Three in a row for sprightly veteran He’llberemembered
Well-backed favourite Daneking set out to make all the running, but jumped out to his left, an act which the winner mimicked on a number of occasions.
With Ted Veale held up and never able to land a blow over a trip which may stretch his stamina and Cool Oscar out of his depth, it was left to He’llberemembered to mount the only threat to the long-time leader.
The 12-year-old, showing he retains all his old enthusiasm for the sport ranged upsides leaving the backstraight and, under a fine ride from Paddy Kennedy, forged clear up the straight to complete his hat-trick.
“If you asked me before the race I’d have said all the indications said he should be third, but we haven’t taught him to read, thank God,” joked Fahey.
“He loves racing. I had a bit of heart trouble earlier in the year but if he wants to give up a heart I’d be glad to get it. Riding him out, he hasn’t changed in the last four or five years. Someday he’ll tell us he doesn’t want to race anymore and the very minute he does, we’ll respect that, and retire him.
“There’s a flat handicap in Dundalk we have half an eye on, and we might just sneak into one of the veterans’ chases – that’d be the plan.”
Odds-on backers had some anxious moments before 3-10 favourite Miss Dinamic landed the opening Holycross Mares’ Chase for trainer Gordon Elliott and jockey Ruby Walsh.
Third in a Grade 3 chase on her previous outing, she looked to have a straight-forward task but a terrible blunder at the first fence down the back almost put her out of the race, and she wasn’t entirely fluent thereafter. However, her stamina and class came to the fore, as she ran on strongly to beat My Betty.
“She’s probably better getting a lead,” said the winning rider. “At Punchestown she jumped more fluently, and was lucky to stand up at the first down the back, this time. But she picked up really well off the last bend, and ran away from the second-last to put the race to bed.”
Le Vagabond ran a race of real promise before falling at the last in a juvenile hurdle won by the highly regarded Tiliver at Ballinrobe recently, and the very heavily backed 8-13 favourite gained compensation with an authoritative display in the Devil’s Bit Maiden.
With an accomplished round of jumping and clearly possessing a decent engine, he proved too good for smart flat horse Buyer Beware, who made a promising start over hurdles.
“I suppose it did what it said on the tin, for a change,” said trainer Eddie O’Grady. “He jumps well and travels nicely. He was unlucky to fall at Ballinrobe, and has come on from that. Maybe the good ground helped him.
“The race was a bit stop-start, and there were times he was off the bridle, and when they steadied up he was running away. Andrew said his biggest job was pulling him up.
“He seems to be versatile ground-wise. I was worried about the (soft) ground at Ballinrobe but he seemed to handle it very well. He’s settling better and will only improve, but there are no immediate plans for him.”
Of stable star Kitten Rock, who will go chasing this term, O’Grady added: “He schooled over 30 obstacles this morning and is in good form, but (pointing to the clouds) won’t run until the ground changes. He has done plenty of graft, but no serious work.”
Tintown Rambler caused a 20-1 upset when taking the beginners’ chase for Vincent Halley and jockey Andrew Lynch. In the van from the outset, he found extra to fend off the strong challenge of Diamondgeezer Luke, with odds-on favourite Georges Conn in third.
Trainer Shane Broderick was on the mark when 12-1 Luimneach Abu secured the second victory of his career with a game effort from the well-backed King Of Oriel, in the Thurles Handicap Hurdle.
In the Leugh Handicap Hurdle, 33-1 chance Fleurys Fort, trained by Leslie Young and ridden by Damien Skehan, had to survive a lengthy stewards’ enquiry before being declared the winner. He hampered favourite Vic Approach approaching the last flight, but battled back to deny that rival by head. The winning jockey received a three-day ban for improper riding.
Those who forced a serious compression of Dani Theatre’s odds, into 2-5, were rewarded with the most bloodless of victories. Patrick Mullins never had to move a muscle as the filly strolled clear to score at the second time of asking.
“She was a bit green at Clonmel and wants nice ground, but I think a lot of her,” said winning trainer Mags Mullins. “She jumps well and is good enough to compete in those mares’ novice hurdles, but I’m not going to tear the heart out of her on winter ground. Her mother was smart, and she has the gears to win on the flat.”
