Arkle on the cards for Thyne
Willie Mullins’ J’y Vole had her winning run brought to an abrupt end in the Woodlands Park 100 Nas Na Riogh Chase at Naas as Liam Burke’s Thyne Again ran out an emphatic winner.
Already successful at the highest level this year in the Irish Arkle, a trip to Cheltenham for the English version is on the cards, ground permitting.
J’y Vole looked to be showing the effects of a busy recent spell and faded to finish third.
Burke said: “The ground is rotten, but he jumped well apart from a mistake at the fourth-last. Other than that he was always safe.
“He wants plenty of light at his fences and when he got that he was very good.
“It was a lot tougher ground than last time but he did it nicely.
“If Cheltenham was safe he would go to the Arkle but there would have to be a good cut in the ground.
“I won’t risk him because he will be a lovely horse next year. He always promised to be a good horse and I wouldn’t mind a few more like him.”
VC Bet were suitably impressed by the winner and cut his Arkle odds to 12-1 from 20s.
Maralan has got his colourful trainer Oliver Brady dreaming of Cheltenham after a second success inside seven days.
Admittedly, he has been a little fortunate to pick up both contests due to the bad luck of others, but the seven-year-old has struck up a profitable new partnership with John Cullen.
Last week at Navan he looked booked for second when Clopf stumbled and came down after the last, and this time Schindlers Hunt appeared to be getting the upper hand in the paddypowerpoker.com Newlands Chase when a bad blunder gave Roger Loughran no chance of staying in the saddle.
Brady was at the centre of fantastic scenes last year at Cheltenham when his Baron De Feypo was third in the Coral Cup and the same could be expected if Maralan (14-1) can win the Grand Annual.
After this second Grade Two success over fences, both William Hill and Cashmans go 14-1 for that race.
“I’m very pleased, I didn’t expect him to win but he jumped like a buck and he is a stone better left-handed,” said Brady.
“I came here to qualify him for Cheltenham and he’s certainly qualified now.
“He’s in the Grand Annual and he’s very much entitled to go as far as the horses he has beaten the last two weeks are concerned.
“He’ll be some horse next year and I’ve already picked out my plan for next season.”
The Bowe family do tremendously well with their small string of horses and a change in tactics saw Coolcashin benefit in the paddypower.com Johnstown Novices’ Hurdle.
He normally forces the pace but under a patient ride from Tom Doyle he sprung a 20-1 surprise and beat Raven’s Run.
“I had him entered in Punchestown through the week but I thought he’d love Naas,” said Bowe.
“People were telling me I was mad going for the race on the ratings but he was telling me different. He was in great form and the change of tactics made a difference.”
