Elliott kicks-off festival with double
The first leg of the trainer’s brace came in the opening juvenile maiden hurdle, courtesy of The Ice Factor.
The gelding, which was morning favourite but drifted to 9-2 on course, jumped well throughout but was outpaced racing into the dip. However, Davy Condon’s mount picked up really well after turning for home and asserted after the last to win a shade cosily.
Elliott said: “He’s very honest and he stays going. I thought this track would be a bit sharp for him but he won anyway.”
The double was complete after Traffic Article survived a stewards’ enquiry into the Brennan’s Pharmacy Beginners’ Chase. The odds-on shot travelled well all the way to second last, where he was joined by Granaruid. The pair bumped a couple of times after the last but Traffic Article did just enough to secure victory.
Elliott felt it was just reward for the gelding which had been second on its four previous starts. “That was great. He has done plenty of racing and probably deserves a few weeks off now. We might go for a three-mile novices’ chase at Cheltenham in October next.”
Jessica Harrington’s Takeyourcapoff benefited from a well-judged ride by Mark Bolger, when taking the Noel Cummins Bookmaker Hurdle. Royal Choice made a valiant effort to make all but Takeyourcapoff joined the leader two out and asserted after the last to win readily.
Jockey Patrick O’Sullivan enjoyed the first winner of his career when steering Never Bold to victory in the Exchange Bar Handicap Hurdle, for trainer James Cousins.
The Listowel native allowed his mount stride up onto the heels of leader Cut On The Bias passing the stands with a circuit to go and when that rival came under pressure, he sent his mount on. From that point, Never Bold repelled all challenges to score well.
John Sheridan, representing the winning trainer, said: “Patrick gave him a brilliant ride. The horse gives you the impression that he will pick up and go away but all he does is stay.”
Davy Russell gave Sense Of Awareness a patient ride before producing Liam Cusack’s gelding with a well-timed challenge to take an incident-packed Waterford & Tramore Directors’ Handicap Chase, in which two horses slipped and unshipped their riders independently.
Sitting off the fast pace set by Rayhani, he moved to the front at the second last fence and flew the last to readily see off the run of the well-backed Best Of Bocelli.
Trainer Andrew McNamara provided a comeback winner for his son Andrew when D’s Trix took the O’Neill’s Bar Handicap Chase, in which the last fence was omitted.
Settled along the rails and jumping well throughout, the gelding enjoyed a smooth passage through the race and McNamara junior delivered his mount late to secure a comfortable success.
“He had a great run up north last week. He looked better than an 85 handicapper in the past and maybe he’s getting his act together now,” said his delighted trainer. “We have a couple of options open to him now and he might go for a long-distance hurdle at Killarney next.”
Normal service was resumed in the last race when Willie Mullins’ Passage Vendome took the bumper in the hands of his son, Patrick. Warwickshire looked to have matters in hand when leading into the straight but, under a strong drive, Passage Vendome got up late to claim his first success.
