Baily Green completes five-timer
The six-year-old, ridden to an impressive all-the-way win by David Casey, was completing a magnificent five-timer and recording his third win over course and distance in 2012.
Baily Green adopted his customary, front-running tactics and, although not helped by the omission of the last two fences (meaning they only jumped six fences in this two-miler), he was always in command, stretching clear on the extra-long run-in to slam the flattering House Rules by 18 lengths.
A delighted Morris stated: “He did well to win, because he’s a good ground horse. And I didn’t think it would be straightforward with the fences omitted. He’s a great jumper, very quick at his fences. He deserves a rest now. But he has the makings of a fair horse.”
Noel Meade and Paul Carberry, whose hopes for chasing debutant and favourite Dylan Ross were dashed in the feature when he fell at the second last, had enjoyed better luck earlier when odds-on favourite Busty Brown readily reversed Cork bumper form with Champagne Agent in the On Course Vets Maiden Hurdle.
A fifth winner in less than a week for Carberry, Busty Brown was having his first run for Meade, who said: “He stays very well and three miles will help him. He’ll stay hurdling for the moment, but he’s a real staying chaser in the making.”
In-form Dessie Hughes registered his fourth win in three days and his second bumper success in little more than 24 hours (both ridden by Johnny King) when the well-backed Art Of Logistics (3/1 to 15/8), a “cheap horse” for €10,000 at last year’s Derby Sale, according to his trainer, won the Oran Flat Race in emphatic.
The Jim Bolger-trained Beyond Thankful and Kevin Manning overcame plenty of traffic problems before quickening well to land the opening two-year-old maiden at the expense of favourite Fortify.
Apprentice Jonathon Killahena, who sustained serious injuries in a fall in Wexford last year, savoured his first win since returning to action when eleven-year-old Hide The Evidence proved a facile winner of the apprentice handicap.
Victor Clifford, based in Castlemartyr, Co Cork, recorded his first training success when 22/1 shot Hurricane Twister made every yard of the running to slam ten rivals in the Follow Roscommon On Facebook Handicap. A quick reappearance is on the cards for the five-year-old, at Gowran Park on Friday.
And the easiest winner in the flat action was Tommy Stack’s Dylan Thomas filly Angels Guard Thee, a smooth, 14 lengths winner of the fillies maiden, giving Wayne Lordan his 61st win of the season.
* Seamus Heffernan was suspended for three race-days and ordered to attend RACE for one day of tuition when found guilty of using his whip with his arm above shoulder height on Ningaloo Reef in the seven furlong handicap.
