Spring Opera on song as Grassick hits high note
She was taken from 4-5 to 1-2 and never gave her supporters any real cause for concern.
The disappointing Enfield Chase went on five furlongs out, but the winner eased past early in the straight, as Pharaoh Prince stayed on one-paced to fill a remote second.
“She’s a nice filly,” said Grassick. “We will look for a little Listed race and she might travel abroad.”
Niall McCullagh, on a hot streak at the moment, partnered Spring Opera and he completed a double aboard the Pat Martin trained Buddy Man in the second section of the Murphy Mitsubishi Motors Handicap.
Successful by five lengths at Sligo on Sunday, Buddy Man followed up in style, coasting to the front with over two furlongs to go and scoring hard-held by three lengths.
Pat Hughes and Jim Culloty enjoyed their third success of the week when Treculiar easily took the Colm Foley Memorial Novice Hurdle.
A very easy to back 4-1 shot, he belied the apparent lack of confidence with a smooth performance.
Culloty brought him from the rear of the field to lead two out and beat top weight, Batang, who found the steadier of 12-3 too much in the closing stages.”
“His jumping was a big improvement on the first day he ran over hurdles,” said Hughes. “He will go to Galway for either the GPT Handicap or a four-year-old novice hurdle.”
The quaintly named Big Bojangles, having a first outing since the Punchestown Festival in April, took the Dawn Milk Run Handicap, a contest which was a real tribute to the compiler of weights.
By my reckoning only about three lengths covered the first ten home, as Robbie Osborne’s Big Bojangles got the best of a dour last furlong tussle with gallant veteran, Ballygowan Beauty, and Al Towd.
“I thought he had a squeak and he will now mix it between hurdles and the flat”, said Osborne.
For pilot, Robbie Burke, it was a third of the week to go with Rooftop Protest and Jinx Johnson.
Aine Dubh failed dismally in her attempt to become the only horse to score twice at the meeting. The mare travelled well enough in second for most of the journey, but found nothing from early in the straight.
There were extenuating circumstances, however. It later emerged she had been galloped into and severed a tendon behind. In foal to King’s Theatre, she has now been retired.
Pat Flynn’s Nic’s Colleen followed up a hard-earned win at Limerick with a smooth victory in the first division of the Murphy Mitsubishi Motors Handicap.
Flynn was loud in his praise of rider, Danny Grant, after he had watched him send Nic’s Colleen clear through the last furlong.
“Danny gets better with every ride. I always thought she was a gorgeous filly, has now hit form and Galway is the plan”, said Flynn.
“I was getting a little bit depressed, not having a winner all week”, said Michael Hourigan after his Almier had bounded away with the Abbeyfeale New Shop Open Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle.
The grey son of Phardante got into the race as second reserve and was best for money, 2-1 from 3’s.
He cruised into the lead between the last two flights to score with plenty in hand.
“We will try and find another little one for him,” said Hourigan. “He is better going left-handed, but will still take his chance at Galway.”
Davy Russell rode his first winner of the four days when guiding Daranado, in front two out, to an easy victory in a moderate Kerry Spring Water Handicap Hurdle.
Market leader, Calithyne, set a moderate gallop for much of the Bumper, before rallying strongly in the straight, but ultimately failing by three parts of a length to Charlie Swan’s newcomer, Ryanally.
Calithyne returned mildly distressed, but recovered quickly and lives to fight another day.
