‘Iron mare’ blazes a trail
Backed from 3/1 to 9/4 in opposition to Noble Prince (drifted from 4/6 to 9/10), Blazing Tempo was also the third leg of a treble for Ruby Walsh, successful earlier on Vesper Bell and Ceol Rua.
Owner Rich Ricci savoured his first treble, thanks to Vesper Bell, Blazing Tempo and Champagne Fever, which made all to win the bumper under Patrick Mullins, providing Ricci with his eighth consecutive winner at Fairyhouse.
Ridden patiently, Blazing Tempo was produced to challenge at the second last before becoming involved in a rousing tussle with Noble Prince, the mare getting home by three-quarters of a length, with Tranquil Sea six lengths adrift in third.
This was the Galway Plate winner’s first Grade 2 success and a delighted Mullins commented: “She’s holding her form very well, because she’s been on the go since Galway. This was nice, given the ground conditions. “We had the choice of coming here or going for the Boylesports (handicap hurdle at Leopardstown next Saturday) and decided to let her take her chance. She doesn’t have to go anywhere at this stage and she keeps doing it on all sorts of ground.”
Mullins admitted: “I don’t know if she’d be good enough,” after confirming that Blazing Tempo is entered for the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham, for which she’s a best-priced 14/1 shot (from 33/1) with Stan James and as low as 8/1 (from 25) with Paddy Power.
Paul Nolan, whose string has been under a cloud in recent weeks, admitted his disappointment at Noble Prince’s defeat: “I though we took the right option coming here, rather than facing Sizing Europe and Big Zeb in Punchestown in a couple of weeks. The horses haven’t been running great, but you’d have to be disappointed with him. The Ryanair is still the plan and he’ll go straight there.”
Ceol Rua, in the colours of Fiona McStay, had won the earlier listed mares event after a good battle with Shadow Eile. Produced, travelling well at the second last, Ceol Rua appeared to idle in front going to the last, was headed briefly on the run-in by Shadow Eile but responded to Ruby Walsh’s driving to earn the spoils by a half-length, the pair stretching fourteen lengths clear of the third, Espresso Lady.
Mullins said: “Her jumping has improved and that made all the difference today. On pedigree, she’ll be better on better ground and when they go faster, she’ll jump even better. I was impressed by the way she dug deep when tackled and headed.”
When quizzed about future plans for Ceol Rua, Mullins suggested a mares novice event, back at Fairyhouse, on Febraury 25 as a stepping stone to a Grade 2 mares event at the Fairyhouse Easter meeting and a Grade 3 at the Punchestown Festival.
“He did it the hard way and he did it well,” stated Mullins after 8/11 favourite Vesper Bell outstayed his rivals in the opening Bobbyjo Restaurant Package Maiden Hurdle. Ruby Walsh made use of the gelding stamina, edging ahead before the straight before beating Giesenau by nine lengths. Mullins added: “We’ll up him in trip now, to two miles and six or three miles. The main reason Rich has horses is to go across (to Cheltenham). So he’ll probably be heading for the Albert Bartlett at the Festival.” Stan James introduced the Beneficial gelding at 25/1 for the three-mile event.
A bumper day for Mullins and London-based owner Ricci was crowned when Champagne Fever, a beaten odds-on favourite on his debut at Leopardstown, justified 1/4 favouritism in the bumper, making all to beat debutante Elsie by 13 lengths,
Mullins acknowledged: “He learned an awful lot and improved a lot from his run at Christmas, when he was very green. The softer ground helped. The plan was to go jumping after today but he won so well that we might have to reflect on it.”
Bookmakers reacted by cutting Champagne Fever for the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, Paddy Power making him their 10/1 favourite (from 12/1) while Stan James make him their 8/1 market-leader (from 16).
A Grade 1 winner at the Punchestown Festival, the Edward O’Grady-trained Shot From The Hip got off the mark over fences, at the second attempt, when justifying 4/5 favouritism in the Irish Stallion Farms Beginners Chase, but only by a half-length from long-absent Ninetieth Minute.
“I’m delighted with his jumping today, because I was horrified by it at Leopardstown,” said trainer O’Grady afterwards. “He had it all to do and I’d say they’re two good horses. I wanted to get his jumping right and get a win out of the way before making plans. We’ll look for a winners of one next before making plans, but I’m sure he’ll get entries in those top novice races in the spring.”
