Moon shines as he runs rivals ragged
Trained locally by Jim Culloty and confidently handled by Patrick Mangan, the winner slammed top weight, Miley Shah, to the tune of eight lengths.
Cry For The Moon travelled sweetly throughout on the heels of the leaders, before Mangan told him to lead going to the third last. The seven-year-old answered the call in no uncertain fashion, soon stretching clear, and now faces a big hike in the weights.
Commented Culloty: “He went up 13lbs for winning first time out last season and didn’t reproduce it after that.
“I now think he is best fresh. The plan is to give him an entry in the two and a half mile handicap (Ascot Stakes) at Royal Ascot.
“But Galway will be his Champion Hurdle, either in the Carlton Handicap, or the Galway Hurdle.”
He was, of course, second in the Carlton Handicap last year behind Dermot Weld’s Midnight Music.
Willie Mullins’ Urano was a costly failure in the Killarney Towers Hotel Maiden Hurdle.
The long odds-on shot managed to finally head long-timer leader, Tropical Three, heading to the last. But, not for the first time, he found little, as Kilbarry Beauty, brilliantly ridden by Paul Townend, surged past on the flat.
“She seemed to handle the ground and should make a nice hurdler, with a bit of experience”, said trainer, John Kiely.
Ruby Walsh was aboard Urano and didn’t enjoy any luck either on another odds-on shot, Dedigout, in the www.themalton.com Chase.
Dedigout ran no sort of race. He was always finding it difficult to get anywhere near the leaders and was beaten a long way from home.
Victory went to Mouse Morris’ Rathlin, powered ahead by the talented Mark Enright over the sixth last.
Said Morris: “He has been disappointing over fences, but that will do his confidence a power of good. If the ground stays like this, I can’t see any reason not to keep going with him.”
Walsh got his winner, however, when the gambled-on Tony Martin-trained Wrong Turn took the La Na Gaeilge Handicap Chase by 11 lengths.
Wrong Turn was returned the 7-4 favourite, after being backed as high as 9-2 in the morning.
Walsh was hard at work a long way out, but the son of Well Chosen kept finding and was in complete control once hitting the front at the penultimate obstacle.
Darren Bunyan, who trains on the Curragh, had his first ever winner over jumps when Age Of Glory landed the Irish Injured Jockeys’ Fundraising Concert Tonight Maiden Hurdle.
Partnered by Paul Townend, he found plenty in the straight to resist Star For Life by a length and a half.
“He did it well for a horse who doesn’t handle that ground”, reported Bunyan. “I walked the track and it was in the balance whether he would run or not.
“He has a good future over hurdles and will make a chaser. We will now see what the handicapper does.”
Curvacious may have gone off at 12-1, in the Kelly Brothers Mares’ Hurdle, but was from neglected in the market, having been supported at 16-1.
Partnered by David Splaine, the daughter Anshan made every yard of the running to beat hot pot, Speckled Wood.
The winner ran about a little going to the final flight, and then made a mistake, but this tough sort found plenty to score by two lengths.
Speckled Wood, admittedly, was none too clever over three out, but was struggling at the time to get in a blow in any case.
Winning trainer, Edward Stanners, said: “Basically, she has been running on softer ground than she wants. We will keep going with her, as long as the ground doesn’t get too quick.”
The Bumper was won in good style by Eoin Doyle’s The Winkler, who led off the home turn for Adam O’Neill to beat Borussia.
