Flynn dreaming of Cheltenham again
Bahrain Storm has Pat Flynn dreaming of more Cheltenham Festival glory after a bloodless 15-length win in the Tote Placepot Rollover Maiden Hurdle at Limerick.
Flynn used to handle the top-class hurdler Montelado, who will forever be remembered for winning two successive races at the Prestbury Park jamboree.
He won the inaugural running of the Champion Bumper in 1992 by 12 lengths when it was run as the last race on the Thursday and went back 12 months later to win the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, also by 12 lengths, the opening race of the festival.
Flynn looks like he will be heading back to Gloucestershire after this romp, with Bahrain Storm trouncing the odds-on favourite Alabama Banjo.
He has been allotted 10st for the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices’ Handicap Hurdle but the 4lb penalty he picked up for this win should give him a chance of making the line-up.
“I was surprised by that because he disappointed last time and he was off form,” said Flynn of the 7-1 winner.
“That was his first run for a new owner and he’ll be delighted.
“The reason he ran today instead of Saturday at Navan is because he’s in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham and I wanted time to freshen him up before that.
“When he ran last time he had no life so I decided to give him a break and bring him back fresh and it worked.”
Paul Nolan has been enduring a lean time of late but he looks to have a smart recruit on his hands in the shape of Moskova, who bolted in by 10 lengths in the Gold Cup Lunch At Greenmount Mares Maiden Hurdle under Robbie Moran.
Nolan saddled the runner-up in the Ulster Grand National at Downpatrick yesterday and his string seem to be coming to hand just at the right time.
“She’s a very, very good filly and Robbie said she is as good as he has ridden,” said Nolan‘s assistant and brother, James.
“I didn’t think she would be strong enough on that ground. She is a half-sister to Lakil Princess and she was weak too at that stage. To do that on that ground, she has to be very good and she’ll improve a lot from it.
“She’ll maybe go to Fairyhouse and Punchestown after that.”
John Murphy’s yard continues to be in rude health ahead of Newmill’s bid for back-to-back Queen Mother Champion Chase victories.
Symboli Bay, who was off the track for more than three years before his comeback in November, landed a surprise at 25-1 in the Ladbrokes.ie Handicap Hurdle.
Despite looking all out at the last, he found more for pressure to hold off the challenge of Best All Stars by two and a half lengths
“This horse broke down on both legs and Jenny Murphy nursed him for two years and did a marvellous job with him,” said Murphy.
Even though JP McManus’ green and gold silks were not carried to victory on the card, his brother Gerry provided the family with a winner courtesy of Sundeck (14-1) in the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Chase.
“He won a couple of hurdles but lost his way a bit and today we tried him in blinkers.
“The moral of the story is don’t give up,” said trainer Ron O’Leary.
Ruby Walsh had his customary winner when An Fear Doiteain landed the prize at 7-4 for Willie Mullins by six lengths in the Patrickswell (C&G) Maiden Hurdle.
