River lands monster gamble in Hurdle
He was succcessful two years earlier with Say Again, who was also partnered by Cloone River’s pilot, John Cullen. The winner was backed at 12-1 ante-post and was available in the shops in the morning at 7-1. On the track the layers probably felt they were being conservative, putting him in at 11-2.
But they couldn’t have been more wrong. The eight-year-old was the medium of some major wagers, thumped in to 7-2.
Of course, he is owned locally by Kathleen and Bernard Gillane at Gort, some 20 miles away, and it was hardly a surprise that an avalanche of money came for the gelding.
“We were so disappointed when he got beaten last year, after he looked like winning”, said Nolan.
“I decided not to run him again over hurdles to preserve his mark. I am so lucky to have John Cullen on my side, he gave him a brilliant ride.
“He produced him at exactly the right time and skated in at the end. We will discuss it, but I would say it will be straight over fences now.”
Jim Culloty made the long run for home on Gemini Guest early on the final circuit. Cloone River gradually worked into the contest, after he had been lucky not to be brought down when Crimson Flower departed the scene at the second hurdle.
That obstacle is also the second last and was omitted on the final circuit, as Cloone River started to hit top gear.
Gemini Guest still held the call heading to the last, but Cloone River now had him covered, although getting far from a clear run with a loose horse in front of him.
Unperturbed, however, Cullen soon had matters in hand and Cloone River surged into the lead early on the flat.
Said Cullen: “I was lucky not to be brought down when Willie Slattery’s horse (Crimson Flower) went at the second.
“The plan was to go down the inside and I had a few minor scares along the way, but he had the gears to get out of trouble. My only worry was that he would be very keen early and I had to get him settled. I knew he would come home well.”
Slattery got a bad fall and was removed to hospital with suspected fractured ribs and possibly a collapsed lung. The full facts won’t be known, however, until he has extensive X-rays.
Michael O’Brien’s Swordplay made a fine start over fences when giving Ruby Walsh his second success of the week in the Budweiser Novice Chase.
Walsh rode him with real patience, only asking for an effort coming away from the last. Swordplay then got a dream run through on the inside early in the straight to beat Always.
O’Brien didn’t journey to Ballybrit and was represented by assistant, Denis Cullen.
Said Cullen: “He had schooled great and has taken to fences really well. It didn’t take a lot to convert him. There are no plans, but I’d imagine he will turn up at some more of the Festivals.”
Adrian Lane, who suffered some bad injuries in a fall at Naas five and a half months earlier, only returned to action on Friday night and was on the mark when Pharviva made all to land the St James’ Gate Novice Hurdle.
“It took a lot longer to come back, I thought it would only be three months”, said a delighted Lane.
“While I was out I tried to keep my head up and keep going. I rode here on Monday night and was very stiff the next morning.”
Pharviva set a spanking gallop and had his principal danger removed when market leader, Amid The Chaos, a close second at the time, fell at the seventh.
Commented trainer, Michael Halford: “I am more dleighted for Adrian than the horse, he is a great chap.”
Fatherofthebride, not the easiest of rides, got a tremendous drive from Shay Barry to take the Guinness Beginners Chase.
He was one of four horses holding a winning chance running up hill to the straight, but Barry got the maximum out of Joe Crowley’s charge to beat Tipp Top.
Lowlander went off a very uneasy 3-1 favourite and his prospects weren’t helped by mistakes six out, four from home and at the last. He still held every chance turning in, but the errors took their toll and he could do no more.
Lowlander’s trainer, Dermot Weld, looked set to record his sixth winner of the week when Monday night’s hurdle victor, Zeroberto, cruised to the front off the home turn in the Smithwicks Handicap.
But suddenly Jamie Spencer, having his first ride of the meeting, loomed large on the horizon on Pat Hughes’ Lily Shing Shang.
And that was that as far as favourite backers were concerned, as the grey settled it in a matter of strides to master Zeroberto comfortably.
Commented Hughes: “In her last nine outings she has only run one bad race. I said I’d get the best rider for her at Galway and I got the best.”
Weld was out of luck again when Mohawk Star, backed from 7-4 to 11-8, went under by a neck to Charmed Forest in the Guinness Handicap.
Mohawk Star had just about got the best of Blackhall Claw inside the furlong pole when Davy Condon swooped close home on charmed Forest to beat them both.
Danny Grant, one of the most improved riders of the season, gave Pat Flynn’s Foxhollow Lady a fine drive to take the Guinness EBF Fillies Handicap.
He drove the mare ahead inside the furlong pole, getting first run on Peineve, who finished with a flourish, but was still a neck adrift at the line.
The attendance yesterday was a course record, 37,437. The layers held €3,320,016 (a national record), while €1,725,448 was invested on the Tote.
