Double joy for Carberry
Carberry, whose last success was achieved on Black Mac in Killarney on July 18, gave both horses ultra-patient rides but, ultimately, landed the spoils in style.
On the JP McManus-owned Silverhand in the opening City Publicans Charity Hurdle, he pounced on the run-in to beat Tornado Shay by a length.
Later, on Muirhead, he was forced to switch on the home-turn before launching a challenge to front-running Sin Palo (Paul Townend) and was seen at his strongest as he forced the 4/7 up in the dying strides to triumph by a head.
Meade said of Silverhand: “He’s a good ground horse, but we got away with it on that strip of fresh ground, in a slowly-run race. He won this race two years ago and it was a good opportunity for him. But he’ll be going back over fences.”
Later, following Muirhead’s last-gasp victory, Meade said: “The plan was to come here and have an easy race o the way to the Kerry National. It turned out a bit tougher than expected. But the run should leave him spot-on for next week, when he’ll join Cross Appeal in the line-up.”
Having his first run over fences since last year’s Guinness Kerry National and racing over the course and distance which yielded his only previous chase win three years ago, Fosters Cross landed the featured Guinness Handicap Chase in good style under Bryan Cooper.
Often a dodgy jumper in the past, the 10-year-old produced an impeccable round of jumping, with the exception of a mistake at the second last, and rallied on the run-in to get the better of Darenjan by almost five lengths.
Trainer Tom Mullins said: “We might have another crack at the Kerry National now.”
Successful with Golden Kite here on Tuesday, Adrian Maguire and Declan Queally struck again when the versatile Anshan Dreams defied joint top-weight in the Galway City Publicans Handicap Hurdle.
The eight-year-old made all and stayed on well to hold Churchfield Champ by two and a quarter lengths.
Maguire said: “That was a surprise, because of the ground. He really wants to hop off it. But he got away with it because they went so slow.’’
The day produced two major shocks. Local trainer Iggy Maden saddled his third winner in 10 days when 50/1 shot Weslife (David Splaine) landed the Eventus Beginners Chase, in which odds-on favourite and chasing debutant Carlingford Lough finished third.
And favourite-backers were foiled in the bumper when the Patrick Mullins-ridden Who’s Cross, having looked an assured winner turning for home, was collared late by the Kate Harrison-ridden 25/1 shot Mireya.
“That was overdue,” admitted trainer John Queally after Flying Light justified 1/2 favouritism in the Mervue Maiden Hurdle.
Ridden by Andrew McNamara, the Chevalier gelding travelled well throughout, edged ahead at the third last and had to be kept up to his work to beat Popmurphy by two and a half lengths.
