Blinkers work the oracle on well backed Island Life

THE effect blinkers can have on a horse's performance was never better illustrated than in the Powerstown three-year-old Maiden Hurdle at Clonmel yesterday.

Noel Meade's Island Life appeared decidedly unenthusiastic when third at Navan previously and so the aids were applied.

He was backed from 5-2 to 15-8 and, as well as the blinkers, a change of tactics were also adopted.

It all worked like a charm, as Paul Carberry took Island Life directly into the lead. His jumping was fast and accurate and he powered clear of the opposition from early in the straight.

Meade was represented by his partner, Gillian O'Brien, who commented: “The blinkers made all the difference.

“Paul said he was very happy, that the horse travelled great and picked up. He was definitely keeping a bit for himself.”

Fourball produced a fine exhibition of jumping to give Christy Roche a welcome turn in the Templetuohy Farm Machinery Beginners Chase.

Capably handled by Mark Walsh, the winner eased to the front jumping the sixth last.

I See Icy tried his case over the final two obstacles, but Fourball kept pulling out a bit more to score by a cosy length and a quarter.

“He was going nowhere over hurdles, but can't half jump and I'll try him in a better race now”, said Roche.

“At last, she's done it”, exclaimed Tom Cooper, after his Haydens First had battled on grimly to take the Irish Stallion Farms' EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle.

Off the track since the Galway Festival, Niall Madden pushed her ahead off the home turn and she kept finding a bit to resist Running Wild.

“She was sick after Galway and we gave her a break and freshened her up”, reported Cooper. “A mares beginners chase at Limerick will probably be next.”

Adrian Joyce (20) from Athlone, Co Roscommon, enjoyed a sixth success with a polished display aboard Dead Sound in the John Harney Bookmaker Beginners Chase.

Completing a double for J P McManus, he also owns Fourball, and trained by Tom Taaffe, the six-year-old stormed clear from the last to beat the flattering Pom Flyer.

“I am delighted for Adrian, that's the first winner he has ridden for me”, said Taaffe. “We will stay low-key with this fellow and find a little handicap.”

Johnny Gonzalez, trained by Michael Winters at Kanturk, shrugged off top weight to land the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.

He made all, under a determined Martin Ferris drive, and never showed any signs of flinching in the closing stages.

“I have 15-16 horses and he's one who jumps a fence great and is rated just 86 at that game”, remarked Winters.

Willie Mullins' newcomer Tax Exemption, a big drifter in the market, got a smashing Katie Walsh drive to sweep clear inside the furlong pole and easily win the Bumper.

Tax Exemption is a daughter of the top class race-mare Tourist Attraction, who was trained by the Carlow handler to land the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham.

“The pedigree came out in her”, smiled Mullins. “She hadn't been showing me anything to indicate she could win and finished mid-division in a schooling race. She certainly wasn't catching any pigeons at home.”

Andrew McNamara swept The Parishioner past Bitsandbobs half way up the run in to take the BDBC Building Contractors' Handicap Chase for the Michael Hourigan yard.