Martin lands gamble
Taken as high as 5-1 in the morning and from a little 7-2 to 6-4 on track, the Old Vic mare proved much too good for her rivals.
Partnered with typical confidence by Ruby Walsh, Millanymare was held up towards the back of the field for much of the journey.
She began to close on the final circuit, however, and was brought through to challenge Ohmissymoss heading to the last.
The winner was a trifle awkward over the flight, but picked up quickly on the level, easing a length and a half clear.
“It’s about time something went right again,” smiled a clearly delighted Martin, who hadn’t saddled a winner since Leg Spinner was a big touch at Royal Ascot at York.
“She’s just a low-grade handicapper and will stick to her own division,” reported Martin.
Walsh was on the mark again when Dalian Dawn easily beat market rival, Waterlily, in the Londis Novice ’Chase.
Dalian Dawn led at the third, but was stalked on the final circuit by Waterlily. Coming away from the second last, however, it was no contest, as David Kiely’s charge eased clear.
Commented Kiely: “His jumping had been disappointing. He will probably go to Galway for a two mile novice ’chase, although if Accordion Etoile was to turn up in the race then he wouldn’t run.”
Walsh completed a treble when forcing long odds-on Swordplay to a last-gasp victory over Annshoon in the William K O’Connor Handicap ’Chase.
Annshoon was coming back strongly at the end, with Walsh quipping: “She would have beaten me in another half a stride.”
He is now the clear leader in the jockeys’ championship on the 30 mark and also has 15 to his credit across channel.
Walsh made his way to Killarney from Leeds Airport, having earlier in the day attended the funeral of Tom Halliday, so tragically killed at Market Rasen last week.
Brian Carey, despite putting up a pound overweight, had no trouble springing a mild surprise aboard Austin Leahy’s Lake Millstatt in the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Claiming Race.
The 12-1 chance mastered the flattering favourite, All Flash, inside the furlong pole to score by a length and a half.
“She’s been a good old servant,” said Leahy, of a mare who was recording a seventh success in 77 races.
“I can remember coming here, but can’t remember if I ever rode a winner, it’s too long ago,” said Kieren Fallon after he taken the Kielys Electrical Stores Race on Charlie Swan’s Master Ofthe Chase.
Fallon got a dream run up the inside in the straight to lead a furlong and a half down and beat always prominent, Zarghari.
Commented Swan: “He always runs best fresh and will now go to Galway, but whether it will be on the flat over fences or hurdles I don’t know.”
Littleton Telchar, trained at Newmarket in England by Mick Ryan, came through late and fast in the hands of Tadhg O’Shea to win the Robin Parke Memorial Handicap.
The five-year-old is owned by Dr Paul O’Driscoll from Cork, a geologist currently working in Indonesia. Littleton Telchar now heads for Galway.
Irish Blade, who had started to become a trifle costly to follow, put it all together in the first division of the Grand Hotel Killarney Handicap Hurdle.
Produced by Denis O’Regan to lead over the third last, Noel Meade’s gelding was soon in control, beating Merry Star by four lengths.
Pat Smullen, on his only ride of the evening, powered Stylist past Maria Luisa a furlong out to take the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Fillies Maiden comfortably.
