Hourigan starts week in good style
His luck was really in when he sent out Mr Grouse (4-1 to 3-1) to contest the 4-Y-O Geldings Maiden as he took the honours in a most eventful contest.
Joint favourite Kald River (2-1/4-1/3-1) fell at the first fence and with three fences left to jump, War of Attrition (5-1 to 3-1), with Robert Widger in the saddle, and Gougane Barra (6-1) looked to have the race to themselves as they were clear of their rivals.
War of Attrition began to pull clear on the run to the last but he came to grief at the fence, as did Gougane Barra. Time To Sell (6-1) who was third at that stage lost his momentum when trying to avoid the fallers and Mr Grouse finished strongly to get up for a length and a half success.
Widger, an ex-professional jockey, was taken to hospital following his fall with a suspected broken leg.
Hourigan’s second success came in the following Winners of One with the John Thomas McNamara ridden The Parishoner (3-1 to 2-1), which also gave McNamara to first leg of a double.
After Crafty Run (10-1) had made the running to four out Carroll Encore (5-1) took it up closely followed by Canary Tan (5-1).
As they turned for home McNamara began to make up ground on the favourite and it was almost three in line coming to the last.
The Parishioner made a mistake here but recovered to get up by for a half length success from Carroll Encore with Canary Tan a similar distance away in third.
McNamara completed his double in the first division of the 5-Y-O and Upwards Mares Maiden on the gambled on Shania’s Run (6-1 to 3-1) for the Andrew McNamara stable.
Owned by Galwayman Martin John Keary, McNamara took the seven-year-old to the front from the start and although accompanied by Kilnockin Hill for most of the trip she pulled away from the third last to win by fifteen lengths from Kilnockin Hill.
"She might go for one of those point to point bumpers or a maiden hurdle. Alternatively she could contest a Winner of One at the Galway point-to-point," commented the trainer.
Owner Martin John Keary, who lives near Galway Racecourse at Ballybrit, said: "She was out of action for a year and a half due to leg trouble".
One of the most impressive winners of the afternoon was Icy Calm (5-2 to 3-1) in the Open Lightweight Race. Ridden by James T. Carroll, who won this particular race twelve months ago on Lady Midian, the eight-year-old, owned by David O’Meara of Grange, Co. Limerick, was winning for the second week in-a-row, having been successful at Lemonfield the previous Sunday.
Never out of the first two, he was in front with a circuit to go, but surrendered his advantage to Master Badsworth (7-4 to 9-4) at the fourth last.
However, he was in front at the next and then pulled away score by fifteen lengths from Knockalassa (6-1 to 8-1), who finished strongly to take second.
"He will probably now go for a Hunters Chase" said his owner.
