Geraghty’s toughness nose no bounds
Later on Wednesday, he took a fall and broke his nose. Yesterday morning, Geraghty had the nose set and then merrily made his way back to Listowel.
And, of course, he then proceeded to land the feature of the afternoon, the Guinness Handicap Hurdle on Eoin Griffin’s St Devote.
“Barry’s a professional’, said Griffin. “I was delighted to have him, he knows the horse well, and this shows what these guys go through.”
Geraghty made his move early on the final circuit, allowing St Devote to stride to the front.
Heavily-backed Slieveardagh tried to close in the straight, but was still all of two lengths down when crashing out at the final flight.
St Devote is owned by the Dubs V’s Culchies Syndicate, made up of nine Irish soccer players.
They are John O’Shea, Stephen Hunt, Kevin Doyle, Damien Duff, Robbie Keane, Kevin Kilbane, Darryl Murphy, Shay Given and Richard Dunne.
“We’ve always thought a lot of this horse, but the good ground was finding him out in the summer”, reported Griffin.
“When the rain came we knew he had a great chance. He will have a little break now and then could go for something at the Cheltenham November meeting.”
The John Kiely-trained Wise Old Owl left a bout of seconditis behind when taking the Kevin McManus Beginners Chase.
Mark Walsh sent him to the front going to the second last and the six-year-old kept going to hold Uncle Junior, who recovered from a bad blunder four from home to throw down his challenge.
“He’s been unlucky, we got our turn eventually”, remarked Kiely. “Our fellow had that bit of experience and it paid off.
“He should make a nice handicap chaser and might be a better horse next summer.”
Bullock Harbour, partnered by Barry Connell, ran his rivals ragged in the Listowel Harvest Bumper.
He made every yard of the running, finding plenty in the straight to hold Ross Bay.
Commented Connell: “I’m very happy with that. The plan was the make all at a nice gallop.
“The ease in the ground was a big help, he let himself down on it and is a super horse.”
Davy Condon proved an able deputy for the unlucky Davy Russell when guiding Lough Ferrib to victory in the Devon Inn Hotel Handicap Hurdle.
Lough Ferrib quickened nicely from the back of the final flight to beat Molly’s Boy by a length. “It was his first time over three miles and he pulled so hard I didn’t think could get home”, said Condon.
Wayne Lordan possibly felt he would never enjoy a winner again heading out for the Tote Jackpot Guarantee Median Auction Maiden.
His previous five rides had all finished second, but this time it all worked out, as he drove David Wachman’s Indicative to a hard-earned head and a neck success over Eighteen Summers and Swing Pattern.
John’s Oxx’s Swing Pattern went off an odds-on shot, but looked less than enthusiastic when asked to battle in the straight.
Promising apprentice, Leigh Roche, again impressed when grabbing the Helena Sheahan Memorial Maiden on Duc de Savoie.
Paraphernalia looked sure to score when kicking a couple of lengths clear over a furlong down, but Roche produced his charge with a flying late burst to get up close home and score by a neck. It was a 15th success for the 18-year-old.
Chris Hayes gave Joanna Morgan’s Genesi a tremendous drive to take the FBD Insurance Handicap.
He drove the daughter of Daylami ahead turning in, but market-leader, Dazzle Dancer, was soon out after her.
Dazzle Dancer looked sure to swamp the winner, but Genesi and Hayes were not for turning and were still in front at the line.
Jim Bolger and Kevin Manning had their first winner of the week when Rock Medley surged ahead a furlong and a half down to beat big Occasion in the T P Walsh Memorial Handicap.
