Megans Joy rebounds in great style
Gamble of the contest was Ted Walsh’s Heavenly Blues, backed from 9-2 to 11-4. He led four out and turned in chased by Larkwing and Megans Joy.
The winner edged ahead going to the last, but had a good look at the flight, before finding plenty on the flat to ease away.
“She likes to arrive late and just idled a bit”, reported winning rider, Davy Russell.
Said trainer, Colm Murphy: “She is better on better ground and will be the better for the run.
“We will see what’s there for her. Nothing went right earlier in the year, we can dream again now.”
Meanwhile, Murphy’s former champion hurdler, the mighty Brave Inca, is on the way back and set to reappear in the next few weeks.
Baltiman, impressive at Listowel, looked even more potent when taking the O’Dwyer Steel Like-A Butterfly Novice Chase.
He made all the running for Tom Doyle, jumped for fun and moved through the contest like a dream.
Favourite, Footy Facts, tried his case early in the straight, but was never able to get in any sort of blow at Susan Finn’s charge.
Said Finn: “That’s my biggest success, I’ve never even had a runner in a graded race. He absolutely loves jumping, but probably had a hard race there and will get a break now.”
Vital Plot, 20 lengths last of nine on the flat at Cork previously, showed that jumping is his game with a battling win in the Tipperary Supporters’ Club Joe Mac Novice Hurdle.
Ruby Walsh was content to track the pace on Dermot Weld’s four-year-old, until easing ahead two from home.
Vital Plot got in close to the final flight, but found plenty on the level to beat front-running No Full a cosy three lengths.
Reported Weld: “Ruby rides him so well, he fills the horse with confidence. He will have one more run, in the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse, and then you won’t see him again until the spring.”
The mud-loving Senor Benny, successful as well in the race a year ago, revelled in the conditions when running out a decisive winner of the Longfield Stables Abergwaun Stakes.
Near the front from the start, he forged on two furlongs down for Chris Geoghegan, crossing the line two lengths clear of Aine.
Trainer, Kevin McDonagh, said of his nine-year-old: “He could run in a handicap at Naas in two weeks.”
Aidan O’Brien’s Freemantle, who seemed ill-at-ease on heavy ground when only fourth at the Curragh previously, stripped a totally different horse to win the High Chaparral EBF Maiden.
There was no indication the surface was a problem on this occasion as he toyed with market-leader, Signal Fire, to score by ten lengths in the hands of Sean Levey.
The 20-year-old enjoyed his first double, and his initial stakes victory, when guiding O’Brien’s Psalm to land the Group 3 Coolmore Stud Home Of Champions Concorde Race.
Jumbajukiba tried to make all, but just isn’t as effective when travelling round a bend, and Psalm came from off the pace to canter past at the furlong pole, the verdict eight lengths.
Commented Levey: “She did it easy, picked up great and loves Tipperary.”
Fergie Hanley, who trains just outside Galway city and has held a licence for almost two years, saddled his second winner when 20-1 shot Genuine Easy took the Woodlands Hotel Adare Celebrating 25 Years Handicap Hurdle.
Toomdeely made a brave attempt from the front, but Genuine Easy, who paid almost 60-1 on the Tote, was much the stronger from the second last.
“She was in an awful pile-up at Ballinrobe last time, it was almost as if she was hit by a bus”, said Hanley, who hopes to have 10-15 horses in for the winter.
The John Kiely-trained Head Of The Posse landed some decent wagers in the Bumper, 2-1 to 5-4, and it was money wisely invested.
Padraig Roche pushed him into the lead a little over a furlong out and this strapping son of Supreme Leader lengthened away.
“He’s a nice horse, who showed a bit last year and seems to have improved”, said Kiely.
