a horse who likes to get on with it, but Walsh, somehow, managed to anchor him with a ferocious show of strength.
Favourite, Glenstal Abbey and Tony McCoy, a major order in the ring, set sail for home coming away from the second last, but Dual Gales was quickly out after them.
Glenstal Abbey still held the call at the final flight, but Walsh’s timing was strikingly accurate and Dual Gales soon swept past to score by half a length.
Said Mullins: “Ruby was very good, that horse takes such a pull and if he had got away on him once it was all over.
“I’d like to try and win another novice, but his future is over fences. We had a wind-op done on him last year and it has obviously been a big success.”
Fears two miles and a furlong would prove too short for Montero proved unfounded, although his cause was greatly helped by the spanking gallop set by Joe Soap, and he ran away with the St James’ Gate Novice Chase.
Completing a hat-trick and confidently handled by Roger Loughran, the winner surged ahead up hill to the straight to score by ten lengths.
Trainer, Dessie Hughes, said: “He was very good, the climb and the strong gallop were a help. We will keep him to novices, there should be loads to come.”
John Murphy’s horses have started to find some form and his 14-1 shot, Whatver Next, took the Perfect Pint Beginners Chase, under a particularly strong Davy Russell drive.
Carrying the Gigginstown House Stud colours, the winner made most of the running, shooting into a clear lead heading to the third last and then holding on well to beat Corrick Bridge.
It was a first Festival success for Murphy. Speaking from home, he said: “We have had a bad run of seconds, but things have begun to turn and this was most welcome.”
The stewards decided Russell had used his whip with excessive frequency, however, and he was suspended for one day.
You would have to say Corrick Bridge was an unlucky loser. He was cantering on the heels of the leaders when blundering badly at the third last.
Ruby Walsh then gave him loads of time to recover and the grey was only a poor 11th heading to the next.
Once hitting his second wind, however, he fairly flew, but the bird had flown and Corrick Bridge was two lengths adrift at the line.
Not too many pilots ride Galway better than Danny Mullins and he was again seen at his best when taking the Guinness Time Handicap on Harry Rogers’ Fit The Cove.
The winner and market-leader, Separate Ways, had a terrific battle up the straight, with Fit The Cove digging deep to finally get on top.
Gary Carroll gave further evidence of his growing talent when driving Articilitis to a game win over No One Tells Me and Declan McDonogh, 2-1 to 6-4, in the Arthur’s Legacy Handicap.
Jim Bolger struck for the first time this week when Slieve Mish took the Guinness 250th Anniversary EBF Fillies Handicap.
Driven ahead early in the straight by Kevin Manning, the daughter of Cape Cross found plenty to hold Beauthea.
Nina Carberry kicked hard off the turn in on Bay Central to snatch a winning lead over the staying-on Ballyvoile in the Bumper.
The attendance was a highly satisfactory 42,414, even if it was down from 46,186 last year. The Tote was €1,376,845, down from €1,768,253. The layers held €3,123,041, as against €3,533,819.
