Sweet success for Geraghty
Back from an end-of-season break in France, she was particularly delighted by the outcome to the Visit Punchestown.com Maiden Hurdle in which the Barry Connell owned hurdling debutant Bullock Harbour justified 5/4 favouritism at the expense of his 16/1 stable companion Seader, a sweet success for winning rider Barry Geraghty, who sold the Second Empire gelding to his current owner.
A dual bumper winner, having given his owner his final win in the saddle, Bullock Harbour took command between the last two flights and scored by two and a half lengths, after the runner-up fluffed the final flight.
“I’m thrilled with that,” stated the winning trainer. “A one-two and a good performance by the winner. Barry said he was doing nothing when he hit the front. He was fresh and well and a bit keen through the race.
“But he jumped well and Barry said he had a good blow. He’ll have a run on the flat before going for a novice at Galway”
A mixed programme over the summer is planned for Greenbelt Star following his decisive win over market rival House Rules in the Dobbins Food Hall Maiden Hurdle, the first leg of the Harrington double.
Having tracked even-money favourite House Rules throughout, Greenbelt Star, a dual bumper winner last summer, swept into the lead early in the straight under Robbie Power before stretching clear to triumph by six lengths.
Harrington commented: “He’ll go for another novice hurdle and will nip back for a flat handicap. He’ll probably mix it for the summer. He’ll jump a fence in the future but he’s only five and won’t go chasing until next year.”
Barry Geraghty, successful on Bullock Harbour, completed a quick double when What’s On The Menu, trained by John Berry for his mother Joan, landed the three-mile K.S.P.C.A. Maiden Hurdle.
The seven-year-old’s task was eased by the withdrawal of Cheltenham Bumper seventh and morning favourite Divine Rhapsody due to unsuitably fast ground.
John Berry declared: “He wasn’t winning before his time. I fancied him the last day in Tramore, but he was unlucky. He’ll have another run over hurdles but he point-to-pointed and his future lies over fences.”
Champion owner J P McManus has enjoyed a tremendous run of success since the Punchestown Festival and followed-up a good meeting in Killarney with a treble, thanks to Sweeps Hill and Carrigmartin in the opening two chases and Golden Ticket in the bumper.
Eddie Harty who saddled the McManus owned Princeton Plains to win the valuable Ladbrokes.com Handicap Hurdle at Killarney on Sunday, struck again when Carrigmartin captured the Follow Punchestown On Facebook Handicap Chase from Wise Old Owl, also in the McManus colours.
Patiently ridden by Niall ‘Slippers’ Madden, Carrigmartin came from off the pace to score convincingly and prove his effectiveness over the minimum trip, prompting his trainer to comment: “They went a good clip, which suited him. His jumping made the difference. He was brilliant down the back and we knew he’d stay going. He won well but I don’t know about plans, whether he’ll run again or be given a summer break.”
Earlier, Sweeps Hill, runner-up to subsequent triple Grade 1 winner Realt Dubh on his fencing debut last autumn, initiated the McManus double, justifying 6/4 favouritism in the Motivate Challenge Beginners Chase.
Ridden by David Casey, the John Kiely-trained New Zealand-bred emerged successful by a length, after a protracted duel with Mr.Nosie (Ruby Walsh) and then survived s Stewards Enquiry, having edged right towards his rival before each of the last two fences.
The Colin Bowe trained Representing, ridden by 7b. claimer Michael Doran, landed a tidy gamble (20/1 — 7/1) in the three-mile motivatechallenge.com Handicap Hurdle, edging ahead approaching the final flight before beating Lady Perspex by three-quarters of a length.
Bowe later found himself in trouble with the Stewards, who enquired into Representing’s apparent improvement in form, and explained that the mare had sustained a cracked heel in her previous outing at Wexford, that she hung during the race and had to be pulled up, and was lame the following day.
The Stewards fined Bowe a whopping €3,000, under Rule 213, for “failing to report anything that could have effected the running of his horse”.
In his post-race comments, Bowe explained what had happened at Wexford and added: “The 7lb. claim definitely made a difference and she’ll probably jump a fence now.”
* Keith Donoghue sustained a suspected broken collar bone in a fall from Five Two in the opening beginners chase while Conor Maxwell was removed to nearby Naas Hospital for examination and x-ray following the fall of Coliseum in the three-mile handicap hurdle.
