Andrew Lynch sparkles to grab Tramore treble
Punch Bag booked his ticket to the Grade 1 AES Champion 4-Y-0 Hurdle on the final day of the Punchestown festival (May 2) when making a successful hurdling debut for trainer Brenda Duke in the opening Pick 6 Races 1 to 6 4-Y-0 Maiden Hurdle.
The Teofilo gelding, formerly trained by Jim Bolger, challenged between Poker Gold and Holy Water going to the second last and, in command between the last two flights, stayed on to triumph by five lengths.
A jubilant Duke said; “Fair play to the two lads that own him — he’s their first horse and they came to Ireiand to buy a pup and ended up with him.
“I hadn’t got him organised jumping-wise when the ground suited him last summer, so they had to sit on their hands. He’s a brilliant jumper of hurdles and he’s in the Grade One juvenile race in Punchestown. Ideally, he needs three weeks before his races but he’ll go there. He’s a smart horse and the better the ground the better he’ll be.”
Lynch scored again on 6/4 favourite Master Appeal to continue Dungarvan trainer John Kiely’s rich vein of form in the Bet Online At thetote.com Maiden Hurdle.
Runner-up to Nickname Exit at Clonmel last time and having his first run away from that Tipperary track, the Brian Boru gelding had two lengths to spare over Patsio.
Kiely, who completed a double in Wexford on Friday, said: “When they’re in form, they’re in form. The ground was a bit soft for him in Clonmel and he didn’t come down the hill — he wouldn’t have beaten the winner, but he would have been closer. I have no immediate plans for him, but he’ll jump fences next year.”
And Lynch was on the mark for the third time when Miss Peacetime, trained locally by Henry de Bromhead, kept the flattering Rebel Cry at bay by a length in the Mobile Betting At thetote.com Handicap Hurdle.
“She ran well last time in Cork, but looked a bit one-paced— the ground probably found her out and this drier ground suited her, “ explained De Bromhead.
“She’ll stay all day and will stay over hurdles for the moment, but she’ll jump fences at some stage.”
The treble-scorer was narrowly denied in the Tote Jackpot Handicap Hurdle when his mount Don Franco was collared late by 14/1 shot Phil The Flyer, trained in Toomevara, County Tipperary by Ray Hackett and ridden by Shane Shortall, who switched his mount to the stands side approaching the final flight before launching his challenge, getting up to score by a half-length.
Having gone close with Don Franco, Jim Dreaper won the hunters chase with 2/1 favourite Lord Fingal who followed-up a recent win at Downpatrick with a convincing seven-length win under Stephen Clements.
“He started off as a promising horse, but developed wind trouble and it has taken time to sort him out,” admitted Dreaper.
“We’ll try to find another one of these for him. But he should make a nice staying chaser next winter, although he wouldn’t want heavy ground.”
Market leaders Hot On Her Heels and Miss Dinamic were firmly put in their place in the bumper as 8/1 shot The Brock Inn, bred, owned and trained by John Nicholson, powered up the hill to beat Henry Girl emphatically by three and a half lengths, giving Finny Maguire, probably the best 7lbs claiming amateur in the game, his eighth career success.
Nicholson explained: “She has a great pedigree, although, unfortunately, her dam died having her. It’s a good ground family and her half-sister Knockvroghery won around here. We’ll try to win a flat maiden with her — there’s one in Wexford in a few weeks. And she’s one of five we have to look forward to for the summer.”
Successful on Corporate Box on Sunday, Ger Fox tasted success again when Halls Bridge, trained in County Galway by Shane Ryder for owner-breeder Denis Hannon, from Athlone, outstayed Island Peak in the Best Price Guarantee At thetote.com Handicap Chase.
- Six jockeys were in hot water with the starter and, subsequently, with the Stewards following incidents at the start of the Mobile Betting At thetote.com Handicap Hurdle.
Five of them received two-day bans for disobeying the starter (Rule 208) — Luke Dempsey, Shane Shortall, Shane Crimin, Kevin Sexton and Mark Bolger while, due to his previous record, Ryan Treacy, who rode a double here on Sunday, was suspended for three days.
