Gervais completes double under kid-glove treatment
Jockey Andrew McNamara applied the kid-glove treatment to perfection to land the featured Follow Us On Twitter Handicap Hurdle aboard 15-8 favourite Saint Gervais. A winner on good to firm ground at Clonmel on his previous outing, the seven-year-old faced very different conditions on this occasion but he coped perfectly well with them.
Given a very patient ride, he was eased into contention up the homestraight and found plenty to repel the very late challenge of Anshan Dreams.
“I thought it might be too soft for him,” reported the winning trainer. “But it’s probably not as soft as we think. It’s not deep, just slushy. It’s nice to have a winner for connections (owner Victor Stroud).”
The double was completed when Kilbarry Beauty, a half-sister to former Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle winner Massini’s Maguire, ran out an easy winner of the www.corkracecourse.ie Flat Race.
Jockey Derek O’Connor, making his comeback after breaking his leg in a fall at Musselburgh back in February, was ultra-confident aboard the filly, coming late and wide to throw down a challenge.
Enjoying some better ground on the outside, she took it up inside the final furlong and won readily.
“She lived up to everything I hoped for at Clonmel,” said Kiely. “Nina (Carberry) rode her there and wasn’t too hard on her and she has shown the benefit of that now. It took a long time for the penny to drop with her. I was happy Derek was back as there are very few like him who can hold them together on that ground.”
Much earlier in the evening favourite backers looked set for a positive start when Ruby Walsh delivered market leader Supreme Carolina with what looked like a perfectly timed challenge in the opening maiden hurdle but the mare stumbled on landing after the last, losing valuable momentum. That left the door open for What An Flyer, trained by Ann Lambert, to get up late under a strong ride from Robbie Moran.
Michael Grassick admitted he had been “a little bit worried about the ground” before watching Paul Carberry drive Casimir Road to victory in the second race. The 7-2 chance travelled well into the homestraight but a mistake at the second last allowed favourite Dara Tango steal a couple of lengths on the four-year-old.
Carberry soon had his mount back on an even keel and he quickened smartly down to the last, where a prodigious leap carried him to the front, and ultimately to a comfortable success. “The handicapper can’t do too much with him after that,” insisted Grassick, who indicated that Killarney might be next on the agenda, before a return to the flat.
Ben Dalton guided Sorted to a wide-margin victory in the Father’s Day June 17 Novices’ Handicap Hurdle. Doctor Henry made a gallant attempt to lead all the way but the effort took its toll as Sorted, who had travelled well into the straight, ground him down in the closing stages before forging well clear.
Winning trainer Conor O’Dwyer said: “Things suited him there. He travels within himself on that sort of ground. That’s three [wins] this year with him. I wish every one of them would win three in a year. He’ll be going to the sales in August.”
Henry De Bromhead’s Byerley Bear justified favouritism in the beginners’ chase but his cause was aided by an incident at the last fence. The market leader attempted to make all and he was battling bravely to deny the challenge of American Job, who was upsides at the last, when his challenger took a crashing fall. That left the way for the 6-4 chance to race home clear of Ferris Bueller.
Local trainer Robert Tyner wrapped up proceedings quite tidily as the Philip Enright-ridden Ransom made all to land the Munster Handicap Chase. Challenger Play The Wing unseated Rob Jones at the last, leaving Ransom to run home clear of In The Haven. Only six fences were jumped as the three in the backstraight were omitted due to the low sun, while the final fence was bypassed with American Job still being attended to.
