Heffernan gets off the mark for the season on Brogella
“I stopped riding over jumps over a month ago, but Frances (Crowley) told me this would win and I decided to come back.
“I make plenty of money on the flat and shouldn’t really be doing this, but it’s an addiction, I love riding winners.”
Brogella, backed from 6-4 to 5-4, jumped brilliantly and made every yard of the running. Savitha was the only possible danger heading to the second last.
She was still about a length down rising to the flight, looking held, but toppled at the back and it was all too easy then for Brogella. “I had plenty left and we went across the second last at some speed”, reported Heffernan.
Commented Crowley: “She’s very genuine and would probably be better suited by a longer trip. “There’s a Listed race coming up at two and a half miles, I’m not sure where, I’ll have to look it up, and that’s where she will go next.”
Crowley completed an almost 16-1 double when producing a fine training performance with Monterey Bay in the Lisronagh Novice Handicap Novice Chase.
The winner hadn’t been since November 20 and Crowley explained: “He was running terrible and choking badly. He had a wind operation and it seems to have been a success.”
Monterey Bay was given a fine drive by talented Tom Ryan to resist the persistent challenge of Hidden Genius, trained by Frances’s father, Joe Crowley, on the run in.
The polished Andrew McNamara rode the 29th winner of his career, he needs just one more to lose his 5lbs claim, aboard Joueur D’Estruval in the Maurice Dougan Hurdle. Over a trip short of his best, the grey travelled supremely well throughout the contest, easing to the front down hill to the straight.
He made his only semblance of an error two from home, but it made no difference and the eight-year-old crossed the line ten lengths to the good over disappointing favourite, Lissbonney Project.
Workandturn, a morning-price gamble from as high as 25-1 and returned at 6-1, got the best of a close tussle with Moscow’s Dream in the Kilsheelan Handicap Hurdle.
The Arctic Lord gelding was strongly handled by Tom Ryan, he completed a spectacular treble later with Monterey Bay and Vicars Way, and is trained by his brother, David, at Tuam.
“This horse must have been backed in every betting shop from Dublin to here”, quipped the delighted handler.
Ryan rounded off his afternoon when powering Vicars Way to the front well before the home turn to easily beat Toto Caelo in the very moderate Slievenamon Beginners Chase.
Mark Watts (26) from Offaly, rode his second winner as a professional when guiding Calorando to victory in the Comeragh Maiden Hurdle. Watts has been with Calorando’s trainer, Tony Mullins, for about a month, having previously spent four and a half years with Ted Walsh. His first winner was for Paddy Mullins, Hurry Bob, at last year’s Punchestown Festival.
He certainly did a fine job with the heavily supported favourite, driving him clear from the last, after Calorando had done a fair bit of weaving about in the straight.
Christy Roche’s well-touted newcomer Cool Running duly won the Bumper in the hands of his son, Padraig.
Always moving sweetly, Cool Running, despite showing definite signs of greenness, was much too strong for market rival, Harper’s Pride, from the furlong pole.
Said Roche: “He will probably go home now (to J P McManus) and come back next season for a maiden hurdle.”
