Jawad brings joy to Joanna
Running off a lowly mark of 46 - he did carry 2lbs overweight - Joanna Morgan’s gelding travelled sweetly throughout and it always looked a question of when he was asked to go about his business by Davy Condon.
Jawad didn’t have the clearest of passages down into the dip, but once seeing light quickened in style and was in total control from the furlong pole.
“I gave Davy his first ever winner and it was on this track,” reported a delighted Morgan. “This is a very genuine horse and he will now run in a beginners chase on the Saturday of the Punchestown Festival.
“I tried to get rid of him at the back-end of his four-year-old days, I thought he was useless, but he’s just got better and better.”
Condon completed a double when guiding Viso to an easy success in the Saltan Properties Maiden Hurdle.
The grey was never out of second gear, landing in front two out and then cantering clear to score unextended.
“The change in ground was probably a big help to him’, said Willie Mullins. “He will campaign for the summer and mix it on the flat and over hurdles.”
Jalwada, strong morning prices and on the track as well, ran away with the Saltan Properties Maiden in the hands of Fran Berry.
John Queally’s mare eased ahead down hill to the straight and quickly stretched 11 lengths clear of Closetocrazy.
Said Queally: “She’s already had two runs over hurdles and will make a dual purpose horse. We will have a bit of fun with her, although that ground is as fast as she would want.”
Seamus Heffernan, fresh from a treble at the Curragh on Sunday, was again seen at is best on Sunshine Guest, giving Michael Grassick his first of the season, in the Saltan Properties Handicap.
Heffernan rode a peach of a race from the front, kicking away down hill to the home turn. Donastrela soon began to close her down, but the winner was still a length to the good at the line.
Michael Grassick junior represented his father and said: “It’s nice to get off the mark and we will look for something similar.”
The hitherto frustrating Joys Island found the company to his liking in the second Saltan Properties Maiden Hurdle on the programme.
Given a confident drive by David Roche and trained by his brother, Paul, Joys Island led coming away from two out and kept going to beat Risky River.
It was another success for the brothers, who were on the mark in the bumper here on Sunday with Harcus Six Zero.
“It’s always worth having him (John Thomas McNamara),” exclaimed trainer, Danny O’Connell, after his Five Seven Live had landed the Kilgobnet Hunters Chase.
Five Seven Live made most of the running, surviving a bad mistake at the sixth and then held on for dear life close home to hold Never Present by the minimum margin.
Pat Fahy enjoyed a welcome turn when Eimear’s Pride took the Al Eile Stud Handicap Hurdle.
Adrian Lane’s mount went toe-to-toe with Raintown in the closing stages, prevailing by a short head.
