In-form Ryan drives Native Beat to hard-earned winin Ulster National
Ryan was recording his tenth win in the space of two weeks as he kept the virtually unconsidered 12/1 shot going to land the three-and-a-half mile feature in the colours of Daisy Duggan, who has ridden the gelding to success in the past.
Ryan said: “That was hard work. He was never really travelling and I was driving him along a long way from home. He was only fifth running down to the second last, but was always giving me a bit more and stayed on well up the hill.”
Native Beat is trained near Summerhill, County Meath by John Fowler who nominated the new cross-country chase at the Cheltenham Festival as his charge’s immediate target.
Ryan, who is keeping a couple of steps ahead of Paddy Flood in the race for the ‘conditional’ riders’ title, had been out of luck earlier when favourite Panaconi, still travelling well in the lead having made all the running, fell at the final flight when looking the likely winner.
Panaconi’s departure left chief market rival Missindependence in front but, on the stiff climb Maswaly, trained locally by Jeremy Maxwell, forged into the lead to credit Robbie Dunne, who is based with Arthur Moore, with his first racecourse success.
Pat Fahy, trainer of Panaconi, enjoyed better fortune later in the Polly Homes Handicap Hurdle when No Rows followed-up a recent win at Clonmel by justifying odds-on favouritism.
No Rows continued the impressive strike-rate being enjoyed by the partnership of Fahy and former champion Ruby Walsh, who rode the gambled-on favourite (5/4 - 4/6) confidently before hitting the front on the run-in and powering clear. Fahy will seek another similar opportunity for the winner.
Easiest winner of the day was Ocras Mor, which gave Suzanne Cox her fifth success since receiving her licence, who romped to an impressive victory in the Morning Star Belfast Mares Novice Hurdle.
Having tracked the leaders throughout, Denis O’Regan found himself in a couple of pockets on the Old Vic mare but, once he switched her early on the run-in, Ocras Mor quickened in great style and virtually sprinted clear to score by eight lengths.
Tom Taaffe grabbed the last opportunity to get his four-year-old In The Wings gelding, In The High Grass, qualified for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham by saddling him to land the bumper. A third winner for jockey Tom Freyne, In The High Grass justified favouritism and the tall reputation which preceded him to the track, beating the unlucky and highly promising former ‘pointer’ Hardwick.
