Ruby solves Maze puzzle
“She’s not a stayer,” reported Walsh with typical candour. “She had her bellyful of it coming away from the second last and it was pure guts and determination which kept her going.”
Only a fool wouldn’t take what Walsh had to say to heart. Truth to tell she was far good for this opposition, but it was a weak race and quotes of 5-1 from some firms afterwards, for Cheltenham’s World Hurdle, were a bit of a joke.
Indeed, listening to Walsh, it will be a surprise should she even run in that race.
Asian Maze made every yard of the running and had most of the field in real trouble entering the final mile.
The exception was Fire Dragon, her closest pursuer for most of the journey. But he came off the bridle going to two out and it was left to Kerryhead Windfarm to chase home the mare at a distance of four and a half lengths.
“I will certainly take on board what Ruby said, but have six or eight months now to think about it,” said trainer Tom Mullins.
“She will come back for the Hatton’s Grace (Fairyhouse) and those two mile races at Leopardstown.”
Before that, however, Mullins will entertain the possibility of her heading to Auteuil for the French Champion Hurdle, or else challenging for the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot.
“She’s very clever and tough and, hopefully, will have more luck next season than she had this time round,” concluded Mullins.
After Accordion Etoile had come back to his best, in the Swordlestown Cup Novice Chase, Paul Nolan’s thoughts immediately turned to Dary Cullen, part of the trainer’s team, who was killed in a point-to-point on Sunday.
“I want to dedicate this to Dary, we would swap all wins to have him back,” said an emotional Nolan.
Justified tried to make all, but his recent tendency to jump away to the left cost him dearly.
He was alright in the early stages, but went markedly left at the fifth, sixth and seventh fences.
Tony McCoy, however, drove him on heading to the fourth last, but they could never quite get away from a smooth-moving Accordion Etoile, superbly handled by John Cullen.
The pair raced to the last locked together, but Justifed blundered badly here and there was no way back.
Said Nolan: “We took our horse to the gallops in Doninga to jump those French hurdles, he was electric. We did nothing else with him only jumping hurdles.
“We couldn’t understand why he has been making those mistakes and, for a small horse, he made those fences today look small.
“He is a good horse, who has to have good ground. That’s it for the season and the long-term plan is the two mile Champion Chase at Cheltenham.”
Willie Mullins’ inmates have hit form with a vengeance and he took his total for the Festival to six when Quatre Heures won the tote.ie Champion four-year-old Hurdle.
Quatre Heures was partnered by Mick Fitzgerald, who replaced David Casey, out with a broken wrist sustained on Wednesday.
Fitzgerald is not one to look a gift horse in the mouth and he drove the winner to the front approaching the last flight.
Mister Hight was in second place when toppling over, but looked safely held by Quatre Heures at the time.
Said Mullins: “I want to thank David Casey for this, he gave Mick his instructions. I have to talk to the owners, but would be happy to take both Quatre Heures and Mister Hight to Auteuil for a four-year-old hurdle. Quatre Heures seems to be improving all the time.”
“I feel very sad for David,” said Fitzgerald. He really fancied the horse. He jumps like a gazelle, travelled very well and has a real engine.”
Casey missed another winner when Philip Carberry successfully deputised for him on One Four Shannon in the Tattersalls (Ireland) Ltd Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase.
The winner is trained by Galway handler David Ryan and powered past the flattering Monterey Bay at the last fence.
Afterwards, Ryan lashed out regarding the fact that One Four Shannon failed to get a run in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.
“I spent 13 months preparing him for the race and was devastated when he failed to get in,” said Ryan.
"It is a f***ing disgrace that Tote Ireland cannot handle more than 30 runners. There were four non-runners on the day and if reserves were allowed mine would have been the first!”
Carberry completed a double when pushing Roadmaker ahead over the last to grab the Chronicle Bookmakers' Handicap Hurdle.
He stayed on to beat Santa’s Son, who was a desperately unlucky loser. Santa's Son was in front, and full of running, when almost carried out by a loose horse before the penultimate flight.
He lost many lengths, dropping back to fifth, before rallying again in the straight.
Enda Bolger saddled his ninth winner in-a-row of the Blue Square La Touche Cup when Good Step repeated his success in the race a year ago.
Nina Carberry grabbed the inside turning in and then drove JP McManus’s gelding to a hard fought length and a half defeat of I’m On The Line.
“That was an unbelievable ride, she is just something else,” said Bolger. “She is so strong in a finish.”
Good Step is in again today, but Bolger indicated was unlikely to run. “He will be back again next year,” he said.
Derek O’Connnor rode the most magical of races to bring John Kiely’s newcomer Nesserian from way off the pace to beat Zenaide a short head in the Bumper.
“He was always promising, but I was disappointed the ground had dried out so much,” said Kiely. “He’s a winter horse.”
The KFM Hunters Chase wasn’t much of a contest, but went the right way for punters with victory going to Extended Favour.
The Norman Cassidy trained mare was in front before the final fence for Jamie Codd and was always holding Father Murtagh.
The attendance yesterday was 19,189, up from 17,456 last year. The layers held €3,200,621 as against €3,042,321.
