Garri Ard appreciates step up in trip
In the first domestic action since Leopardstown last Sunday, punters endured very mixed fortune. But Walsh gave them something to cheer about when bringing home 7/2 joint-favourite Garri Ard a convincing winner of the J A Shaw Handicap Hurdle from fellow joint-favourite The Bay Lad.
Having made stealthy headway on the final circuit, Walsh made his move at the second last flight, where the runner-up, a narrow leader, made a mistake. Walsh quickly seized the initiative and drove Garrai Ard clear to triumph by five and a half lengths.
“We’ve been a long time waiting. But I’m delighted she’s won, at last,” said winning trainer Eamonn ‘Dusty’ Sheehy. “She is owned by my next door neighbours, Willie and Nuala Barron and we must thank Ruby. He rode the mare the last day and said she needed further. So we stepped her up in trip and she has won well. Hopefully, she might win another handicap.”
Walsh followed-up and brought his seasonal tally, in Ireland, to thirty when the Dermot Weld-trained Vital Plot trounced the Paul Carberry-ridden 6/4 favourite Mythical Prince in the first division of the Donlon Developments Ltd. Maiden Hurdle. Sent to the front after the third last, the four-year-old Theatrical gelding drew clear to triumph by eleven lengths, prompting Weld’s travelling head man Paddy O’Brien, to comment: “Jumping was his problem, twice, at Cork. But the blinkers have helped him. He took to those Easyfix hurdles well and jumped really well for Ruby.”
The other division of this event was dominated by horses wearing the familiar colours of J P McManus. But well-backed Brochure, trained by Niall ‘Boots’ Madden and ridden by his son and namesake, had to give best on the run-in to the Christy Roche-trained debutant Abbey Glen, an apparently unfancied 12/1 shot, ridden by Alan Crowe.
Saddler’s Native filled third spot but was subsequently disqualified, after rider Niki O’Shea failed to weigh-in.
O’Shea was suspended for seven race-days but received a boost later when Longwhitejemmy, in the colours of the Lucky Trio, landed the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.
Longwhitejemmy, a maiden winner for Dessie Hughes at Sligo last year, edged ahead soon after the third last flight to beat Conclave and was a welcome winner for trainer Conor O’Dwyer.
The Jessica Harrington-trained Afasheen made every yard of the running to slam Susie Van Hall in the opening Pat Doyle Memorial Mares Novice Hurdle.
Ridden by Robert Power, the Presenting mare, sent off a strong 5/4 favourite, jumps the Easyfix hurdles particularly well (as she showed when winning her maiden at Roscommon) and had the race in safe-keeping when making her only mistake at the final flight.
