Preists Leap rolls back the years in open lightweight
Preists Leap (6/1), winner of consecutive renewals of the coveted Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park in 2008 and 2009 when under the care of Thomas O’Leary, was clearly travelling best on the run to three out and he mastered the odds-on Boxing Along from the second last to triumph by a comprehensive eight lengths.
“I knew that he had improved from finishing third here last month and he was working really well at home. We will now keep going in points,” reported Tyner of Preists Leap, now owned by Sinead O’Sullivan from Ballinascarthy, who also led-up the winning veteran.
Preists Leap’s rider Derek O’Connor departed with three winners, the Galwegian earlier combining with Kilmacthomas-based owner/trainer Diarmuid Ryan to collect the mares’ winners of two with Sing A New Song (5/1).
However, this was a somewhat grief-stricken contest for Windy Millie seemed to be travelling best in front when making a horrendous penultimate fence blunder duly unseating her rider. Catalan Cruz, who was almost one-length adrift, was badly hampered and she too ejected her partner. Three Oscars, in third place at the time, was also impeded and Sing A New Song then came through to oblige by two lengths and by doing so, she was supplementing her victory with American Jeannie Cook at Kilworth last month.
O’Connor brought up his hat-trick aboard his brother Paurick’s grey Thehorsemaytalk (4/1) in the closing confined hunt maiden. Still owned by his former handler Jim Culloty, Thehorsemaytalk was always positioned towards the head of affairs and he gamely asserted from two out to beat favourite Connies Cross. Thehorsemaytalk will now be consigned at the Horses-In-Training sale at Doncaster next month.
Competition was particularly intense in the second division of the four-year-old maiden and Pat Doyle’s No More Heroes (7/1) indicated that he holds a particularly bright future by landing this 13-runner contest in the hands of Larry Murphy. No More Heroes, a fifth-fence faller at this same venue last month, made his way to the front after the second last to dismiss promising newcomer Battle Born by five lengths in the familiar Gigginstown House Stud silks.
Vincent Halley’s newcomer Milsean (10/1) similarly created a favourable impression by winning the first instalment of this same contest under Paul Power. The Milan-sired Milsean, who looked quite in need of the outing beforehand, led from the third last to beat the staying-on At Your Pearl by five lengths in the colours of Sarah Keane, wife of equine dentist Tom Fleming.
Paul Gilligan’s Guiding George (9/4) won an eventful first division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden with At Your Pearl’s rider Mikey O’Connor.
King Bo Bo and Young QC were still disputing when falling at the last as Guiding George was closing on the pair in third spot. The Flemensfirth-sired Guiding George, who held every chance when exiting at the final fence in the Quakerstown maiden won by Measureofmydreams, was then left clear to beat Big Mick by seven lengths.
Willie Murphy’s homebred Hackets Folly (10/1) credited 19-year-old Niall Redmond from Tullow with victory number four of his career by landing the second split of this same contest and by doing so, the son of Alkaadhem was stepping up noticeably from his debut effort at Borris House on March 24th.
The five-year-old mares’ maiden attracted the biggest field of the day in 18 runners and Michael Hourigan’s Jennys Surprise (8/1) vindicated the promise of her sixth-placed Kildorrery debut effort in February by storming to the front for John Barry inside the final 100 yards to defeat Perfect Promise by a half-length.
