Opera completes hat-trick in grand style for Elliott
Speaking from England, where he has runners at Newton Abbot today, Elliott said: “I wasn’t going to run him because of the ground, but decided to as the money was so good.
“The plan is the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket, but he could run over hurdles at Bellewstown next week before that.”
Time Electric, virtually friendless in the ring, tried to make all, but dropped away tamely as Hot Port led going to the third last.
Ruby Walsh, however, now had the winner in full flow and Grand Opera came between horses heading to the final flight to beat Hot Port by six lengths.
“That was a lucky ride for me”, reported Walsh. “Barry (Geraghty) was claimed for Show Blessed and I couldn’t do the weight on Tango Foxtrot.”
Monahullan Prince continues to be a fine money-spinner for the Gerry Keane yard and he won his seventh race when landing the Ross Golf Club/Killarney Racegoers’ Club Handicap. His record now reads six on the flat and one over flights.
“If you had a couple like him it would things very easy”, remarked Keane, after Rory Cleary had driven his charge to beat Lady Granuaile.
Continued Keane: “I didn’t intend to run him on the ground, but he’s a good consistent little horse. He will probably go back over hurdles now.”
Tom Cooper’s Hard To Please, partnered by Barry Geraghty, stayed on resolutely to win the M L Lynch Civil Engineering Ltd Maiden Hurdle.
Geraghty committed her heading to three out and the daughter of Presenting had little trouble holding Pay The Ferryman.
“She will need a little time now and, hopefully, come back for Listowel”, reported Cooper.
Thomond O’Mara, hospitalised with a kidney stone, missed seeing Master Marvel take the Mulvihill Media Handicap.
The winner was stepping up on his effort here earlier in the week when seventh of 15 behind The Pier.
He stayed on doggedly through the final furlong to collar Toraidhe, after market-leader, Steig, had flattered when cruising ahead with over two furlongs to run.
The progressive Tarankali toyed with the opposition on the way to a clear-cut success in the J B O’Sullivan Builders Ltd Race.
He got off the mark with a vengeance at Gowran Park, after proving quite frustrating, and looks well capable of going in again on this evidence.
Fran Berry let out just an inch of rein under two furlongs down and John Oxx’s colt quickened away to score by nine lengths.
Aidan O’Brien took his total for three three days to five when long odds-on Banyan Tree strolled to victory in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Maiden.
Johnny Murtagh popped him away in front and only had to push out the son of Danehill Dancer in the straight to beat Maverick Man by four and a half lengths.
Pipers Blaze, a close third at Roscommon previously, justified 4-1 favouritism with a smooth success in the Liam O’Connor Show Handicap Hurdle.
Ridden with patience by the talented Jamie Codd, Pipers Blaze eased ahead at the second last to draw well clear of Stylos Ace.
In the Dr Paddy Fuller Memorial Order Of Malta Race, the prolific winner Fingers went to the front after a couple of furlongs and made the rest to beat Armaramak by three parts of a length.
