Argocat claims Greenmount spoils
Only a four-year-old and a course and distance winner back in October, Andrew McNamara’s mount jumped into the lead at the second last and survived a last fence mistake to beat Snooze comfortably by eight lengths.
Argocat’s task was made considerably easier when odds-on favourite Mikael D’Haguenet and Emmet Mullins crashed five fences from home.
Winning trainer Taaffe enthused: “He has come a long way since he won his two-year-old maiden in Newmarket and is a hardy little horse. I started him early over fences, because he likes better ground and to give him plenty of experience.”
I see no point in running him again before Cheltenham. He’ll a have a bit of a break and will go straight for the Jewson there.”
Enda Bolger quipped: “That was a nice surprise,” after 25/1 shot Love Rory upstaged favourite Umpact in the opening O’Kelly Bros. Contractors Hurdle, forging clear under John Thomas McNamara to triumph by almost five lengths.
He added, with a smirk: “Fences will be his forte, and he jumps banks too!” before confirming that the four-year-old Winged Love gelding will continue to campaign in novice hurdles over the coming months,.
Winner of the race twelve months ago and off the track since April, the Eddie Harty-trained Fahamore, in the colours of J P McManus, won the Guinness Handicap Hurdle again in the hands of Niall ‘Slippers’ Madden, proving eight lengths too strong for See Double You.
The father and son partnership of Jimmy and Paddy Mangan won the Anglo Printers Maiden Hurdle with 7/4 favourite Kilcrea, but only after a protracted battle with Malt Gem.
The successful trainer said: “We’ve always held this fellow in high regard. He’s tough and stays well. But he wants better ground that today’s”
Futuramic is likely to go straight over fences following his convincing win for Andy Lynch in the Signplus Maiden Hurdle.
Robbie Colgan’s mount stretched clear after the third last to score by fifteen lengths and his trainer said: “He has the scope for jumping fences and that’s what he’ll do. He’s improving all the time and handled that heavy ground better than I expected.”
Local trainer Eric McNamara saddled Ponmeword to take the Sliabh Luachra Handicap Chase in the hands of Rob Jones and confirmed: “He’s a very consistent horse and deserved that. He’ll go to Tramore now, next Monday, under a 4lb. penalty.”
Sharon Dunphy, based near Thurles, savoured her first racecourse success when Pumbaa (Richie Kiely) turned over odds-on favourite Quickpick Vic in the bumper.
