In-form Bryan Cooper claims 246/1 treble
Cooper has started the new season well and gave French import Gangster, having his first run for Willie Mullins, a confident ride to justify 6/4 favouritism in the Harry Farrell Memorial Maiden Hurdle.
The five-year-old won readily by four lengths from Cecil Corbett.
Patrick Mullins said: “He’s had a few niggly problems — that’s why you didn’t see him until now — but his work has been very good. I’m not sure what the plan is, but he’s definitely one of the higher quality summer horses around the yard at the minute.”
Cooper was on the mark again when Cape Glory, from the in-form yard of Gordon Elliott, captured the Athlone Handicap Hurdle at the expense of his stable-companion From Frost and Wood Breizh.
Cooper said: “The return to two and a half miles definitely helped him and he did it well.”
Phangio provided Cooper with the last leg of his 246/1 treble in the three-mile Castlerea Handicap Hurdle.
Earlier, the Henry de Bromhead-trained Riviera Sun registered his second hurdle success and justified 6/5 favouritism in the www.roscommonracecourse.ie Rated Novice Hurdle.
Ridden by Mark Walsh, he got the better of hat-trick-seeking Mr Boss Man — who had attempted to make all — by a length and a quarter.
De Bromhead said: “He jumped well and Mark have him a great ride, so I’m delighted. I’d say he’ll stay a bit further.”
The McManus colours were successful again when debutant Oathkeeper, a five-year-old Oscar gelding, continued the remarkable run of Aidan and Sarah O’Brien in the bumper, the Ladies Day At Roscommon On July 6th Flat Race.
The 11/4 favourite, bought for €30,000 by Bobby O’Ryan last August, stretched clear in the final furlong to beat the Patrick Mullins-ridden Prince D’Aubrelle and provide Sarah O’Brien with her fifth win from her last six-rides, in the space of 15 days.
“He’s a nice horse and showed it out there,” Aidan O’Brien said. “He might head to Galway.”
Off the track since falling on his handicap debut at Gowran Park in October 2013, the Shark Hanlon-trained Baby Jake defied top-weight and a lengthy absence in the Ivan Connaughton Auctioneer Handicap Hurdle.
Another winner for in-form Brian Hayes, the six-year-old, in the colours of his breeder Nanette Wheatley, got the better of long-time leader Barney King by a length and three-quarters. Hanlon said: “He got hurt when he fell in Gowran and had to have more than a year and a half off. So it’s great to win with him in his comeback run.”
Sean Flanagan made all on board Billy Treacy’s Can’t Be Done in the opener, the Follow Us On Facebook Maiden Hurdle, staying on dourly to keep Jesmond Lodge at bay by a neck.
