Mossey Joe warms up for possible Aintree tilt with easy open lightweight win
With the vast majority of the 17 bookmakers reluctant to price up Mossey Joe, who was eventually sent off a 1/5 shot, the winning 11-year-old was bounced out in front by regular partner Damien Skehan and that was the last that his five opponents saw of him.
Mossey Joe made his only semblance of a mistake at the sixth of the 13 fences and he duly sauntered home by 10 lengths from King Troy in the familiar colours of Barry Connell, who bought the chesnut for £160,000 stg through bloodstock agent Gerry Hogan at Brightwells Cheltenham sale in January.
Bolger, who was accompanied by Connell, remarked: “We’re still learning about this horse and we will take our time with him. He’s in the Aintree Foxhunters next month and the Grand National as well. We will make a decision nearer the time.”
King Troy’s rider Derek O’Connor struck earlier aboard Pulled Mussel (5/4), a 17th winner of the season for current handlers’ championship leader Robert Tyner, in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Last month’s Knockanard runner-up Pulled Mussel mastered Marvellous Moment, a stable companion of Cheltenham Gild Cup winner Lord Windermere, on the flat to score by a length. Tyner later intimated that the towering Pulled Mussel, representing well-known Kinsale restaurant owner Martin Shanahan but in whom Tom Singleton and John Kingston also hold an interest, will now graduate to the racetrack proper.
Pat O’Connor continued his stellar campaign by sending out the Declan Queally-ridden Raydini (5/2) to land the ultra-competitive winners of one.
Raydini, so impressive when shedding his maiden tag at Knockanard, mastered Jonnie Chippy from the final fence to score by three parts of a length in the colours of the handler’s long-standing patron Eileen O’Connor. A tilt at a Cork hunters chase over Easter is now on the agenda for the improving Raydini that’s a close relation to Cappa Bleu.
Racegoers were treated to another gripping finish in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden with the judge unable to separate Rathcormac-based handler Jonathan Sweeney’s newcomer Barnahash Rose (4/1 – 7/2) and the previous dual runner-up Gold Credit (5/2 – 2/1).
It was the latter that was left in front when John Beamish’s first-timer Cloneen Dream crashed out at the third last only to be headed at the final fence by Gerry Mangan’s mount Barnahash Rose. Gold Credit though is nothing but game and she gamely responded to pressure from her Co Wicklow-based handler John Walsh’s son James to join issue with Barnahash Rose, a half-sister to Ask The Gatherer, as the line approached.
Maxine O’Sullivan moved to the top of the lady riders’ championship with Evanna McCutcheon on four winners following her success aboard her father Eugene’s six-year-old Curraghbower (9/4) in the confined hunts maiden.
Curraghbower stylishly made his way to the front after the third last and the recent Kildorrery runner-up went clear from the final fence to beat Armarissis, partnered by Maxine’s younger brother Eoin, by a convincing three lengths.
Detroit Blues (7/1) seems a clearly-useful prospect judged by his likeable debut success with Mikey O’Connor in the opening four-year-old maiden.
Detroit Blues, owned and trained by Roisin Hickey who also started off Peddlers Cross in points, appeared to be containing the favourite Adam Du Breteau when the French-bred made a quite serious final fence blunder ultimately depositing his partner.
The closing Native River, who held definite placed prospects at the time, duly cannoned into Adam Du Breteau and he too unseated. The Tobougg-sired Detroit Blues was then left clear to beat Ink Master in a race that several winners are likely to emerge from over the coming weeks and months.
