Geraghty’s winning run continues
The high-class seven-year-old never left second gear and it was always a question of when Geraghty said go.
He was content to canter along next to Special Token in the straight, but once safely over the last allowed Knockfierna to ease away and she won by an unflattering nine lengths.
Commented Byrnes: “This was the plan since she won at Thurles. I’d imagine she will have one more run, although I don’t have anything picked out.
“I wasn’t tempted to take her to Cheltenham, this was a good pot. She is quirky all of the time, but a hell of a mare.”
Jimmy Mangan’s Noras Fancy came back to her best form with a game success in the Listed Kerry Group EBF Mares’ Novice Hurdle.
Ridden by his son Patrick, Noras Fancy powered ahead coming away from the second last and kept finding to easily beat Madam Bovary.
“The key is the ground, she has to have it heavy,” reported Mangan senior. “We thought coming down that two miles was way too short for her. We will probably let her off now, there is no point continuing once the ground starts to get quicker.”
Willie Mullins’ Mozoltov, so disappointing when getting well beaten at Naas previously, showed his true colours in the Bumper.
Ridden with restraint by Patrick Mullins, he came through in the straight too beat Ted Veale, who pulled too hard for his own good, by four lengths.
Said Mullins junior: “He is one of our top bumper horses and we were gutted when he got beaten at Naas.
“He always shows a lot at home, but was too keen the last day. My only worry was to get him settled.”
Whiskey Hall, having a first run for Charles Byrnes, was a tasty touch in the Ballynoe Stables Handicap Hurdle, 11-2 to 9-4 favourite.
He came there cantering going to the second last, looking all over a winner. But, suddenly, the total outsider of the field, 33-1 shot Peccatorum, arrived full of running for Andrew McNamara to foil the gamble by six and a half lengths.
Peccatorum is trained by McNamara’s father, also Andrew, who said: “We think he’ll be better on better round.”
Bookmakers began their day with a delightful result, victory going to the Philip Rothwell-trained 33-1 shot Ample Appeal.
He was partnered by 21-year-old Andrew Ring from Kilkenny, who was enjoying a first success on the track, to go with three in point-to-points.
Four of them had a chance rising to two out, but Paul Kristian fell, Ballyadam Approach lost his action on landing and Ample Appeal, who appeared to be going best anyway, was soon too strong for Busty Brown.
The modest Charleville Cheese Beginners Chase went to uneasy favourite Swanfold and Mark Bolger.
The winner and Big Game Hunter had it between them from a long way out and the battle was always going in favour of Swanfold in the straight.
Doctor Woodfield was driven ahead over the second last by Barry Cash to take the Friends Of Liam Hogan Handicap Chase.
He stayed on strongly to beat the 5-2 favourite, The Big Boyo, backed as high as 8-1 in the morning.
