Irish Grand National on My Murphy’s radar
A faller in the race last year and a close second to Foxrock in a Grade 2 novice event over course and distance last time, the tough eight-year-old, in the colours of Hans Joeng Zindel, originally from Lichtenstein but now resident in Lismore, County Waterford, recovered from a mistake at the fourth last fence and stayed on dourly in the closing stages to beat More Madness by a length and a half.
Burke explained: “He was very fresh here the last day but, today, he was never travelling and was off the bridle all the way. He seemed to labour down the back in the tacky ground, but kept going well. He won’t jump properly when he’s covered up, among horses — that’s why Robbie kept him wide, to give him light at his fences. Robbie knows him well and gave him a great ride — that’s the way you have to ride the horse.”
Burke confirmed that the Irish Grand National, at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday, remains My Murphy’s target, “once the ground is not fast”.
Trainer Liz Doyle completed a fine double with Glen Beg and potential stable star Le Vent D’Antan and admitted to being relieved after the latter, sent off at 2/5, proved an impressive winner of the Navan Shamrock Festival Maiden Hurdle.
Le Vent D’Antan, ridden for the first time by Barry Geraghty and stepping up in trip, was making it third-time-lucky over hurdles and, sent into the lead a mile from home, survived untidy jumps at the last two flights to beat Painted Lady easily by nine lengths.
Doyle commented: “Barry says he’s a good horse and he should know. The step-up to two and a half miles made a big difference to him. It looks like he’s going to be a stayer, so we have to use his stride. I thought Barry went on a bit soon, but he said he was only in third gear. He’ll go for a two-and-a-half-mile novice hurdle at one of the Festivals, Fairyhouse or Punchestown, and I hope a summer’s grass will help sort out his ulcers. He’s a real chaser and was schooled over fences as a three-year-old so that’ll be his job next season.”
The Doyle double was initiated when 5lb. claimer Kevin Sexton, who only returned to action at Limerick on Saturday, having broken a collar-bone at Down Royal early last month, swooped late on 11/1 shot Glen Beg to foil market-leader Somethingwonderful in the Kilberry Handicap Hurdle.
The Johnny King-ridden runner-up got the better of front-running Drumlee early on the run-in, before Glen Beg swooped past to triumph by a length and a half, prompting the winning trainer o explain: “We broke Kevin up, so I’m delighted to get him back on track. This mare is a bit of a madame and he gave her a beautiful ride.
“She didn’t stay the extra two furlongs at Leopardstown and we decided to go back to the Naas plan, to drop her on the line. The small field and galloping track helped her too.”
The Gigginstown House Stud bandwagon kept rolling along when Thunder And Roses, trained by Dessie Hughes and ridden by amateur Johnny King, proved best in the Irish Stallion Farms Novice Hurdle, beating The Westerner Boy and Festive Felon.
Hughes stated: “He had a good run in the Pertemps Qualifier at Punchestown and was never going to get into the Final at Punchestown, so this looked a suitable race for him. I don’t think he’s good enough for the good novice races at the Festivals, so he’ll probably go for a staying handicap. But chasing will be his game.”
The Tony Martin-trained newcomer Noble Emperor (16/1) got the better of the well-touted, Noel Meade-trained favourite Virtuoso Rouge to win the bumper in convincing style, scoring by four and a half lengths under Shane Shortall and looking an exciting prospect.”
Martin stated: “He ran well in two schooling bumpers in Fairyhouse and is a proper horse. He jumps well and is a horse for the future. I don’t know if he’ll run in another bumper — it’ll depend on the ground.”
Seven-pounds claimer Ger Fox has made a big impression in recent weeks and was on the mark again when partnering 9/4 favourite Knock Beauty, raised 10lb. for a recent win in Thurles, to victory in the Corby Hoey Memorial Handicap Chase, at the expense of Crowded Room.
In the absence of in-form trainer Robert Tyner, Fox said: “She jumped brilliant and they went a bit too quick down the back, so I was happy to take a lead. Robert told me not to hit the front too soon, so I was happy to take my time on her.”
Colm Murphy said: “I’m delighted with that — he’s been a little bit frustrating and was way too free the last day in Punchestown,” after Cracking Chap landed the St. Patrick’s Day Maiden Hurdle in emphatic style from favourite Macnicholson.
He added: “Mikey (Fogarty) is riding with great confidence at the moment, which is worth a stone. He got this fellow settled, so much that he didn’t know he was in a race. We’ve been waiting all year for nice ground and we’ll see what the handicapper thinks of him.”
