Clear-cut success for progressive Quartino
He may have only had a length and a quarter in hand of Sanglote at the line, but was value for a little more than that.
Barry Geraghty took him to the front over the second last and Quartino was clear before the final flight. Geraghty didn’t ask for much after the last, before administering one smack on the run in to keep Quartino up to his job.
Harrington wasn’t at the meeting and was represented by travelling head-man, Eamonn Leigh. Said Leigh: “We are happy enough with that, he just idled in front a bit, as he would. Barry gave him a great ride and we knew he had come on from Bellewstown.”
Ruby Walsh’s opinion, that Holly Tree was an unlucky loser when third to Dreamy Gent at Galway, was fully vindicated when Dusty Sheehy’s gelding ran away with the Helena Sheahan Memorial Novice Chase.
Walsh was taking no prisoners and he allowed the eight-year-old to make the long run for home early on the final circuit.
The winner simply got stronger the further he went, crossing the line 17 lengths to the good over well-backed favourite, Clew Bay Lodge.
“We changed our tactics, we didn’t make enough use of him at Galway”, said Sheehy. “He’s getting his act together over fences now, he’s enjoying himself.”
Holly Tree is also in today, in a handicap chase, and Sheehy indicated would probably run again.
Walsh was on the mark as well when Conem, very much out of form, benefited from the handling of the champion to win the Dawn Omega Milk Handicap Hurdle.
Conem eased ahead coming away from two out to score by nine lengths and could turn out again here on Saturday.
The eight-year-old is trained by Willie Austin, the man who bred Danoli. Commented Austin: “He has come down in the weights, compared to 12 months ago, and we said we would give him another chance over hurdles, before going back over fences.”
Walsh has now ridden five winners this week.
Emotional Article was the lowest rated of the three runners in the Southhampton Goodwill Chase, but had fitness on his side and it was the crucial factor.
He jumped well and made every yard of the running in the capable hands of Adrian Joyce.
Conna Castle eventually finished second, after again emphasising that he really is a far more comfortable travelling right-handed.
He repeatedly jumped deliberately, and to the right, before running on nicely in the closing stages to indicate there may be better to come.
Rathgar Beau, returning from a break of 712 days, jumped well, for the most part, and travelled nicely.
He still had a chance, but was probably starting to tire when getting it all wrong at the second last.
The winner is trained by Tom Taaffe, who was represented by his wife, Elaine. Reported Ms Taaffe: “Tom intended to run him at Navan on Saturday week, so we will see if he sticks to that.”
The Paddy Neville-trained Toomdeely ran away with the T P Walsh Memorial Handicap Hurdle, scoring by 15 lengths.
He may have been returned at 14-1, but was far from unbacked, 25-1 having been popular in the morning.
The Saddler’s Hall gelding made all the running, with Brian Byrnes enterprisingly raising the tempo as they went out for the final time. It was a first winner for the Askeaton, Co Limerick handler.
Eric McNamara and Paddy Flood followed their tremendous success with Ponmeoath in the Kerry National on Wednesday when Dashing George won the Kevin McManus Beginners Chase.
Taken into the lead by Flood approaching the third last, the well-backed Dashing George never flinched up the straight to score by ten lengths from Parson Pistol.
The latter was backed from 9-4 to 6-4 and was travelling sweetly in second spot when making a horrendous blunder seven out. He tried to rally, but was always fighting a lost cause.
Said McNamara: “He jumped super, but is a far better horse going left-handed, so we will have to stick to those tracks.”
Padraig Roche won his second contest of the week swhen driving Davy Fitzgerald’s newcomer, Dando’s Express, to a neck victory over Hintsnallegations in the Spectra Photo Labs Bumper.
Colm Sharkey, who partnered fourth placed Desert Conquest, clearly rode carelessly up the straight and it wasn’t lost on the stewards, who suspended him for four days.
