Hurdler Shaneshill makes smooth chasing debut in Thurles

A smooth chasing debut success from high-class hurdler Shaneshill in the opening Killinan Beginners’ Chase yesterday afternoon at Thurles proved the first leg of a short-priced treble for trainer Willie Mullins.

Andrea and Graham Wylie’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle runner-up was sent off a 1-4 chance to make a winning start over the larger obstacles and there were few, if any, anxious moments for those who played the short odds.

Content to sit a few lengths off the pace for much of the race, Ruby Walsh eased his mount into a challenging position turning for home and, with good jumps over the last two, asserted to win with plenty to spare, from Walk To Freedom and long-time leader Casual Approach.

“He was very good, I don’t think he made any mistake,” said Mullins. “I was very happy with the way he jumped the last three. He had to kick on over the last two, was well able to do it, and looked professional doing it.

“We might look for a race at Christmas for him. I have him in all the good ones, but I’d like to be keeping himself and Douvan apart - I hope that’s a problem we still have in three weeks’ time.”

Petit Mouchoir, unbeaten in a point to point and a bumper prior to joining Mullins, made a fine start for new connections when justifying odds of 1-5 in the Cahir Maiden Hurdle. The Gigginstown House Stud-owned four-year-old was keen throughout, but his class told as he pulled away in the closing stages to beat the experienced Lofgren by three lengths.

“He did it well, considering how hard he pulled,” said Mullins. “I wouldn’t rule out stepping him up in trip, but he might be easier to handle in a better race over two miles.”

To ensure he completed his treble, Mullins saddled the first two home in the Holycross Maiden Hurdle as even-money favourite Royal Caviar, ridden by Ruby Walsh, got the better of 5-1 chance Haymount and Danny Mullins.

Runner-up to Windsor Park and to Cliff House in his two previous starts over hurdles, the point to point and bumper winner had to be hard ridden to get the better of hurdling debutant Haymount by half a length.

“Experience won it for him,” said the winning trainer. “But he has improved nicely. We’ll look for a novice hurdle next, down the country rather than up.”

The only reverse for Mullins came in the featured Rock Of Cashel Hurdle, in which his 6-4 favourite, Daneking, had to settle for second place behind the Jerry Cosgrave-trained Mount Colah.

The two battled it out from the top of the straight but Mount Colah found most to deny his rival by three parts of a length, to secure his third victory at the track.

“The good gallop suited him and he switched off nicely,” said Cosgrave. “There are so few chases, we might stick to conditions hurdles. He gets in off a good weight in them, as he was today, and that’s a big help. He was very fit coming here, and we’ll keep him to these races until we can find a suitable chase.”

Rightville Boy and trainer Paddy Neville enjoyed an overdue change of fortune in the thurlesraces.ie Handicap Chase. The consistent sort was given a patient ride by Andrew Lynch, and he and eventual runner-up Do Be Doin’ were travelling ominously well behind leader and favourite Kilcrea when that one crashed out at the second-last.

With Do Be Doin’ badly hampered, Rightville Boy sauntered clear to secure his maiden success over fences.

Neville, who lost Millstream Ned in a fall at Galway and whose smart mare Shesaportrait is out for a year, admitted: “We badly needed that. A couple of months is a long time when you lose your best ones.

“Rightville Boy deserved it today. I thought he was handicapped a bit high, and weight had been catching him out. But I thought we were in right today, had a lovely weight, and a great jockey.

“We were probably riding him wrong, making too much use of him, but it’s great to win this, and we’ll look for something at Limerick over Christmas for him.”

Long House Island, successful here last week, followed up when carrying top weight to a narrow victory over the game Popboru in the Templemore Handicap Hurdle.

Winning trainer and jockey Denis Hogan said: “To be fair to the horse he battled well, but he had to because Adrian’s (Heskin) horse wasn’t going away. The horses are all running well. I think that’s six or seven winners in the last week, including point to points, so long may it last.

“The only downside is that my horse pulled up lame. It’s bittersweet. He was on an upward curve, I was hoping he would go on to something at Christmas, and this would have left him spot on. Maybe it’s nothing major, but it looks bad.”

There was a real shock in the finale as 20-1 outsider of the field, Candle Island, scored under a strong drive from Luke Dempsey. Ice Cool, in front with more than a circuit to go, tried gamely to fend off the eventual winner, but the Michael McCullagh-trained Candle Island got on top late to win with a couple of lengths to spare.