Toner hits the target for Elliott
He certainly had to dig deep for Davy Condon’s urgings, after defeat was staring him in the face for most of the straight. Noble Prince edged into the lead coming away from the third last and appeared to be holding his rival at the back of the final fence.
But Toner D’Oudaires then roared down the stands’ side, under a fine Condon drive, to nail Noble Prince close home and score by half a length.
Reported Condon: “Gordon was in two minds as to whether he would get the trip or not, but the drying ground helped and we went steady.
“He was jumping a little to his left and that’s why I came down the stands’ side, he showed plenty of guts.”
Willie Austin’s Blacklough won the Easter Handicap Hurdle by a neck from Bridgequarter Girl and then survived a stewards’ inquiry.
The pair did get close together and an inquiry was inevitable, Equally inevitable was that the result would stand. The principals had a real tussle from after three out, with Blacklough and Kevin Sexton just abut getting the best of it near the line.
Commented Austin: “He will now go to Punchestown for the big handicap hurdle. He deserved that, he’s hardy.
“The horse has been in for a long time and will be put away after Punchestown and come back over fences next season.”
Morga, trained by Dessie McDonogh for Jim Bolger’s wife, Jackie, made a winning debut over jumps in the Summer BBQ July 111th Mares’ Maiden Hurdle. Beautifully handled by Ben Dalton, the daughter of Whipper quickened well on the run in to prove too good for the flattering Ellie Mia.
Said McDonogh: “She will come on a lot for the experience, is a good mare and a nice one to get. Punchestown is now on the agenda for a mares’ novice hurdle, it is nice to get off the cold list.”
Philip Enright rode his first ever winner for Tony Martin when guiding The Plan Man to an easy success in the Father’s Day Racing June 15th Maiden Hurdle. The Jeremy gelding could be mapped as the likely winner a fair way out, after being nudged into the contest by Enright. He jumped to the front over the second last and soon stretched clear to beat Lisa’s Legacy by nine lengths. Enright completed a double aboard Starkie in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Beginners Chase.
* It was something of a surprise when the ground was was described as “soft” yesterday. considering there had been no rain for a number of days and was expected to ride much better than that.
The stewards interviewed Val O’Connell, clerk of the course, Michael O’Neill, racecourse manager, and Maurice O’Brien, track foreman, in relation to the circumstances which led to the description of ‘soft’ being used to describe ground conditions, prior to the first race.
Having considered the evidence, they referred the matter to the Chief Executive of the Turf Club for full investigation. The indications were that the directors of the racecourse instructed O’Neill to continue watering, without consultation with O’Connell. Six horses were taken out through the day, due to the change in ground.
