Hurdle plan after Fosters Cross runs rivals ragged
He is owned by former Cork Constitution and Munster front-row, Pat O’Donovan, and was partnered by Colin Motherway from Killeagh.
Motherway rode a peach of race, soon having the nine-year-old tanking along merrily in front.
Fosters Cross was always travelling well within himself and the race was over as a contest off the home turn.
The winner never flinched, galloping on relentlessly all the way to the line to beat Cry For The Moon by four lengths.
Mullins immediately nominated a tilt at the Galway Hurdle on Thursday for Fosters Cross. “That has always been the plan, but we decided to go for this first”, said Mullins.
“He is a very easy horse to train, always eats up no matter what abuse you throw at him. He will definitely run on Thursday, as long as he’s well in himself. He has been on the go a long time, was due a big win and will have a break after Galway.”
For O’Donovan it was another major success to go with his Irish Oaks win with Vintage Tipple at the Curragh in 2003.
She was, of course, trained by Mullins’ late father, Paddy, and ridden by Frankie Dettori.
Said O’Donovan: “The Oaks was a superb day, but this is just as joyful and exciting. We always thought there was a big one in him.”
Motherway (30) was enjoying his biggest victory to date and works with the Colm Murphy yard.
He has ridden almost 200 winners in point-to-points and reported: “Tom said to let him bowl along, that he’d stay the trip no bother. This will keep me going for another few years.”
Carlingford Lough, with just two races under his belt, put up a really good performance to take the salthill.com Handicap Hurdle.
He arrived on the back of a maiden success at Roscommon and is clearly one for the future. Mark Walsh produced the half-brother to Thisthatandtother and Thetotherone to lead after the final flight and the imposing King’s Theatre gelding powered clear.
Commented trainer, John Kiely: “I didn’t expect him to jump that well in his first handicap. Chasing is his game.”
Kiely completed a double when Saint Gervais ran away with the Bumper, sweeping ahead well over a furlong down for Derek O’Connor to score by nine lengths.
“I liked him all of the time and he might run in a winners’ bumper now”, said Kiely.
Aidan O’Brien’s Learn was backed as if defeat was out of the question in the claregalwayhotel.ie And Ramada Hotel Card Club Maiden, but proved no match for Dermot Weld’s Riviera Poet.
The winner hadn’t been seen for 84 days, not since running with distinct promise on his debut at the Curragh.
Learn was backed from evens to 4-6 on track, after being a major order from 7-4 down, morning prices.
He got the run of the race as well and turned in some two lengths clear of his rival. But Riviera Poet quickened in style and was nicely on top close home to score by a snug length.
Said Weld: “That might be the race of the meeting and, with the future in mind, they could be the two best horses we will see this week.
“My horse had a hold-up with sore shins and I thought the race might come a week too soon.
“I won’t be in any hurry to run him back and he could now go for the National Stakes (Curragh).”
Virgil Earp, owned and trained by Noel Meade, outclassed the opposition in the HotelMeyrick.ie and ghotel.ie Novice Hurdle.
He made every yard of the running for Paul Carberry, easing clear off the home turn to beat Devil’s Elbow by an easy three and a half lengths.
Said Meade: “I was very disappointed with his last couple of runs on the flat, but he jumps very well and stays and that’s why we were able to make plenty of use of him.
“He is in a few races on the flat and the two mile and five handicap over hurdles on Saturday, so we will see how he is.”
Edmond Kent, from Castlelyons, Co Cork, is in his first year training and his Lovers Peach, taken at 10-1 in the morning and returned at 11-2, landed a little touch in the galwaybayhotel.com And radissonhotelgalway.com Handicap, sweeping through late for Danny Grant to master the flattering Gentleman Duke.
“She was a bit quiet in herself and I wasn’t over-confident”, said Kent, whose only previous winner came with the daughter of Oratorio.
Wayne Lordan grabbed the claytonhotel.ie Handicap by the scruff of the neck up hill to the final bend, sending Good Shot Noreen about her business.
Tommy Stack’s filly did the rest, having enough in reserve to beat Lake George by a length and a half.
* The attendance was 17,570, marginally down from 17,961 last year.
