Change of tactics work a treat on Mullowney
“It’s been a good day!” stated Doyle before adding: “It’s great that this horse has finally got his act together. It has been my fault that he wasn’t won before now — we were dropping him in. Tonight, we decided to let him stride on. He’s a smashing horse and might go for the two-mile novice in Galway next week. But chasing is his game.”
The Brian Hayes-ridden Audrelles Lad continued the good form of Oliver Brady’s string when landing the Eamon Sheridan Plant Hire Hurdle at the expense of Free To Dream, with favourite Passage Vendome a well-beaten third.
Unraced until last year, the nine-year-old was earning the reward for his consistency, having filled the runner-up berth in his last three starts, a point emphasised by Brady’s representative Anthony McCann:, “He didn’t run until he was eight and is still, a novice. He has been very consistent and has stepped up the mark every time he has run.
“He didn’t like the ground out there, but his class got him through. He’ll go to Galway now, for the novice on Tuesday or something later in the week.”
Winner of his maiden over course and distance last month, the Mouse Morris-trained Miradane registered his second success at Ballinrobe when defying top-weight in the Mayo News Handicap Hurdle and then surviving a Stewards Enquiry.
Uneasy joint-favourite Wooly Tom came from well off the pace and appeared to be tanking between the last two flights. Martin Mooney delayed his challenge, was denied a run on the inside going to the final flight and, on the run-in, ran out of racing room before being switched and finishing a close third behind Miradane and Rare Symphony. Mooney’s mount should have won.
Well-supported in the morning and backed from 7/2 to 2/1 on track, Two In A Row proved a facile winner of the Jennings Meats Handicap Hurdle for the father-and-son combination of Pat and Tony Kelly. The five-year-old handled the heavy ground well and will now head for Galway.
Another father/son partnership struck in the bumper when the Pat Fahy-trained Celtic Abbey, ridden by his son Conor, justified a tidy gamble (4/1 to 9.4) and booked his ticket to the winners’ bumper on the final day of the Galway Festival.
Moving On, without a win since December 2008, gave Co. Clare handler Pat Lynch an emotional first win since 2005 (renewed his licence this year after a break) when making all under Adrian Heskin in the www.ballinroberacecourse.com Handicap Hurdle.
David Splaine stated: “I’m very grateful to Ado (Adrian McGuinness) — he’s been very good to me since I came home from England,” after Face Value gave him a first win since April in the opening Follow Ballinrobe On Facebook Maiden Hurdle.
