Belle spreadeagles her Thyestes rivals
In doing so she continued the remarkable rehabilitation of pilot, Timmy Murphy, who is rapidly heading to the top of the tree and gave her a smashing ride.
Be Me Belle jumped for fun at the front and it would be no exaggeration to say she had the look of a winner a long way from home.
Well-backed market leader, Takagi, went second four out and tried his hardest up the straight.
But Be My Belle was in no mood to relent and she powered away from the gallant Takagi from the final fence.
Said Murphy: "She gallops and jumps and loved having only a light weight to carry. She did it really well and a tough mare can often be better than a gelding, because of the allowances.”
The mare returned to a tremendous reception with the owner’s husband, Aidan Aherne, happily exclaiming to all and sundry: "There’s only one Be My Belle and one Timmy Murphy.”
Aherne, quizzed as to the long-term plan for the seven-year-old, quipped: "The plan is to win forty more races!”
Handler Sean Treacy, who never won a Thyestes in his days as a jockey, was enjoying his first success as a trainer in the biggest race run at his local track. "She is absolutely fantastic and I hope she will now get the recognition she deserves”, said Treacy.
"She will go for a mares chase at Thurles next Thursday. People will say it will come too quick. But it’s a valuable contest, she’s tough and has to take her chance.”
Treacy didn’t appear overly enthusiastic about the possibility of her travelling to Cheltenham.
"She’s in the SunAlliance, but I don’t know”, he said. "She’s better going right-handed and the Irish Grand National is the real goal. But she would only go for that if the ground was on the soft side.”
Takagi, absent since being pulled up in the Hennessy behind Be My Royal at Newbury at the end of November, ran a smashing race.
He was never going to beat the winner over the last three fences, but battled on dourly. Edward O’Grady expressed himself "pleased” with the effort, believing his charge possibly needed the outing.
Foxchapel King finished a creditable fourth, under 12-0, but was struggling from four out.
The progressive Satco Express won his fifth race of the campaign when producing a game, front-running display to take the Gouldings’ Richland Galmoy Hurdle.
He jumped superbly for Charlie Swan and answered all the calls when his talented pilot popped the questions.
Rostropovich was the winner’s closest pursuer throughout and looked a live danger heading to the last.
But Satco Express is a hard horse to pass and he bounded away from his grey rival on the level to score snugly enough by a length and a half.
"He’s very tough and just does enough”, reported Swan.
Commented trainer, Eamon Sheehy: "He will now take on Limestone Lad in the Boyne Hurdle (three miles) at Navan. I know he will have no chance, but it will sharpen him up!
“I didn’t even enter him for Cheltenham and the plan is a three mile novice at Aintree. Charlie says that’s the right race to go for.”
Ruby Walsh moved onto the 99-winner mark for the season when landing the Dinn Ri Maiden Hurdle aboard Frances Crowley’s Angel’s Folly.
It was his 55th success at home and he has partnered a quite remarkable 44 winners across channel.
It took all of Walsh’s considerable strength, however, to keep the unlucky Statim at bay in the closing stages.
David Casey lost an iron on Statim going to the third last and the combination was lucky to get to the other side of the obstacle.
Michael O’Brien’s mare rallied in fine style and the principals swept past the heavily backed favourite Bringontheclowns, 5-2 to 6-4, between the final two flights.
They were in the air together at the last, but Statim then hung towards the stands half-way up the run in and, in a driving finish, Angel’s Folly held on by a short head.
Said Crowley: "She will probably go for a winners’ of one at Punchestown now.”
Colonel Rayburn, given a delightfully patient drive by John Cullen, took the Powers’ Gold Label Championship Handicap Hurdle with plenty in hand.
His technique over flights still leaves plenty to be desired, but their is no doubt about the engine.
Lime Supreme tried to make all but the winner improved smoothly through the final half mile to join issue at the last.
Colnel Rayburn was awkward over the hurdle but quickly stretched away to beat the fast finishing My Native Donegal an unflattering three lengths.
"I want him to jump fences and that is the last time you well see him over hurdles”, reported trainer, Paul Nolan.
"He definitely needs a big, galloping track and heavy ground. Hopefully, he will jump fences better, he’s certainly better over them at home.”
Noel Meade’s Nomadic, best for money in the ring, got up close home to beat Star Performance and the trail-blazing Hedgehunter in the EBF Novice Chase.
Said Meade: "He’s had problems with his hind-legs and they have messed him about for two seasons.
"He’s a hard horse to get fit and takes an awful lot of work. We’re trying to get him back to what he was and he’s going the right way. He’s in both the SunAlliance and the Arkle at Cheltenham, but we will have to wait and see.”
Donie Hassett’s Doora Volunteer was backed at fancy prices last Saturday morning, but bolted before his Punchestown assignment.
Yesterday, in the hands of Shay Barry, he made no mistake, easing clear from the start to take the Long Man Of Kilfane Carey’s Cottage Cup Handicap Chase by 13 lengths.
Paul Nolan, on the mark with Colnel Rayburn, completed a 54-1 double when newcomer, Windswept Leader, got up in the dying strides to beat Move Yourself and Mitchelstown in the Bumper.
