Mee glee for Russell and Elliott
He was an odds-on shot in the offices all morning, but the boys on the boxes were far more generous and all the evens you wanted, and indeed some 11-10, was available on track.
Davy Russell was content to track Quarryvale for much of the journey, but this was essentially over as a contest when he gave the winner the green light to lead heading to the fourth last.
Commented Russell: “I’m delighted with him and am mad about this horse. He’s very good in these type of races, tries so hard and just isn’t good enough to take on the best.”
Said Elliott: “He’s not the biggest, but is a great little horse to have. We will keep him away from Grade 1’s and 2’s and he should more than pay his way.”
Russell was also on the mark when guiding Tillahow to victory in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Beginners Chase.
“They seem to be winning in spite of me,” cracked Mouse Morris, after watching his charge crop up at 12-1.
Powerfully handled by Russell, he forged to the front between the last two fences and was always getting the best of the battle with Lord Lir, the verdict half a length.
Morris added: “He wants a bit of a trip and came in off a grass a different horse.”
Russell completed a treble aboard the Arthur Moore-trained Home Farm, taken from 10-1 to 7’s, in the Cashel Maiden Hurdle for colts and geldings.
A strapping sort, he made most of the running and appeared to have the measure of the gambled-on Legal Exit when that one crashed at the second last.
“I wanted to get that out of the way before he went chasing,” reported Moore. “He had a slight problem after running at Leopardstown (in December) and we left him alone.”
Dale Street, who went off favourite, ran no sort of race and had to be pulled up. He was subsequently found to have burst a blood vessel.
Arthur Goulding, who took over the licence from his late brother, Philip, some two years ago and is based in Tallow, Co Waterford, enjoyed his first success when The Boys Don’t Know landed the Templemore Mares’ Maiden Hurdle.
Tom Doyle set a scorching pace on Dubh Go Leir and that inevitably took its toll, with Bryan Cooper producing the nicely supported winner to sweep past on the run in.
Goulding, a 27 year-old, said: “She will go back handicapping now.”
Myles Sunderland enjoyed a welcome turn when Best Of Bocelli jumped his rivals silly in the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Chase.
Partnered by Michael Doran, he made most and had this in safe keeping a fair way from home.
“He’s been knocking on the door for a while,” remarked Sunderland. “He was second in a point-to-point to a good horse and we thought we had a champion.”
Jim Culloty introduced a decent newcomer in Heath Hunter to easily win the Bumper in the hands of Robbie McNamara.
The five-year-old is by Shantou out of a mare called Deep Supreme, who is a full sister to Nick Dundee.
Always on the pace, Heath Hunter only had to be nudged out by McNamara through the last two furlongs to score unextended by five lengths.
“He has never had a schooling race and will improve a ton,” reported Culloty, who indicated that the horse was for sale.
Doc Hollywood was produced by Keith Donoghue to ease ahead coming away from the third last in the Holycross Handicap Hurdle.
It was the decisive move and the late rush of well-backed favourite Speed Dial only carried him to within three parts of a length of the winner.
Tim Carroll, who rode Speed Dial, was given a three-day whip ban for failing to allow his mount time to respond.
Francis McCurtin, who took a bad fall from Sanforized in this contest, was removed to hospital with a suspected back injury.
