Mulleady makes it look easy
The Tony Martin-trained mare travelled sweetly throughout and won readily by eight lengths, prompting her trainer to comment: “She started to come to hand in the spring and ran well in Roscommon. And I though this didn’t look a very competitive race. We’ll tip away with her and look for another mares’ race.”
Martin was expected to complete a double with the Ruby Walsh-ridden favourite Tepalo in the concluding maiden hurdle. However, he failed by a half length to peg back Mic Milano, a first winner over hurdles for jockey Mark Enright, whose trainer John Ryan enthused: “He’s a smashing horse, but difficult to train, because you can’t keep condition on him. He’s an exceptional jumper and I’m really looking forward to him over fences.”
The Joanna Morgan-trained Snap Alam showed her liking for Ballinrobe when landing the Flannery’s Bistro Rated Race by a half-length from favourite Kedleston, her third win over course and distance.
Ridden with confidence by Declan McDonogh, the five-year-old mare edged ahead at the furlong-pole and was always holding her persistent rival. Trainer Morgan said: “She loves it here, and so do I! I nearly didn’t bring my horses, because of the rain. But, the fact that there were only five runners made me keep driving.”
She added: “She has to go right-handed and is in foal to Kalanisi. So she’ll be finished after Galway.”
Another in-form and in-foal mare, Our Nana Rose, had earlier justified 5/2 favouritism in the Paddy Smyth Memorial Apprentice Handicap, continuing trainer Pat Martin’s rich vein of form and providing apprentice Conor Hoban, from nearby Westport, with his first success on his local track.
After the mare made virtually all, Martin commented: “That was a fantastic ride. And it’s special for Conor to ride a winner here. The mare’s in foal and August 8 is her cut-off point. She’s entered for Wexford on Friday, but we’ll probably wait for the Easyfix Mares Handficap Hurdle on the last day of Galway.”
Willie Mullins salvaged a single success from his three favourites on the night, 4/6 shot Dougal Philps doing the business under Pat Smullen in the ‘Craic On The Track’ Maiden.
Always travelling strongly and handling the testing ground better than most, the Echo Of Light gelding edged ahead with more than two furlongs to race and won convincingly by four and a quarter lengths.
Smullen commented: “He was a bit keen, which didn’t help in that very deep ground. But he did what he was entitled to do on overall form.”
Earlier Shadow Eile had an ideal prep for Galway when, ridden by Joseph O’Brien, she saw off the Mullins-trained Dare To Doubt in the www.ballinroberacecourse.com Maiden.
Winning trainer Dot Love confirmed that the mare has been trained for the Galway Hurdle but, unlikely to get into the big race, she’s more likely to contest the Guinness Race on the Friday at Ballybrit.
