Jadanli powers to Gold Cup victory
On a day when Davy Russell proved the star at Fairyhouse with a superb treble, the combination which savoured Cheltenham Festival glory with Berties Dream struck in a grief-filled feature as Jadanli, left in command by the exit of luckless Zaarito three fences from home, plugged on to beat Deal Done by a wide margin. Favourite Shakervilz, never travelling, was behind when unseating Ruby Walsh at the last, before being remounted to take third.
This was a landmark success for eight-year-old Jadanli, sidelined with leg trouble for more than two years, before returning to the track last December. And trainer Gilligan took pride in the horse’s achievement. “It’s great to win a Grade 1 with him. He was off for two years with a leg and after he won at Navan the last day he was lame. So it has taken a lot of work to get him here.”
Gilligan added: “He’s a family horse. We could have sold him a few times. But the whole family gets great crack out of him. He runs in my father’s name and was named after three of my kids, Jack, Danny and Liam. So it’s a great result for us.”
“The plan is to go for the Grade 1 three-mile novice at Punchestown, once there’s cut in the ground. And the long-term plan is to come back here for the Irish National next year.”
Barry Geraghty set a strong pace on Let Yourself Go before giving best four from home as Zaarito (Davy Condon) went to the front. But Colm Murphy’s charge, pressed by the eventual winner, fell at third last, his fourth tumble in seven starts over fences.
Roberto Goldback was a remote second when falling at the final fence, where Shakervilz made his short-term exit, before finishing last of the three finishers. The favourite made a number of mistakes, was hampered at the second and never threatened.
In-form Davy Russell dominated the rest of the card, completing a superb treble on Luska Lad, For Bill and Quito De la Roque.
Having dictated a sedate pace, Luska Lad was collared by the Ruby Walsh-ridden Blackstairmountain between the last two flights.
But as the leader began to falter on the run-in, Russell launched a renewed challenge on the Shark Hanlon-trained favourite. And, to his credit, Luska Lad responded bravely to Russell’s strong driving, getting up close home to triumph by three-quarters of a length.
Russell picked up a one-day ban for using his whip with excessive frequency. But Hanlon described it as “a super ride”, before suggesting “Davy didn’t go too hard on him and saved a bit. He’s a very tough horse, the way he battled back. The plan is to go for the Grade 1 Evening Herald Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.”
Russell followed-up when Donie Sheahan’s remarkable mare For Bill, which lost her unbeaten record behind Morning Supreme at Limerick last time, proved an impressive winner of the Irish Stallion Farms Mares Novice Hurdle, readily brushing aside the Ruby Walsh-ridden favourite Morning Supreme.
Ridden for the first time by Russell, the Presenting mare was clearly travelling better than the favourite turning for home and, having taken command approaching the last, stretched clear to score by eight lengths, recording her eight win from nine starts.
Winning trainer Mick Winters was not present, attending Cork where he saddled the gambled-on Final Question to complete an across-the-card double. But the mare’s enthusiastic trainer, who will celebrate his 84th birthday later this month, enthused, “We rode her the wrong way in Limerick, taking on Willie’s mare from the start. The plan was different today. And she was a different mare. She’ll have a well deserved break now and will go chasing in the autumn.”
Russell, who hit the deck on Jagoes Mills in the feature, completed his treble when Quito De La Roque provided Colm Murphy with a measure of compensation after Zaarito’s fall, landing the three-mile INH Stallion Owners Novice Handicap Hurdle in the colours of Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud.
The French-bred six-year-old, an exciting chasing prospect, got the better of Ad Idem and The Burrow Vic, prompting Murphy to comment, “Conditions were perfect for him today. The ground can’t be soft enough for him. Everything happened too quick for him at Navan the last day, on yielding ground. He’s a big baby, but he's learning all the time and stuck at it well.
“The ground will dictate plans for him, whether we’ll keep him going for Punchestown or let him off. He’s a half-brother to Kazal and need a trip. All being well, he should make a lovely staying chaser.”
The four-day meeting opened with a successful gamble, when Dul Ar An Ol, trained on the Curragh by John McConnell and backed from 16/1 to 6/1, proved too good for Steviemac in the Lexeme Retail Novice Handicap Hurdle.
Ridden by Luke McNiff, the Perugino gelding travelled well all the way and looked set for s comfortable win when hitting the front on the approach to the last, but had to be driven out to score.
McConnell said: “Peter Henley used to train in him. I have him four or five months and this was his first run for me. He’s a super horse at home and, if he could reproduce that form, I thought he'd have stones in hand. But his owner (Rory O’Brien) warned me that he has boiled over in the past and left races behind. He’s been well-known on the Curragh for a long time. I have no idea where he’ll go now, maybe back on the flat.”
Wicklow-based Prunella Dobbs continued her fine strike-rate with her small string when joint-favourite Our Girl Salley won the bumper under Andy Duff, deputising for the mare’s regular partner, the suspended Katie Walsh.
“It’s becoming a habit,” admitted Mrs Dubbs after the mare held Jetson by three-quarters of a length. “This is a wonderful mare. And I’m just sorry Katie (Walsh) was suspended. But Andy was a super sub.
“This was a big step-up today. And Punchestown beckons now”
The Ryans Cleaning Events Specialists Beginners Chase produced its share of drama, with leader Fort George and nearest challenger Annual Report both crashing out of the race at the second last, where Another Flutter also made his exit.
This grief left Noble Concorde, stalking the leaders at the time, in a clear lead. And the grey, which Jim Culloty trains for Dr Ronan Lambe, kept going to score by 18 lengths.
