Alfa earns crack at Kerry National
They grey six-year-old, ridden by Davy Russell, powered clear early on the run-in before beating course and distance winner Wins Now by four and a half lengths, following-up chase wins in Roscommon and Wexford and his most recent triumph, over hurdles, at Limerick.
The winning trainer commented: “He’s earned his place in the Kerry National after that. This was a nice pot to win. He’s going the right was ands will have no problem with three miles.”
Like Alfa Beat, the John O’Shea trained Gudnis Gracious Me is Listowel-bound, for the Guinness Handicap Hurdle (on September 16), following her gutsy, all-the-way win in the Galway City Publicans Handicap Hurdle.
Under what the winning trainer described as a “canny ride” by Sean McDermott, Gudnis Gracious Me stretched into a clear lead from flagfall and, although clearly tiring, she hung on tenaciously in the closing stages to keep St. Devote at bay by a length.
“She’s tough and Sean gave her a great ride. She loves that summer ground and will got to Listowel next. We’ll give her a break when the ground turns soft.”
On a day when odds-on punters suffered a number of reverses, the Noel Meade trained Silverhand, winner of a valuable handicap at the Festival and second in a listed event at the Curragh last time, justified odds of 1/3 in the Cunningham Higgins Mercedes Benz Hurdle.
Always travelling well under Paul Carberry, the J P McManus owned grey eased into the lead approaching the final flight before beating One Cool Tornado (back in action after his success over course and distance on Saturday) by a cosy three and half lengths, prompting Carberry to admit: “I didn’t have much to do on him !”
Minutes after Dermot Weld landed the Curragh opener with Anam Allta, his Gentleman Jeff was turned over at odds-in the Kenny Group Maiden Hurdle, failing to match the determination on the run-in of market rival He’llberemembered, trained in Monasterevin, County Kildare by Paul Fahey and ridden by his nephew James.
Fahey said: “He’s a real stayer and we just about got away with it today over two miles. He needs two and a half and will probably go for a novice in Listowel before coming back here in October.”
Favourite-backers were stung again when, after a number of sketchy jumps, the Paul Carberry ridden Chicago Grey finally succumbed to Lucky At Last, by a head, in the Eventus Novice Chase.
The result proved a timely boost for winning rider Andrew Thornton, who sustained a broken nose and facial bruising in a fall at Bellewstown on Thursday.
Lucky At Last is trained by Pat Martin, who explained: “He was a bit unlucky the last day in Kilbeggan and deserved a change of luck just like Andrew. He’ll probably go for a novice over the next few weeks and, because he’s not badly handicapped on the flat, I have an eye on the Irish Cesarewitch for him.”
The Bumper produced more grief for favourite supporters when 8/13 market leader Colonel Mortimer was pulled up, injured, at halfway, leaving the door open for market-rival Not For Converting, which duly accounted for his two remaining rivals.
The Willie Mullins trained Bob Back gelding, a twelfth winner of the season for the trainer’s son Patrick, coasted home twenty lengths clear of Coole Presenting.
The Ryan Event Cleaners Handicap Hurdle produced a tremendous tussle between two locally-trained joint favourites, victory going to Doransfirth, a second winner in three days for 5lb. claimer Keith Clarke, by a short head from the Pauline Gavin trained The Lady Granuaile before surviving a Stewards Enquiry.
A recent winner at Kilbeggan, Doransfirth is trained by David Kelly who nominated a mares’ hurdle at Listowel as the six-year-old’s next assignment.
