Trucker looks set for another productive campaign
Rudi Trucker (evens — 4/5), a three-time hunter chase scorer that easily won the Affane open on his return to the fray in November, made most of the running with Liz Lalor.
The victorious son of Rudimentary was travelling best when none too clever at the penultimate of the 14 obstacles. Rudi Trucker was soon back on an even keel though and he effortlessly powered clear from the last to beat Outlaw Pete by five lengths with an eight-length gap to the third-placed Optimus Prime.
Rudi Trucker’s main market rival Zest For Life, a Punchestown festival banks winner last April, fell at the sixth fence with Nina Carberry.
Regarding future plans for Rudi Trucker, Kaye Moroney, a member of the Conna Enclosure Syndicate that own the nine-year-old said: “We will now go for the hunters chase at Leopardsown in two weeks time and after that, hopefully the plan will be the Cheltenham Foxhunters. ”
‘Corky’ Carroll was the only rider to partner two winners, the Charleville amateur signing off aboard the hugely-impressive The Bog Road Girl (5/1) in the five and six-year-old mares’ maiden.
The Martin Fitzgerald-trained The Bog Road Girl, owned by Youghal-based farrier Kieran Keohane, made most of the running and she was clearly possessing all the aces from two out as she bounded clear to slam Sanmare by 20 lengths. It’s possible that The Bog Road Girl, who stands almost 17 hh, will now contest the mares’ winners race at Knockanard on February 13th.
Carroll opened his account aboard Denis Leahy’s Saddle My Dream (6/1 — 5/1) in the first division of the winners of one. Saddle My Dream, carrying the colours of Jim Danagher from Cheltenham, led or disputed the running throughout with the ex-park performer asserting from two out to contain the mare Celtic Ruby by two and a half lengths.
Mikey O’Connor, an absentee from last weekend’s Killeagh action, made his only mount of the day a victorious one aboard Debbie Hartnett’s Fernhurst Lad (9/4) in the second part of this same contest. In truth, the Liscarroll amateur never had to strain a muscle aboard Fernhurst Lad, sporting the silks of the ACR Syndicate from Whites Cross, with the November Dromahane maiden victor easing clear from two out to dismiss Bobby’s Lady by 15 lengths.
The Enda Bolger-trained Drawn N Drank (3/1), having occupied the runner-up berth on his previous two starts, attained his just reward by landing the first part of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden in the hands of JT McNamara. Yet another to benefit from frontrunning tactics, Drawn N Drank quickened up on the flat to account for the eyecatching Final Gift by one and a half lengths.
In-form Co Tipperary handler Denis Prendergast, on the mark with Dramatic Duke and No Loose Change in recent weeks, sent out the Terry Ryan-owned newcomer Handy Andy (6/1)to triumph in the second part of this contest. The Beneficial-sired Handy Andy took up the running travelling well after three out with JD Moore’s mount, a graduate of the 2009 Derby sale, asserting from the final fence to repel Finnegan Paddy by three lengths.
Colin Motherway was witnessed to excellent effect when bringing Catriona Muldoon’s newcomer Abnaki (10/1) with a well-timed challenge to capture the six-year-old geldings’ maiden, the race that attracted the biggest field of the day in 19 runners. Abnaki, representing his trainer’s father Kevin Muldoon from Donegal town, led over 50 yards out to see-off Noble Chic by a length.
Robert Tyner, also on the mark with By The Hour at Leopardstown, completed an across-the-card double courtesy of Leadington runner-up Roll Over (7/2) in the closing novice riders seven-year-old geldings’ maiden. In what was the closest finish of the day, the towering Roll Over wasn’t found wanting in the closing stages as he dug deep for Gavin Sheehan to master Satorie by a half-length.
