Aran sings from Noel's hymn sheet
Aran Concerto looks a horse with a big future after gaining a facile success in the Grade One Barry & Sandra Kelly Memorial Novice Hurdle at Navan.
Many bookmaking firms slashed Noel Meade’s rising star to favouritism for the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival after he totally outclassed the opposition to make it three wins from four starts.
Making stealthy progress before the fourth last flight for Paul Carberry, the 4-5 shot quickly brushed aside the pace-setting Footy Facts when challenging two out.
Aran Concerto then strolled home by seven lengths from Footy Facts with Hollywood Law third, another six lengths away.
Meade said: “He makes his own headlines – you don’t have to say anything about him. He jumped brilliant today and never put a foot wrong. He’s got a light mouth and runs in a rubber bit.
“He has great scope and is really a chaser but he has got gears. He got a bit tired today but the second horse is very good.
“He won’t run again for about a month to six weeks. When they run in that kind of ground you don’t need to run them for a long time.”
The five-year-old, rated by Meade as potentially the best horse he has ever trained, is 4-1 with Cashmans from 8-1 and 6-1 with William Hill from 10-1. BetDirect go 5-1 from 10s.
BetDirect spokesman Charlie McCann said: “If Noel Meade suggests he is as good a horse as he has had through his ranks, he could be something special and whilst it didn’t look the strongest Grade One staged in Ireland he looks a leading contender for further Meade Festival success.”
Meade and Carberry complete a quick double when Orbit O’Gold landed the odds in the Christmas Hurdle.
The 8-13 shot followed up last month’s Downpatrick victory when beating Peoples Cause in cosy fashion by three and a half lengths.
Meade made it an across the card treble when Jazz Messenger (4-7) landed the Horse and Jockey Hotel Hurdle at Thurles
Celestial Wave put up a brave front-running performance to win the Giltspur Scientific Tara Hurdle.
Timmy Murphy dictated affairs on the Adrian Maguire-trained mare but the 100-30 chance was all out to hold Southern Vic by a length and a half.
Mounthenry, the 9-4 favourite, was third with Sweet Kiln, who tried to keep tabs with Celestial Wave most of the way, fourth.
Maguire said: “Timmy gave her a super ride, she’s a game mare.
“I’ve always held her in highest regard, she’s a superstar. She’s been doing it over two miles and two furlongs and two and a half but she wants every yard of three miles.
“She will go for a mares’ Listed race over Christmas at Leopardstown (Bewleys Hotel Dublin Airport European Breeders Fund Mares Hurdle) that she won last year next.”
Pay To Production landed a gamble when holding the late flourish of the favourite Dun Doire in the Roast Turkey Handicap Hurdle.
Backed down from 8-1 to 7-2 second best, Christy Roche’s charge stayed on stoutly for Roger Loughran to win by a length and a quarter.
