Russell makes a cracking return to action
It was Russell’s second ride of the afternoon, not having been seen since the Saturday of the Punchestown festival, and he was visibly puffed on dismounting.
“He jumped and travelled well and I’m having more of a blow than the horse”, reported Russell.
“I started riding out two weeks ago and was busy enough at home to keep up my fitness. The only way for us to be fit is riding in races.”
Mr Cracker carried the Gigginstown House Stud colours and found plenty for the Russell magic to cut down fellow Gigginstown horse, Uncle Tom Cobley, after the last.
Winning trainer, Michael Hourigan, said: “He might now go to Roscommon next week for a conditions chase.”
The talented David Splaine enjoyed the first double of his career, at odds of 356-1, aboard Liz’s D’Estruval and Hang On Groovy.
Liz’s D’Estruval, trained by John Murphy, cropped up at 20-1 in the John B Keane Mares’ Beginners Chase.
Second in a maiden point-to-point at Ballindenisk previously, she stormed into the lead between the final two fences to beat The Blarney Rose.
For 25-year-old Splaine it was a seventh winner of the season and he needs just five more to lose his 5lbs claim.
Splaine initiated his double on 16-1 shot, Cathy Harrison’s Hang On Groovy, in the second division of the Harvest Festival 15th-21st September Handicap Hurdle.
The mare certainly faces a fair hike in the weights, having scampered clear early in the straight to score by ten lengths.
Pat Ryan, who trains near Tipperary racecourse, had his first winner on the track when Ivy Glen landed the Kingdom Mares’ Maiden Hurdle.
Enterprisingly handled by Andrew McNamara, she made all of the running, kicking on well before the straight to easily beat Pollywollydoodle
Ryan, with just three horses in training, has six successes in the point-to-point fields to his credit. “I was hoping she’d do it”, he said of the daughter of Gamut, who is owned by 96-year-old Mick Walshe.
The owners of 25-1 shot Bangonform, winner of the John J Galvin Handicap Hurdle, had left home for the races when the horse’s trainer, Davy Fitzgerald, told them not to bother coming.
Said Fitzgerald: “I thought the ground had gone too fast and was on the verge of taking him out, but the owners will still be happy.”
Bangonform and Define emerged as the principals over the final two flights and it was a tussle that looked destined to go in favour of the latter for most of the straight.
But Bangonform, under a terrific Danny Mullins drive, battled powerfully and was a head to the good at the line. “Danny gave him a super ride”, concluded a delighted Fitzgerald.
Henry de Bromhead’s Fort George ran away with the Listowel Celtic AFC 50th Anniversary Hunters Chase, in the hands of Paul Power.
“He couldn’t win a point-to-point, but that was mostly on soft ground, and wants good ground”, said de Bromhead.
Sneezy Foster’s Not For Burning stayed on strongly to grab the first section of the Harvest Festival 15th-21st September Handicap Hurdle.
Barry Geraghty seemed to have made the decisive move when edging Dick Dundee ahead between the last two flights, but Robbie Power produced the winner late to score by half a length.
Punters, who had very much the worst of the battle, got little respite in the Dr Louis O’Carroll Bumper when the Oliver Brady-trained King Shabra, ridden by Lenny Flynn, held on for dear life close home to beat Some Officer by half a length. There was, however, a sting in the tail for Flynn who was subsequently suspended for four days for excessive use of the whip.
Timmy Hyde’s Ashford Wood went off a heavily backed favourite and tried to make all. But the rapidly drying ground didn’t seem to play to his strengths and he faded to fill fourth spot.
