Pageboy pounces to earn rare jumps success for Wachman
The six-year-old, owned by the Mount Temple Two Racing Syndicate, was disputing the lead with Dushybeag at the second last when the challenging favourite, Cailin Annamh (Barry Geraghty), took a crashing fall.
Pageboy stayed on dourly from that point to beat Presenting Beara by two lengths, prompting his trainer to comment: “It’s great for the lads — they’ve been with me from the start. He’s a tough horse and loves summer ground. He’ll go for a winners’ race somewhere and might end up in Galway.”
And Townend added: “He’s tough and stayed galloping. His experience helped — he jumped well.”
A dual bumper-winner last summer, the Gordon Elliott-trained Time For A Pint made a successful hurdling bow in the opening Summer Racing At Fairyhouse Maiden Hurdle.
Ridden by Davy Condon, deputising for Paul Carberry (back injury), the six-year-old challenged between horses to lead before the last and kept on under pressure to beat She’s A Leader by two and a quarter lengths.
“He’s a grand, big, old staying horse,” stated Elliott. “He jumped very well and will have six weeks off before we start looking for a ‘novice’ for him.”
Elliott and Condon looked set to complete a double when 100/30 favourite Vasco Du Mee edged ahead between the last two flights in the www.fairyhouse.ie For Special Offers Handicap Hurdle. But he was outbattled on the run-in by the Jimmy Barcoe-trained top-weight Allez Vic, which followed up a recent win at Navan under Brian Hayes.
Headed at the second last, Cordelia Belle rallied well under Andrew Lynch to land the Family Day Handicap Hurdle at the expense of the flattering Hareth, prompting trainer Henry de Bromhead to explain: “She looked a little unlucky in Wexford and came home with a nasty cut. We had to give her time and she has been working really well. She’s a half-sister to Moscow Mannon (runner-up in a Grade 1 novice chase in Punchestown last week) and seemed to like the ground, although she wouldn’t want it any quicker.”
Four-year-old Arzemboy Premier was sent off 6/4 favourite to make a successful chasing debut for Elliott and Condon in the Follow Us On Twitter Beginners Chase, but had to play second fiddle to the experienced Back To Balloo, enterprisingly ridden from the front by amateur Noel McParlan.
Clear before halfway, the grey jumped well and maintained his advantage to triumph by eight and a half lengths for trainer Colin McBratney, who said: “He’s hard to settle, but Noel let him jump away and gave him a great ride. He likes fast ground and there’s a nice handicap chase for him in Perth on June 8.”
Trainer Tony Martin declared: “He had a few issues at Easter, but has turned inside out since and was very impressive,” after Robbie McNamara oozed confidence on 4/6 favourite Marinero in the bumper, coming from well off the pace to beat only serious market rival Xpectations by more than two lengths.
“He won his ‘point’ and jumps well — we’ll have to see what the lads want to do with him next,” added Martin, who trains the Presenting gelding for Gigginstown House Stud.
And the Dessie Hughes-trained Knockanarrigan justified 2/1 favouritism on his handicap debut in the Follow Fairyhouse On Facebook Handicap Chase, Mark Enright’s mount surviving a slip on landing at the final fence before holding Fennis Moll by a short head.
