Versatile King Carew lands tenth career win
“He’s a wonderful horse”, exclaimed trainer, Michael Hourigan, after he welcomed his gallant warrior and Timmy Murphy back to the number one berth.
King Carew led from the start, but looked beaten when headed going to four out by Doire-Chrinn,
But the winner was back at the head of affairs early in the straight and stayed on doggedly in the closing stages to resist the persistent challenge of market leader, Tiger Cry.
“All he ever does is win”, said Hourigan. “He was bred to be a Derby horse, but keeps winning Derbys for me.
“I suppose we’ll find a chase now and I would be anxious to take him to Royal Ascot for a two mile race.”
Paul Carberry gave well-backed favourite Nassaro an extraordinary drive to take the Killarney Towers Maiden Hurdle.
He’s a horse who has to be held up until the last possible moment and Carberry carried out those tactics to perfection.
Vintage Port made a brave attempt from the front, but Nassaro swept through late to grab the lead in the dying strides.
“I told Paul to drop him on the line”, smiled delighted trainer, Michael Halford. “He got into a battle for too long at Tipperary last time and will now mix it for the summer.”
Conor O’Dwyer, who finished third on Western Road, failed to weigh in and was suspended for three days and ordered to forfeit his riding fee.
Halford landed a double when Louise Boswell did a Carberry aboard Cloneden in the Dawn Reid Ladies Handicap.
The daughter of Definite Article went off the 4-1 favourite and those who traded must have had more than the odd palpitation up the straight, as Master’s Melody made the best of his way home.
Ms Boswell sat quietly for most of the last couple of furlongs, before powering through late to score snugly in the end.
Robert Power was seen to advantage when forcing Colca Canyon up close home to land the Sharp Minds Betfair Chase.
A change of policy regarding usual hold-up horse Risk Accessor, he tried to make all, looked like succeeding for most of the journey.
He was still going best heading to the last, both Colca Canyon and Davids Lad were trying to close, but found little on the level and the winner surged past to score by half a length.
The Davy Fitzgerald trained Camptect stayed on dourly to reel in long-timer leader, Ransboro, in the Killarney Grand Hotel Handicap Hurdle.
Ransboro had most of the field in trouble a long way out, but John Allen got a real tune from the winner to lead on the run in.
Said Fitzgerald: “He has to have it soft, I thought the ground was gone against him. He was going out in a field last Monday, but we took a chance, and he’ll be out in it tomorrow.”
Allen was suspended for two days, having been found guilty of using his whip with excessive force and frequency.
On the credit side, he completed a double when the Pat Verling trained Berkley stayed on far too well for Tobeornotobe from the final fence in the moderate Gleaneagle Hotel Handicap Chase.
Martin Kenirons, who trains just three horses at Moneygall, Co Tipperary, saddled his first winner when Catchthebug made all for a gutsy victory in the Bumper. Kenirons took out a licence some 16 months ago.
