Free Expression posts a terrific stamina-laden performance
On a wet and windswept 10-race session, the towering Free Expression (4/1 – 7/2) always travelled with purpose and he moved through to tackle last season’s Bartlemy third Present Flight from three out as the pair left their toiling rivals in their wake.
It was still all to play for at the final fence, but Free Expression gamely took Present Flight’s measure inside the final 100 yards to defeat Paul Cashman’s charge by one and a half lengths with a 25-length break to the third-placed Teds Island.
“This fellow is still a bit big and raw and I was a little concerned that the ground wasn’t soft enough,” said Prendergast of Free Expression, owned by Lisgoold native Terry Ryan. “I would imagine that he will probably now go to the Brightwells sale at Cheltenham next month.”
Mount Brandon (3/1) initiated the opening leg of a two-timer for Robert Tyner and Derek O’Connor by landing the first division of this same contest. Mount Brandon, who pulled up on his debut at Askeaton last term, still had a couple of lengths to find in third spot on the run to the final of the 13 fences as Donnchadh Doyle’s Go Conquer held the call over Emmet Mullins’ New Kid In Town. Go Conquer however unseated Barry O’Neill here as Mount Brandon came through to beat the eyectaching Total Recall by a half-length.
The Lemonfield runner-up Fanisk Bound (5/2) completed the Tyner/O’Connor brace by coming home as she pleased in the second division of the five and six-year-old mares’ maiden. Fanisk Bound made all the running to account for Elephant Island by a comprehensive five lengths and a maiden hurdle is now on the agenda for the clearly-useful daughter of Moscow Society.
Richie Deegan recorded his initial career two-timer, the 22-year-old combining with his boss Aidan ‘Scobie’ Fitzgerald on both occasions with the due opening their account courtesy of Forgotten Lady (5/1) in the opening four-year-old mares’ maiden. Forgotten Lady, placed on two out of her three previous forays, stormed clear on the run to the final fence to slam Easter In Paris by five lengths and the victorious bay will now be aimed at a bumper.
Miss Speedy (5/2) brought up the pair’s double in the first instalment of the mares’ maiden. The white-faced Miss Speedy, representing Fitzgerald’s wife Ashling Daly, secured the faster jump at the final fence with last season’s Maralin runner-up then bounding clear on the flat to thwart newcomer Born In Killeen.
Dungarvan-based handler Ian Kiely’s lightly-raced veteran Powerfulpaddy (10/1), a winner over hurdles at Punchestown almost five years ago, bravely kept pulling out more for Co Kildare amateur Barry Browne to deny the ex-British Benedictus by a neck in what was the closest finish of the day in the novice riders’ open.
Willie Murphy’s Velocity Boy (5/1 – 7/2), who showed promise despite pulling up on his debut at this same venue back in April, readily made all the running with John Barry in the third division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden. Whilst frequently jumping out to his right, Velocity Boy still beat Mackerye End by an unextended two lengths in the style of a probable track winner.
The Michael Goff-trained newcomer Shantou Bob (5/1), acquired by his owner Dick Frisby at Goresbridge sales last year, came with a wet sail under Harley Dunne to see-off The Mythologist in the competitive first division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Mikey O’Connor rarely leaves this venue empty-handed and the Liscarroll amateur struck aboard David O’Brien’s recent Dromahane runner-up The Horsechesnut (2/1) in the second split of this same contest. The Horsechesnut powered into the lead at the final fence en-route to dismissing Stilo Blue Native by five lengths in the colours of visiting British-based owner Mick Allen.
On a frustrating afternoon for favourite backers, Connies Cross (4/1) gamely drew clear from the penultimate obstacle with his handler Eugene O’Sullivan’s daughter Maxine to repel the mare Kicking Kate in the closing confined hunts maiden. Connies Cross is incidentally owned by long-standing points supporter Ger Stack from Rockchapel.
