Elliott plays down Mae’s easy success
Although easy-to-back (drifted from 3/1 to 9/2), Mae’s Choice, winner of a point-to-point at Kirkistown recently, coasted to victory in the Bet With The Bookies Mares Maiden Hurdle.
The Presenting mare tracked the leaders throughout, cruised into the lead before final flight and drew clear to slam favourite Dangan Delight by nine lengths, prompting Elliott to explain: “She’s an honest mare and won well, but I wouldn’t be getting too excited - it wasn’t a great race. We’ll look for another mares race for her, either here or across the water.”
If Carberry had an armchair ride on Mae’s Choice, there was nothing straightforward about his win on four-year-old Al Dafa in the Seasons Greetings Beginners Chase.
Al Dafa recovered from a mistake at the first and crept into contention on the final circuit. But it was only in the last hundred yards that Carberry forced the Kingmambo gelding into the lead, foiling Representing and longtime leader Souvenir Royal.
“He’s a bit of a monkey and could have been pulled up a mile from home. But Paul gave him a great ride,” declared a delighted Elliott. “It’s great to have a Christmas winner for Sean Gallagher, one of our best supporters.”
The Willie Mullins trained Felix Yonger, in the colours of Graham Wylie, justified 1/6 favouritism in the opening INH Stallion Owners Maiden Hurdle, edging ahead of Beef To The Heels at the final flight before being pushed clear by Ruby Walsh to triumph by nine lengths.
In the absence of the winning trainer, Walsh commented: “He jumped better than in Cork and is a nicer horse to have than to be looking at. He’ll stay further and would probably prefer better ground.”
The Mullins/Walsh combination was associated with 4/6 favourite Tawaagg in the Hurricane Hurdle. But the layers got a real result as the favourite was struggling a long way from home before finishing only sixth and his only serious market rival, Psycho, came off second best against the Tom Doyle ridden Springfiled Way.
The John McConnell trained seven-year-old took the lead at the third last and battled well on the uphill run from the final flight to score by three-quarters of a length.
McConnell said: “To be honest, I came here expecting to finish third. He was too free the last day - he pulled Tom’s arms out. I blame myself for that. I’m not sure where he’ll go next but I have a three-mile novice handicap in mind for him at Fairyhouse over Easter. He’d appreciate better ground.”
Locally trained ten-year-old Selection Box, ridden by Adrian Heskin, defied top-weight in the Martinstown Opportunity Novice Handicap Hurdle, Colin McBratney’s charge getting the better of front-running Liszt on the long run-in to triumph by four lengths.
“He has to go right-handed,” explained McBratney. “We’ll see what the handicapper does, but he’ll probably run in another handicap hurdle next month. The longer term plan is to come back here for another crack at the Ulster National in March (he finished third to Hughies Grey last year).”
Off the course for almost a year, the Eoin Doyle trained Come To The Party got the better of Whitehead Lad and favourite Call Box (made a costly mistake at the last) in the ‘NK’ Happy Christmas Handicap Hurdle.
The eight-year-old Taipan gelding was ridden by Mikey Butler, who commented: “Eoin (Doyle) likes Tramore. This fellow won there a year ago and I’d say he’ll be heading back next week.”
The concluding Downpatrick Christmas Party Maiden Hunters Chase produced a dramatic finish as Tammys Hill (Jason McKeown), three lengths clear in the last hundred yards, tied up close home and was nailed on the line by the Barry O’Neill-ridden Not Before Eight, with less than two lengths covering the first five home.
Winning trainer David Christie explained: “He has loads of ability, but that’s the way he has to be ridden, hitting the front as late as possible. He has been in great form and my biggest worry today was that he might unseat Barry going to the start. He needs a real test and we’ll mix it between opens (point-to-points) and hunter chases.”
