Double delight for Lynch
Enterprisingly ridden by Tim Carroll, Roley made all to land the Connaught Beginners Chase at the expense of Give Us A Hand before ten-year-old Ahorsecalledmolly, under a power-packed ride from Robbie Colgan, got the better of Jamsie Hall in the Sean Naughton Auctioneers Handicap Chase.
After greeting Roley in the winner’s enclosure, Lynch said: “We tried front-running tactics with him before, but he got tired. He was a fitter horse today.
“He didn’t handle the track in Kilbeggan the last day and needs a flat track. He loves to bowl along and jumps very well. So a track like this is what he needs.’’
Lynch’s double was completed when Ahorsecalledmolly bounced back from a disappointing recent effort at Kilbeggan to foil Jamsie Hall by a short head after a titanic tussle for the Sean Naughton Auctioneers Handicap Chase.
An elated Lynch said: “I’ve been waiting for a winner since last October and then two come along. This fellow needs three miles and kept going well out there. I fancied him the last day in Kilbeggan, but he missed the break, was never happy and got tired late on.’’
Tony Martin and Barry Geraghty provided punters with some post-Galway respite when Undertheboardwalk justified odds-on favouritism in the first division of the Dysart Maiden Hurdle.
Undertheboardwalk challenged to lead at the final flight before forging clear to beat Mundher by five and a half lengths.
Trainer Martin said: “I suppose he got his due rewards after being unlucky in Bellewstown the last day. He’s a fine big horse, with plenty of room for improvement. He should make a smashing chaser in time’’
Denis Cullen, trainer of runner-up Mundher, enjoyed better luck in the second division of this event, but only after the intervention of the Roscommon Stewards.
Formerly trained by Paul McEnery and having his first run for Cullen, Walden Prince failed by a head to catch the Eddie Power-ridden Prayer From Heaven, having been denied a run when squeezed for room between the winner and fourth-placed Summersinerrill before the final hurdle.
On the run-in, Eddie O’Connell produced Walden Prince with a strong challenge on the inside which failed narrowly to snatch the spoils. But the stewards, believing that the interference had cost Walden Prince victory, decided to reverse the placings of the first and second, awarding the prize to Cullen’s four-year-old charge.
The most impressive winner on the night was undoubtedly Ongenstown Lad, which cruised to a five-lengths win over Lea Lady in the J P Hanley Handicap Hurdle.
Ongenstown Lad, who is trained by Gillian Callaghan, was recording his third win of the season, having already triumphed at Ffos Las and Sligo before unluckily unseating his rider at Downpatrick last time.
The meeting opened with the first three-year-old hurdle of the season, a race which often provides some drama. And the 2011 renewal was no exception, as the Charlie Swan-trained Roman Flight ducked badly left, almost refused and unseated David Casey at the first.
Casey injured his right ankle, was stood down for the rest of the evening and will undergo x-rays this morning.
At the business end, the Barry Geraghty-ridden favourite Why But Why, in front for most of the journey, was collared close home and beaten three-quarters of a length by 20/1 shot Burrenbridge Lodge, ridden by Galway Hurdle hero Tom Doyle.
Jockey Tony Kelly, who is due to return to his job with Ferdy Murphy in England in the coming days, partnered the Val O’Brien-trained Ballygill Gale to a convincing 10 lengths win over Kilbane River in the three-mile Follow Roscommon On Facebook Handicap Chase.
On a night of mixed fortunes for favourite-backers, the Charles O’Brien-trained 5/4 market-leader Kick For Touch sent punters home happy when scoring a convincing win over Figurati in the bumper.
* Two jockeys were in trouble with the stewards concerning their whip-use. Davy Condon was banned for one race-day following his ride on Golden Alou in the handicap chase won by Ballygill Gale while Eddie Power escaped with a ‘severe caution’ for his handling of Prayer Form Heaven, who was disqualified after being first past the post in a division of the Dysart Maiden Hurdle.
