Golden Handshake snatches victory by half-length in Novice Hurdle at Listowel
PHOTO FINISH: Golden Handshake pips Beir Bua at the last second to claim the Novice Hurdle. Pic: Healy Racing
With Bartholomew a non-runner, only four went to post for the Seamus Mulvaney Bookmaker Novice Hurdle on Kerry National day but it was to prove an eventful contest.
Beir Bua and Columbus traded blows from the front before the Andy Slattery-trained 8-1 shot established a clear lead at the halfway point.
However, Beir Bua looked booked for minor honours when passed by the 4-5 favourite just before the second last before Columbus crashed out after a mistake at the final flight.
That looked to have left the way clear for Beir Bua to land the spoils but the William Durkan-trained Golden Handshake powered home in the hands of Philip Byrnes to snatch victory by half a length.
“We had a winner here last year but it's 50 years since Carrow Boy won here in my father's colours. He was a very dear horse to the family,” said the trainer's son Neil Durkan.
Of Golden Handshake who unseated his rider at the last when in pursuit of Columbus at the Galway festival, Durkan added: “Philip said he kept galloping. We were a little bit unlucky in Galway and we felt we would have been closer, if not beaten, Columbus.
“We had a little peck on landing in Galway and the same happened here today with Columbus. That's what happens in racing and it was our turn today to get the rub of the green.” Philip Byrnes completed a quick double when 7-4 favourite Glin Road Boy, trained by his father Charles, got the better of Granlahan by three-quarters of a length in the Brandon Hotel Handicap Hurdle.
Previously trained by Eugene O’Sullivan, Glin Road Boy finished second at Sligo on his first start for the Byrnes and went one place better here, much to the delight of the winning trainer.
“It’s a fabulous win for the owners, Paddy Mulvihill is from Moyvane, which is only down the road, but he's living in Limerick now so it means a lot for him to have a winner at Listowel.
“He’s had horses on and off with me for a good number of years, one or two winners, but nothing serious. Hopefully this fella might nick a few more.
“He ran well the last day but it was probably more competitive here and it was great to get the win.”
He may have been out of luck with Columbus but Townend still managed to record a double, the first leg coming in the opening race, the McSweeney Brothers Maiden Hurdle, where 4-9 favourite Love Me Tender bolted up.
The German import was sent off the 7-2 favourite to make a winning start for Mullins on the Flat in the Ebor at York last month but his eagerness to get on with it compromised his chances and he trailed in 10th.
His keenness was in further evidence on his hurdling debut but he was a class above his rivals here, scoring by 20 lengths at the expense of Approval.
“He was very keen,” Mullins acknowledged. “I feel sorry for the second there [Approval] because our fella should have won his hurdle before that but we never got an opportunity to run him over hurdles and he looks better than what you should be meeting down here.
“It was unfortunate that we didn’t get a run into him and we saw what happened in the Ebor, he was too free, he was too keen. He was a little bit of that today as well but he’ll learn and I think the hurdles will help him to steady up and teach him a bit more about settling and racing properly.”
Leg two of the Townend double came in the Ballygarry Estate Hotel & Spa Mares Novice Chase where even-money favourite La Note Verte ran out a smooth six-length winner.
“She's did it nicely and has progressed with each run over fences. She's very likeable,” Townend said.
“She's calmed down from what she was, she's genuine and jumps great.” Eric McNamara was full of praise for jockey Tom Kelly after the 7lb claimer partnered top-weight Millstream Lady to victory in the Devon Inn Dan Sheehan Memorial Handicap Hurdle.
“We had to claim 7lb off her and Tom gave her a super ride, a really super ride,” McNamara said. “He took his time and crept away into the race but what a game mare she is.” The Tom Cooper-trained New Grange sent punters home happy when justifying 10-11 favouritism under Patrick Mullins in the bumper, the Walk In The Park gelding cruising to a comfortable victory.
“We like to have Paddy riding for us and we've been lucky with him here before,” Copper said. We had a chat between each other and he's running a horse tomorrow and we ran today so it worked out,” “My son Bryan bought him, he rode him before he ran in his point-to-point and he was mad about him.”
