Davy From Milan provides punters with plenty of cheer
On what was his initial foray into open company, the recent Templenacarriga victor Davy From Milan wasn’t altogether foot-perfect at his fences. The victorious seven-year-old however still easily moved through to overtake Pocket Reader after the second last of the 16 obstacles. Whilst blundering at the final fence, Davy From Milan readily asserted on the flat to dismiss Pocket Reader by five lengths with a 10-length break to former Galway Plate hero Sir Frederick in third spot.
Davy From Milan’s handler Eoin Doyle, who trains the winning son of Milan for David Phelan from Carrick-On-Suir, said: “Maybe this undulating track didn’t suit him and we will give him another run in an open before probably going for a hunters chase.”
Davy From Milan’s partner Derek O’Connor dominated proceedings by recording a three-timer with the Galwegian earlier excelling by bringing Gary Aherne’s Bulfin Island (2/1) from a seemingly-impossible position to oblige in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Bulfin Island, travelling well when falling two out behind Trust No One on his debut at Templecarriga, still had all of five horses in front of him on the run to four out.
The winning bay however made smooth progress on the run to the final fence and he led on the flat to thwart Havaar by three lengths with a four-length break back to long-time leader Lined With Silver in third spot.
O’Connor was all smiles following his success on Ballinaclasha Lad (4/1) in the closing seven-year-old and upwards maiden for the seasonal debutante is trained by one of his long-standing supporters in Dan Rohan from Lisgoold.
Ballinaclasha Lad, whom Rohan handles for Judy Cuddy, stylishly asserted between the final two fences to beat favourite Hopfgarten by three lengths.
Eudora O’Connor’s Trendy Native vindicated the promise of her third-placed Templenacarriga effort by justifying a degree of market support from 4/1 into 3/1 in the opening five and six-year-old mares’ maiden, the race that attracted the biggest field of the day in 14 runners.
Trendy Native edged ever closer from four out with capable five lb claimer Johnny Burke as long-time leader Isabellesprincess started to come back to her field. Whilst Isabellesprincess still led at the final fence, Johnny Cummins’ charge had no reply when ex-handicap hurdler Trendy Native stormed past on the flat to score by a half-length.
There was yet another gripping conclusion in the six-year-old geldings’ maiden as Emkae (8/1) got on top as the line approached to eclipse Fiddlers Way by a head in what was the closest finish of the afternoon.
Emkae, who had the benefit of three previous runs, is trained by Miguel Gunn for local Dungarvan farrier Raymond Beresford.
Emkae’s rider Declan Queally, who lives just four miles away from the course in Cappagh, departed with two winners and he then struck aboard Kilmeadon-based handler Nick Kiely’s Abbazagga (6/4) in the five-runner confined hunt maiden.
Abbazagga made all the running and the sweet-jumping bay effortlessly bounded clear from the fourth last to slam the only other finisher Rock On Bach by a distance in the colours of his handler’s cousin Dermot Kiely.
