Carrigeen follows up in fine style
She jumped and travelled really well through the contest and was allowed ease to the front going to the fourth from home by Liz Lalor.
From that point it was bar a fall and she crossed the line a comfortable five lengths clear of Ballinahow Lady.
The seven-year-old is trained by Lalor’s father, Dick, who reported: “She would love better ground and the Irish National (Fairyhouse) is a possibility. In the meantime, she may go for a Grade 3 mares’ chase at Limerick.”
Denis Hogan is rapidly making a name for himself as a trainer and was on the mark again when Inis Meain ran away with the Holy Cross Maiden Hurdle.
Hogan also partnered the Bernstein gelding and he set sail for the judge a long way out. The tactics were perfect, a bad mistake at the second last made no difference, and Inis Meain was 11 lengths to the good at the line.
Commented Hogan: “It was probably an average contest, but he was slicker and travelled better today.
“We will see what the handicapper does now and he will run on the flat through the summer.”
Hogan was denied a double in the Prime Beef Handicap Hurdle when Luke’s Benefit was chinned late by Tom Foley’s Snow Spell.
The veteran, Tommy Treacy, was aboard Foley’s massive mare and he got a real tune out of her in the straight.
Said Foley: “She’s tough, Tommy felt she hated the ground. We were praying all week for rain, she wants it loose. She is a half-sister to a Group 1 winner and will jump a fence next season.”
The layers got a real result when Howryafeelin popped up at 33-1, over 360-1 on the Tote, in the Cashel Maiden Hurdle.
The winner is now a 12-year-old and there cannot been many of that vintage over the years who have won a contest of this nature.
Ridden by Brian Cawley, Howrayfeelin got to the front between the final two flights and slogged it out to beat Robbie Kaydee.
It was a first success in Ireland for Clarinbridge, Co Galway trainer, Barry Murphy, who has held a licence for about a year. Murphy did, however, train two winners in England last summer.
Said Murphy: “He’s a nice old horse. He ran badly the last day, but we knew was better than that.”
The Liam Casey-trained Betterthanalright added to recent gains in a Clonmel maiden with a decent effort to defy top weight in the Littleton Handicap hurdle.
Always on the pace for Patrick Mangan, he shot clear away from two out to easily beat Letterlee Star with disappointing favourite, Come To The Party running no sort of race and struggling in a remote third.
Said Casey: “He did it well and the plan is to go chasing with him in the autumn.”
Bookmakers rounded off a good day — all seven favourites bit the dust — when John Joe Walsh’s 14-1 chance Shotgun Paddy beat market-leader, Jupitor, in the Bumper.
Jupitor edged ahead at half way, but had no answer to the winner and Ambrose McCurtin, from over a furlong down.
“He’s a good stayer and might go for a maiden hurdle now”, said Walsh.
The wily Tom Doyle was again seen to advantage when taking the modest Horse And Jockey Handicap Chase on Whatdoyousay. Doyle committed the winner to the front early on the final circuit and Oliver McKiernan’s 12-1 shot made the rest.
