Mac picks up the Tempo
The seventeen-race maiden, unlucky when falling at the second last at Kilbeggan last time, was sent off a red-hot 11/8 favourite and, having come from off the pace, proved an ultimately convincing winner, beating Please As Punch by two and a half lengths.
Remarkably, Tempo Mac was Gordon Elliott 21st domestic winner of the new season and, although the trainer wasn’t present, he later commented: “He deserved that after what happened in Kilbeggan. He’s entered for Wexford on Wednesday and, if he’s okay, he’ll go there.”
Cooper, now alongside Mark Walsh on the 12-winner mark for the season, stated: “He’s been unlucky a few times. He probably learned from his fall in Kilbeggan and jumped well today. He has a good turn of foot and I was always confident we’d get there. In the finish, he won well.”
Local trainer Eoin Doyle registered a 54/1 double with Supreme Benenfit in the opener and former hunter-chaser Corrigs in the three-mile beginners chase.
Nine-year-old mare Supreme Benefit, a first winner since January for 7lb. claimer Dan O’Neill, turned over odds-on favourite Exxaro in the BBQ Evening At Clonmel Races Maiden Hurdle.
Doyle admitted that connections “had been waiting a long time” for this breakthrough success as the mare suffered from sore shins last year. He suggested that she might be aimed at Tramore’s August meeting. The Mikey Butler-ridden Corrigs completed Doyle’s double in the Valley Of Honey Beginners Chase, challenging at the second last before staying on to beat Valentino’s Choice by seven and a half lengths.
“He wants that fast ground and jumps fences way better than hurdles,” commented Doyle, “So we’ll keep him going for the summer.”
Another local handler Henry de Bromhead was on the mark when Damefirth, owned by the enthusiastic Wilde At Heart Syndicate from Waterford, bolted-up in the John Kennedy Motors (Toyota) Clonmel Beginners Chase, scampering clear of Tiger Trek to triumph by nine and a half lengths.
“It was a drop in class from the last day (Tramore). She loved the ground and jumped super,” was winning rider Andrew Lynch’s summing-up of the mare’s performance.
The Karl Thornton-trained favourite Colms Dream travelled strongly for Johnny Barry throughout the Cluain Meala Handicap Hurdle before having to dig deep in the closing stages to hold Gold Class by three-quarters of a length.
“Johnny looked like a pro on him – he was superb,” stated Thornton. “This fellow will run again in Down Royal next Friday before he gets a break.”
Georgios Pakidis, who trained five winners at Dundalk over the winter, registered his first National Hunt success when Araglen Lad, ridden by Robbie Colgan, made all to land the Clonmel Show Sunday July 5th Handicap Chase.
The bumper produced a shock as Supreme Vinnie, ridden by John O’Meara, provided Denise O’Shea, who trains in Cloyne, County Cork, with her second success, staying on strongly to foil market-leaders Deputy’s Pass and Loughmore Queen.
