Rio claims Grimes reward
Andrew McNamara powered him to the front over the second last and Jumbo Rio quickened in style to go about three lengths clear heading to the final flight.
But he then hung to his left and was none too clever at the obstacle, allowing Cuan Na Grai to throw down a serious challenge.
Jumbo Rio kept pulling it out on the flat, though, and was a hard-earned head to the good at the line.
Trainer, Edward O’Grady, reported: “He is going to have his rest now, he’s a sweet horse, so tough.
“When he went to France the last day it took 40 hours. He will go back to Auteuil in November for another four-year-old hurdle.”
Remarkably, it subsequently emerged that O’Grady’s daughter, Lucy, gave birth to a baby boy, literally as Jumbo Rio passed the post. The little man will be named Ned Kelly.
Madden began his day by partnering Wins Now to take the first division of the Pride Of Tipperary Beginners Chase.
His trainer-father, also Niall, breathed a fair sigh of relief after Wins Now came back to something approaching his best.
A particularly promising sort in his younger days, the eight-year-old simply hasn’t gone forward over the last couple of seasons.
He did this nicely, however, cruising through a moderate race, before leading three out and then easing away for an eight lengths success.
Said Madden senior: “There was a lot of pressure, he has had a lot of problems. He will go for the Galway Plate, if getting in, and would love good ground.”
The Tote Jackpot Races 3 to 6 Handicap Chase was a moderate heat, but produced a ready winner in Mouse Morris’ The Phantom Piper.
He had been struggling for a bit of form, but coasted into the lead for Madden coming away from the third last to do the business unextended by 13 lengths.
Madden guided Morris’ The Rebel Returns to success in the O’Dwyer Tarmac Handicap Hurdle.
The Rebel Returns won with any amount in hand as well, after striding on going out for the last time.
Morris completed a treble, again courtesy of Madden prowess, when Baily Rock got the best of the battle with College Daisy in the Children’s Entertainment Hurdle.
The combined odds of Madden’s four winners came to a whopping 6,299-1.
Explaining the apparent improvement in form of his horses, Morris essentially told the stewards his inmates have been under a cloud of late.
Sher Why Not was best for money in the Packie Downey Memorial Chase and duly obliged under Ruby Walsh.
Colm Murphy’s charge was in front heading to the turn in and had the measure of Schelm when that one was awkward at the final fence.
Commented Murphy: “He has had his share of problems, but we will keep going with him, he isn’t getting any younger. A winners of one hurdle is likely to be next.”
Grief-stricken is an over-used cliche, but it certainly summed up a desperately moderate second section of the Pride Of Tipperary Beginners Chase.
Victory went to Pat Martin’s 33-1 shot Collon Allstar, who won in a canter under John Cullen.
Willie Mullins’ well-backed Red Hot Poker made all to win the Bumper, holding on for dear life as Twelfth Of Never threatened to close him down in the straight.
