George takes gold medal in dashing style
Truth to tell he destroyed the opposition, which was some performance, considering the six-year-old arrived on the back of just a victory in a beginners chase at Listowel.
Eric McNamara’s charge simply winged fences and this is clearly his true vocation. Paddy Flood eased him ahead just before the third last and he coasted clear to beat the always prominent Jamies Choice by eight lengths.
“He’s obviously a much improved horse”, reported McNamara. “He loves soft ground and Paddy gave him a super ride.
“On that performance there could be another big pot in him somewhere. It won’t be the Munster National (Limerick), because he is nowhere near as good going right-handed.”
The Michael Winters trained Annagh Lady ran her rivals ragged in the Meadowlands Hotel Beginners Chase.
Given a dashing drive by Philip Enright, the mare made a lof of the running, powering right away in the straight.
Commented Winters: “She got very high in herself at Listowel and then got stuck in the ground, she was much more settled today.
“She’s done it all, won her point-to-point, bumper, maiden hurdle and now over fences.”
Paul Nolan produced a fine training performance to saddle Clan Tara to take the Tralee Vintners’ Paddy Kearns Memorial Hurdle.
He was having a first outing for Nolan, having previously won a point-to-point in England 556 days earlier for Don Cantillon.
Carrying the colours of Gigginstown House Stud, he was bought at the sales at Cheltenham by Eddie O’Leary.
Clan Tara and well-backed East Beach engaged in a real slog in the closing stages and it was always just about going in favour of the Nina Carberry partnered winner.
“He was injured in training last year, but is a nice horse and will stick to hurdling”, said Nolan.
Aodhagan Conlon enjoyed his second success on the track when P’tit Fute cantered past Mister Top Notch inside the furlong pole to land the Denny Havasnack Race unextended by five lengths. Conlon, who comes from Louth, will celebrate his 22nd birthday today.
Francis Flood trains P’tit Fute and said: “This horse will jump a fence, but we might try him in another hurdle race first.”
The versatile Cool running, trained by Christy Roche for J P McManus, showed what a durable customer he is in the Ballygarry House Hotel Owen McGillicuddy Cup Handicap Hurdle.
Pushed ahead approaching the home turn by Alan Crowe, he kept pulling it out up the straight to hold Lady Steppes and Tusa An Fear.
Disappointment of the contest was the hat-trick seeking Conem, who was in trouble a fair way from home.
One Job, beaten 94 lengths when last of 16 on the flat at Ballinrobe previously, cruised to victory in the Lee Strand three-year-old Maiden Hurdle.
The Adrian Sexton-trained 20-1 shot skipped ahead over three out and wasn’t hard pressed for Ian McCarthy to score by eight lengths.
His previous effort over flights, at Galway, saw him finish a long way adrift of Mel Del, who went off favourite here, but could only manage a well beaten third.
Would You Do That battled her way through the testing conditions to grab the Denis Moriarty Plant Hire Mares Maiden Hurdle.
Dunroe Lady made much of the running, but just didn’t have enough left to resist the winner, who was none to clever over the final two flights.
