Montero off the mark over fences at first time of asking
Montero, making his fencing debut, survived a last fence mistake to beat flattering favourite, Maucaillou, prompting Hughes to comment: “That was a good performance. He’s a great jumper for such a small horse. He over-jumped at the last but Roger said there was plenty in the tank.”
The Rall, helped by the experience gained recently at Kilbeggan, completed the double in the second division but had to work hard to get the better of Failte Go Deo by a half length.
Hughes said: “He’s an out and out chaser and a real stayer. I’ll see what the handicapper does to both horses before making plans, but Montero might to back over hurdles.”
Also in double form were Philip Rothwell and Davy Russell who won the last two hurdle events with Cylinder Rattler and Tally Em Up, both ridden with typical Russell patience to come from well off the pace.
Cylinder Rattler landed the Nick O’Donnell Memorial Handicap hurdle convincingly but Russell deserves special praise for guiding Tally Em Up to a long overdue win in the mares maiden hurdle.
The winning rider explained: “She’s a bit quirky. But they went very fast and I was able to get her settled. She got there well enough but I had to keep her mind on the job.”
Meanwhile, at Bellewstown, champion apprentice, Emmet McNamara took the riding honours when winning the five-furlong handicaps on Ability N Delivery and Palazzone respectively, both animals gaining narrow wins.
Ability N Delivery gave Michael Browne his first success as a trainer when winning the Bar One Racing Aertel handicap, continuing a family tradition that his late father and namesake and his brother Willie have both plied their trade in the training ranks.
Ger Lyons, trainer of Palazzone and McNamara’s boss, stated: “I’m delighted for Emmet. He deserved a change of luck and this double should boost him.
“He did well to win on Palazzone, a horse that didn’t really handle the track.”
Charles Byrnes, on the mark with Third Level Tom on Thursday, followed up when recording a rare flat success with Napa Starr in the Anglo Printers Handicap. Ridden by Declan McDonagh, Napa Starr was kept wide throughout but scored a runaway five-lengths win.
Odds on backers had their fingers burned in the finale, the Eddies Hardware Amateur Race when the Michael Fitzgerald-trained mare Star Wood, enterprisingly ridden by Mark Fahey, made all the running, poached a winning lead early in the straight and held the late challenge of the Nina Carberry ridden favourite, Valain.
