Monksland creates a big impression
Confidently handled by Paul Carberry, the Noel Meade trained five-year-old came from off the pace to score readily by four and a half lengths, attracting quotes for his Cheltenham target ranging from 16/1 (Ladbrokes) to Paddy Power’s offer of 25/1.
Monksland is trained by Noel Meade, who declared: “That went exactly to plan. We thought he’d win. He’s just a very good horse.”
Meade admitted having concerns about the tacky ground, but added: “He worked very well in soft ground on Tuesday, which was encouraging. Paul was very happy with him today.
“He’s a horse with plenty of boot, but used to be very nervous and buzzy. He’s a lot more relaxed now, both before and during his races. He never turned a hair today.
“The two-and-a-half mile novice at Cheltenham (Neptune) looks the race for him. I don’t know if he’ll run again before then, because he’s a horse that doesn’t need much work and is easy to get fit.”
The Peter Casey trained Flemenstar crowned a memorable weekend for jockey Andrew Lynch (rode a treble in Thurles on Saturday) when getting the better of Lambro in a tremendous tussle for the Irish Stallion Farms Novice Chase.
Sent to the front at half-way, Flemenstar was strongly pressed by the runner-up turning for home as Ruby Walsh, on Lambro, tried to turn the two-mile event into a test of stamina. Less than a length separated the pair at the last, before Flemenstar forged clear to triumph by three and a half lengths.
Winning trainer Casey commented: “He’s a good one. He wants further and believe it or not, he’s not fully right yet. That’s desperate ground out there, ground he doesn’t like. But he did it well when the other horse came at him.”
Casey nominated the Grade 1 Arkle at Leopardstown on January 28 as Flemenstar’s next target and stressed: “He won’t be travelling anywhere. After Leopardstown he’ll be stepping up in trip.” The Power Gold Cup at the Fairyhouse Easter meeting is a likely spring target for the seven-year-old Flemensfirth gelding.
Out of luck with Lambro, Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh struck later with 5/6 favourite Hats And Heels, on her hurdling bow, in the Annual Membership At Naas Maiden Hurdle.
The Flemensfirth mare, owned by the Supreme Horse Racing Club (which has eleven horses in training with Mullins) jumped fluently on the heels of the leaders, came through to lead at the second last before beating market-rival Beef To The Heels by five lengths.
Mullins said: “She looks an exciting sort, for a mare with her size and scope. She jumped well, but was a little green when she ran about a bit at the second last. She’s a mare with plenty of ability and the logical thing would be to go for some of the mares races. But, because she’s not very big, we might go for open races instead, where she’d get the mare’s allowance.”
Mullins completed a double when hot-pot Un Atout gained a bloodless, twenty-four lengths win in the Go Racing In Kildare Pro-Am Flat Race, the first four-year-old bumper of 2012.
Sent off at 2/7 in the absence of the Dermot Weld trained Silver Concorde (Weld was fined €200 for the gelding’s late withdrawal), the French-bred, Gigginstown owned gelding stretched clear in the closing stages to score impressively in the hands of Patrick Mullins.
The winning trainer enthused: “He looks like a racehorse and has been doing things nicely at home. I’d like to win another bumper or, hopefully, two with him before putting him away and going novice hurdling next season.”
After ruling out the Cheltenham bumper as a possible target, he added: “He’s a cool customer, very relaxed, which will help him.”
