Double keeps O’Brien’s title hopes alive
O’Brien, now on the 37-winner mark for the season, is two behind reigning champion Gary Carroll and Ben Curtis going iuto the final meeting of the 2010 flat season, in Dundalk tomorrow night.
Unhappy with the slow early pace, O’Brien soon let 2/7 favourite Alexander Pope stride into the lead in the six-runner Christmas Parties At Dundalk 2-Y-0 Race. And, having shaken off the challenge of Final Recovery with a furlong and a half to race, the Danehill Dancer colt stretched clear to triumph by seven lengths.
Alexander Pope was following-up a narrow maiden success at Leopardstown back in August and was described by the winning rider as “a nice staying horse for next year”.
O’Brien explained: “They went very slow early and there was no point in sitting in. He’s an uncomplicated horse that stays well. He enjoyed the surface and won well. He’ll stay a mile and a quarter and, maybe further, next year — his dam is by Galileo.”
The O’Brien double was completed when Mr Pianist, a recent course winner, made all to defy top-weight in the Crowne Plaza Leading Jockey & Trainer Championship Handicap at the expense of Ionisphere.
Winning trainer Eddie Harty was not present, but O’Brien commented: “He’s a tough horse that tries hard. Mr Harty told me to ride him handier today, to be closer to the pace. He kept going well up the straight.”
O’Brien had earlier suffered the disappointment of getting beaten on joint-favourite Pirate Chest in the opening two-year-old maiden, the Montjeu colt failing by a length to get to grips with front-running stable-companion Last Crusade, ridden by Sean Levey.
Course specialist Banna Boirche swooped fast and late to land the www.dundalkstadium.com Handicap, the progressive four-year-old’s sixth win at the track and his fifth this season.
In a fast-run affair, Joseph O’Brien forced the pace on Anam Chara, poaching a clear lead early in the straight. But Shane Foley bided his time on Banna Boirhe, coming from last place to mount a storming late challenge which saw Paul Rooney’s gelding get up close home to foil the front-runner by a neck.
Delighted trainer Michael Halford enthused: “He’s a proper horse and loves it around here. It looked a good race on paper, as Boynagh Joy and Dahindar are good yardsticks. It was run at a good fast pace, which suited our fellow.
“Shane (Foley) gave him a great ride, getting him settled and timing it just right up the straight. This horse is so versatile — six furlongs, seven furlongs or a mile, it makes no difference to him.”
Halford explained: “After this, we’ll be swapping the snow for the sand. Banna Boirche will go to Dubai after Christmas, with Invincible Ash and Hujaylea.”
The ultra-consistent Rambling Dancer gained an overdue and deserved win when landing the bookings@dundalkstadium.com Rated Race in good style under Shane Gorey.
Owned jointly by Tony Kennedy and Paddy ‘Whacker’ O’Brien, travelling headman to Dermot Weld, the 11/2 favourite took command from MacTiernan before stretching clear for an emphatic win, his first since scoring at this venue thirteen months ago.
In the frame in six of his seven starts since scoring last year, Rambling Dancer is trained on the Curragh by Valerie Keatley and was giving O’Brien his first win as an owner, prompting him to comment: “That’s been a long time coming. He’s been so consistent but it has been tough for him — he’s gone up 17lb. since he won here last year. We’ll see how he is in the morning before deciding whether he’ll run again here on Friday night.”
Champion jockey elect Pat Smullen, who has ridden Rambling Dancer a number of times, notched his 94th win of the season when Hawa Bali repeated a recent course success in the Crowne Plaza Race & Stay Package Handicap, holding the strong late challenge of well-backed King Of Aran (6/1 to 7/2) by a head and denying Ben Curtis a valuable victory.
