Ordinary Man finally puts it all together
He had been most frustrating, but found the opposition here very much to his liking, striding home five and a half lengths clear of front-running Bingo Lady.
The winner looked in trouble downhill to the home turn, but was quickly set about his business by Shay Barry and powered into the lead shortly before the final flight.
Said Burke: “We have been a year and a half waiting, but he did the job. He will run through the summer and probably go chasing, sooner rather than later.”
Tom Cooper’s Eightybarackstreet outclassed his rivals to land the Valley Of Honey Maiden Hurdle in the hands of Barry Geraghty.
Produced to lead over two out, he soon forged right away to beat Mister First unextended by nine lengths.
“He will keep going for the summer and jump a fence in time”, reported Cooper. “The ease in the ground was a help over this trip.”
Binocular got to the front before the final flight to land the South Tipp Today/Nationalist Handicap Hurdle in the hands of Tim Carroll, after a whole wall of horses had a chance early in the straight.
Trainer, Pat Flynn, said: “He loves an ease in the ground and every drop of rain was a help. He is a small horse, but we will try him over fences later on.”
Francis Flood’s Van Wyck was best for money in the Thorney Bridge Handicap Hurdle and obliged under a fine drive from Brian O’Connell.
He brought him with a perfectly timed run to cut down the flattering Mind The Steps and score by a length.
Fran Flood did the honours for his father and commented: “He is trying a fair while, seems to arrive and then not get home.
“If he learns to relax then might well improve and should jump a fence as well.”
Dashing Ruby got off the mark over fences at the third time of asking in the Mongarriffe Beginners Chase.
Allowed to lead five out by Sean Flanagan, the seven-year-old kept up the gallop in the straight to resist Auenschutze.
“I thought he would run well over hurdles at Ballinrobe, but the jockey (Davy Condon) said he got tired”, commented trainer, Paul Flynn. “I thought he was fit. Hopefully, he will make a better chaser than a hurdler.”
Robert Power continued his rich vein of form when driving Future All Star ahead at the final fence to take the jogforjockeys.ie Handicap Chase.
“He has had a lot of little problems and we have been a long time waiting”, said trainer, Colm Murphy.
“The rain was welcome, I would hate to run him on ground that was too hard.”
Shane Hassett, who partnered third placed Gift Of The Gods, was found guilty of using his with whip with excessive frequency and suspended for two days.
Gordon Elliott introduced a promising newcomer in Incas Article in the Suir Valley Bumper.
The mare quickened in style inside the furlong pole for Nina Carberry to win going away from fellow first-timer, Stormy Oscar.
