Miss hits the target
“No quarter will be spared by the point-to-point people and we’ll give him all the help we can”, continued Winters.
Barry Geraghty partnered Missunited, with Twigline ridden by Ruby Walsh, and they provided a real treat.
Geraghty made his move off the home turn, but Twigline looked the likely winner when edging into a narrow lad after the final flight.
Missunited, however, fought back strongly, soon asserted and was a comfortable half a length to the good at the line. “I was worried about the ground, she needs it better”, reported Winters. “The plan now is Fairyhouse and Punchestown.”
Meanwhile, Winters indicated that stable star, the Galway Hurdle hero, Rebel Fitz, not seen since October, is likely to reappear at Cork on Thursday.
The other Grade 3, the ITBA Fillies Scheme EBF Dawn Run Mares’ Novice Chase, went to Charlie’s Vic, trained in Derry by Noel Kelly.
“She was fed at 4am this morning and it took us five and a half hours to get here”, remarked a delighted Kelly.
Derek Fox gave Charlie’s Vic an excellent drive, producing the six-year-old from behind to beat the gallant Avondhu Lady by a hard-fought neck.
“This has been the plan since she won her beginners chase”, said Kelly. “She will get three miles, she needs it.”
Fox, who is 20 years-of-age and from Sligo, completed his first double when driving Murtys Delight to beat heavily-backed market-leader, Aerlite Supreme, in the Bumper.
Aerlite Supreme slipped ahead with a mile to run, but the winner was a persistent challenger all the way up the straight, finally getting on top close home.
Murtys Delight is trained at Toomevara, Co Tipperary by Ray Hackett and carried the colours of his father, Liam. He has held a licence for almost a year and has four horses in his care. Said Hackett: “It’s my first winner and I’m absolutely delighted. He didn’t settle, but still got there.”
The long odds-on Djakadam did his job with the minimum of fuss in the Limerick Races Congratulate World Hurdle Winner Solwhit Hurdle.
Ruby Walsh took Willie Mullins’ gelding into an immediate lead and only had to bustle him along in the straight to beat Courage by seven lengths.
Said Walsh: “He did it well and, I’d imagine, will now step up in class. He was bought as a chaser and that’s what he will be.”
Ross O’Sullivan’s He’s Our Man was all the rage for the Charleville Cheese Beginners Chase, 6-4 to 9-10, and duly obliged.
He made all of the running for Andrew McNamara to beat Dul Ar An Ol, after his biggest threat, arguably, Coole Avene, fell two out when mounting a challenge.
“I now have three winners on the track and they have all come from him”, said O’Sullivan. “He’s a good horse to have, when you are trying to get going.”
The Charles Byrnes-trained Whiskey Hall, absent since finishing second in the same race last year, was the one punters wanted in the Newton Abbot Racecourse Handicap Hurdle, 100-30 to 2-1 favourite. He failed to get to grips, however, with Eoghan O’Grady’s Unoccupied. Mark Enright sent Unoccupied on after the fourth last and Whisky Hall never promised to close him down.
Said O’Grady: “He’s in again at Cork on Thursday and we’ll see how he is, but will probably go there.”
Byrnes struck back, though, in the Friends’ Of Liam Hogan Handicap Chase with Dazzlers Day.
Supported from 7-2 to 11-4, the winner made most of the running, under a fine David Spaline drive, to beat Cherrys Son.
“It is great to win with a horse of his ability, we have no great expectations”, said Byrnes.
Regarding his Cheltenham hero, Solwhit, Byrnes said: “I have never seen him come out of a race better. He will now go to Punchestown and take on Quevega in the Grade 1 over three miles (ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle).”
