Layers hit as Cellar Door lands gamble
Admittedly, there were only 14 bookmakers on site, but you’d imagine they all suffered as the daughter of Saddler’s Hall was backed from 7-1 to 4-1.
Davy Russell was to have partnered Hoopy in the contest, but that horse failed to meet the engagement and Murphy decided he should take over from booked pilot, Philip Enright.
Explained Murphy: “She’s a fair mare with a kink. Davy knows her and that’s why I was anxious he should ride.” Cellar Door edged to the front going to two out, but was being strongly pressed by Oscar Night when he crashed out at the final flight.
Oscar Night slid across the surface, ending up pinning Conor Maxwell. Murphy was one of the first to go to Maxwell’s aid, pulling Oscar Night off him as far as he could.
“I got the horse’s head off Conor, before handing the reins to someone else”, reported Murphy, who indicated that a novice hurdle at Tralee may be next for Cellar Door.
Maxwell escaped relatively unscathed. He was unconscious for a while and then concussed and confused.
But he came round and was removed to hospital in Mallow purely as a precaution. He was stood down for three weeks.
Emmet Mullins (17) rode his second winner, and his first over flights, when taking the Charleville Handicap Hurdle on 12-1 shot Mustangsallyrally.
Trained by his uncle, Tom, the six-year-old shot away going to two out to beat top weight, Indian Love.
Commented Mullins senior: “Cheekpieces woke him up the last day. This was his last chance over hurdles, but so well handicapped was he that I decided to give him a last pop. It will be chasing sooner rather than later.”
Tom Doyle rode his first winner since basing himself in this country when guiding Noble Concorde to victory in the Ballyclough Handicap Hurdle.
Doyle brought the Jim Culloty-trained grey with a smooth challenge to lead coming away from the last to beat Charming Hymn.
“Tom is here permanently now and will ride all of mine”, said Culloty. “He’s a good jockey and deserves the breaks.”
Jim Bolger’s Rock Moss showed all the right qualities to take the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Maiden.
A close second to One Great Cat on his debut at Fairyhouse, the son of Rock Of Gibraltar is clearly going the right way.
For most of the six furlongs John Oxx’s Age Of Chivalry looked the most likely winner, but Rock Moss dug deep from the furlong pole, making up a couple of lengths and then getting well on top close home.
Marcus Brutus, who must have tested the patience of all at Ballydoyle, finally enjoyed a turn when landing the Mitchelstown Maiden.
Capably handled by Sean Levey, the Storm Cat colt got the best of a tough tussle through the final furlong with Palazzo Bardi.
For Levey (19), who is very much part of the Ballydoyle team, it was a tenth success.
Dedo, following a smooth success in a maiden at Naas, was always odds-on to land the Navigation Road Nursery.
He did his job with the minimum of fuss, easing ahead two furlongs down. After that, Dedo only had to be pushed out hands and heels by Chris Geoghegan to beat Inzone.
Ben Curtis, who is attached to the John Murphy yard, rode his fifth winner when powering Racjilanemm past the flattering The Last Laugh inside the furlong pole to take the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Handicap.
