Hevelius lands tidy gamble
Taken at 12-1 and 10’s in the morning, and from 8-1 to 6’s on track, the former Walter Swinburn inmate did his job nicely.
He cruised ahead for Robert Jones coming away from the second last, but had to be hard driven on the run in to hold Mind The Steps by half a length.
Said McNamara: “He was given a reasonable mark, but we must take into account that this was a poor race.
“That was a confident ride by Rob, he is great value for 7lbs. Another handicap in a couple of weeks will be next.”
The Paul Magnier-trained Porthaw, who ran reasonably well at Naas previously, made no mistake in the Fethard Maiden.
Far from neglected in the market, Porthaw made all of the running to beat Chic Shanique by three parts of a length.
“I hope the handicapper thinks that was a bad maiden”, said Magnier. “He is a progressive horse, who will find his level over a mile and a half or further. It is unusual for an Invincible Spirit that all he does is stay.”
Seamus Fahey’s Solaris Exhibition battled on strongly to beat Golden Starlet, trained by his brother, Jarlath, a short head in the Girls Night Out At Clonmel Races Handicap.
The pair went toe-to-toe through the final furlong, with the far more vigorously partnered Solaris Exhibition (Shane Foley) just getting the best of the fight.
“We were concerned about the ground and still believe he wants it softer”, said Fahey. “He will now go for something similar and jump hurdles later on.”
Dual bumper winner Presenting Nama put up a decent effort to get off the mark over flights in the BBQ @ Clonmel Races June 8th Maiden Hurdle.
He went off favourite and came out on top at the end of a real battle from the last with God’s County and Eyre Apparent, the verdict a head and the same.
Trainer, John Halley, reported: “He’s a good ground horse and will run through the whole of the summer.”
Ideal was best for money in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Maiden and did the business with the minimum of fuss.
Taken into the lead from thee start by Wayne Lordan, the daughter of Galileo made all to score unextended by six lengths.
It was the third time in four years that David Wachman has trained the winner of this particular contest.
Chebona Bula, ridden by Sam James for Eoin Doyle, shrugged of top weight to win the Jossestown Handicap.
He certainly landed a touch, available as high as 12-1 in the morning and returned the 4-1 favourite.
The five-year-old absolutely bolted in. Produced by James to lead at the furlong pole, Chebona Bula stretched right away for a five and a half lengths success.
Noel Meade’s Tom Horn, who had proved most disappointing in bumpers, showed that jumping is his game in the Clonacody Maiden Hurdle.
Taken to the front by Paul Carberry downhill to the home turn, he showed no signs of flinching in the straight.
Tom Horn threw a mighty leap at the last and quickly powered on to easily beat Luck Pennie.
Meade wasn’t at the meeting, but it wouldn’t be difficult to envisage the five-year-old making his mark over fences in the future.
