O’Grady’s late change of mind pays dividends
The Barry Geraghty-ridden six-year-old landed a substantial gamble — from 5/1 to 11/4 favouritism — and pulverised his rivals from the second last, storming clear to beat Luska Lad, a major market drifter from 11/8 to 3/1, by eight lengths, with Donnas Palm a neck away third.
“That’s as soft as he’d like it,” admitted trainer O’Grady. “I had decided late last night not to run him, because of the bad forecast. But I walked the course at 8.15. this morning, missing the first half of the match, and found it wasn’t as bad as I expected. So I decided to let him take his chance.”
O’Grady added: “He wasn’t a well horse in the spring, so there was no opportunity to take on the top novices. But, after this, I think we’ll take them on the Grade 2 in Down Royal at the beginning of next month.”
Denied a run at Listowel when injured, the Tom Mullins-trained Tavern Times ran out an easy winner of the Grade 3 Dolores Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle, easing clear before the straight to beat Bleakfiedl Lady by seventeen lengths.
Mullins said: “At least, he has one gear back — he has shown lots of speed in his home work, but he looked a slow horse early in the summer. That’s why we came here rather than waiting for Limerick (two miles and five) next Sunday. I wanted to see if he’s good enough for the Royal Bond over two miles at Fairyhouse.”
Davy Russell completed a double when First Lieutenant, winner of the Neptune Investments Novice Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival, made a successful start over fences in the Grade 3 Like A Butterfly Novice Chase. Having tracked leader Imperial Shabra throughout, jumping soundly, the 4/7 favourite edged ahead approaching the second last and had the measure of market-rival Slieveardagh when pecking at the final obstacle before scoring by a length and three-quarters.
Never a man to get carried away, trainer Mouse Morris commented: “I’m relieved and very satisfied. He got a bit tired, which was to be expected against race-fit rivals. He jumped well and has a brain.” Morris stated that he had “no plan” for the Gigginstown owned Presenting gelding, but indicated that he intends running him again in a month, and admitted: “He’ll run over further when he’s fitter.”
On his only mount of the day, following the withdrawal of Captain Cee Bee (one of twenty-five non-runners, due to the soft/heavy ground) Tony McCoy was seen at his best on board Double Seven, which justified 9/4 favouritism in the Woodlands Hotel Adare Handicap Hurdle.
The Martin Brassil trained, progressive five-year-old had to dig deep to get the better of Mubrook, denying Edward O’Grady and Barry Geraghty a double, by a length and a half to complete a fine hat-trick of handicap wins.
Brassil admitted, “If he’s anything, he’s honest. They went a slow gallop and it turned into a sprint. Tony said he needed to jump the last two well. I was concerned about the ground but, when I met Barry Geraghty, he told me it was barely soft. He’ll be at his best over an extended trip.”
On a day when the layers took a battering, odds-on favourite Saint Gervais was turned over in the bumper when managing only a disappointing fifth place behind exciting mare Shu Lewis.
The winner retained her unbeaten record under Linzi Dowdall, niece of winning owner-trainer-breeder Monica Dowdall-Blake.
