Fast ground the key as Instan lands gamble
He landed the bets with the minimum of fuss, under a confident Paul Carberry drive.
Instan was always tracking the leaders, easing into second spot as Lord Rozz made the long burst for home heading to five out.
From the third last, however, it was a one horse race. The winner led here and soon stretched away to score by an unflattering four lengths.
"He was very disappointing on soft ground, he just wasn’t getting home”, reported Meade. "We will keep going with him and he’s made to jump fences.”
Meade and Carberry completed a short-priced double when Fable easily justified market leadership in the Mitsubishi McCarthy TV and Electrical Novice Chase.
Tuba made a brave attempt from the front, but Fable eased past coming away from the third last and was soon in control.
Saud Meade: "I have had a job getting him back, he’s had problems, including pulled muscles. He doesn’t handle soft ground, so will keep running on this.”
Joanna Morgan’s well-backed market leader, Portant Fella, got a fine ride from Ruby Walsh to win the Walsh Engineering Handicap Hurdle.
Liscahill Hill held a big advantage for much of the journey, but Walsh timed his challenge to perfection.
Portant Fella swept up to lead at the final flight and he eased two lengths clear on the level.
"If he doesn’t run for a fortnight he gets very heavy”, said Morgan. "That will leave him spot-on for a flat race at Tramore on Sunday.”
Another who was a big order in the ring, Pat Hughes’ Theseus, 11-10 from 6-4, comfortably defied top weight in the Shreelawn Oil Handicap Chase.
Beautifully handled by Derek O’Connor, Theseus cruised through from mid-field to lead going to the final fence and score unextended.
Said Hughes: "I don’t have anything mapped out for him, but he loves those flat tracks and two miles.”
The John Cullen partnered Golden Beacon stayed on well to take the Sand and Gravel Products Beginners Chase.
He may have been a trifle lucky, however, because long-timer leader, Just For Fun, still held the call when pecking badly at the back of the last, handing the initiative to the winner.
Gamble of the contest was Arthur Moore’s first-timer over fences, Mount Kimble, taken from a little 11-8 to 4-5.
But he never looked very happy on the fast ground and was beaten going to two out.
Galway Plate hero Robert Power gave Yer Father’s Yacht an enterprising ride to win the Mallow three-year-old Maiden Hurdle.
The Desert Story gelding made all the running, making light of two minor erros over the final two flights to beat Room To Room King.
Favourite Hard Shoulder, attempting to land a three-timer for the Meade-Carberry combination, was beaten three from home.
New Zealand girl Luisa Williams rode her sixth winner when taking the Bumper on Charlie Swan’s Innisfree, producing him with impeccable timing to cut down the front-running Waltons Mountain inside the final furlong.
Commented Swan: "He wants firm ground and Luisa gets on great with him. He jumps well at home and will now go over hurdles.”
