Ballinrobe report: Runaway success for Yafordadoe
Ardamir and Denis O’Regan jump the last en route to winning the KPMG Handicap Hurdle at Ballinrobe. Picture: Healy Racing
Yafordadoe ran out a most impressive winner of Ballinrobe’s feature race, the Hollymount Nursing Home Handicap Hurdle, for Gavin Cromwell and Jonathan Moore.
A decent sort on the Flat, he made the breakthrough over hurdles in a modest maiden in Cork and showed himself to be extremely well handicapped off a mark of 108 with a runaway success this time.
The four-year-old travelled best, took over climbing to the straight for the final time and, so much in control was he turning for home, Moore was able to coast all the way up the straight.
While the opposition was unconvincing, this was an improved effort and suggested there could be plenty more to come.
John Ryan enjoyed a double on the card, starting with Lauderdale Lady in the opener, the Adare Manor Opportunity Maiden Hurdle.
Tommy Brett, claiming 4lbs off the 100-rated mare, made all the running and judged it well to keep enough in hand to see off the challenges of Bourbon Borderline and The Broghie Man.
Ryan’s double came courtesy of La Hachette in the Corrib Oil Handicap Hurdle.
Danny Mullins, who won a chase aboard her on her most recent outing, rode a confident race.
She moved up to share the lead at the second-last and, after holding on to her until jumping the last, rode her out to beat Myladyrose and the game Mickey Shea.
The Gordon Elliott-trained Ardamir carried 12-0 to victory in the KPMG Handicap Hurdle.
After making rapid progress to lead going to the last hurdle, he kept on gamely under pressure to fend off Morga by half a length.
“It’s all down to the trainer,” said winning jockey Denis O’Regan. “He’s got him out of the UK and the horse clearly loves the slower pace of Irish racing and seems to get confidence through his races. He jumped great again today, and I think his last couple of races were good enough too.
“I think he has a level and that he ran to that level today. And if he keeps to that level, he will always be competitive. He jumps amazing, and he’s a good fun horse very well placed.”
Dave And Bernie emulated Ardamir by carrying top weight to victory in the John Rochford Memorial Handicap Hurdle.
Michael Barry’s five-year-old was runner-up on his two previous outings and the lightly raced gelding showed himself to be a progressive sort with a game win.
The well-backed Badness Backfires set out to make all but was in trouble turning in, where Sean O’Keeffe took over on the eventual winner, who stayed on well to beat Resurrected Duke.
O’Keeffe said: “He jumped very well — his jumping is a big asset — and just when he hit the front, he had a look but when he felt the other horse coming to him, he was picking up again. He should have a few more wins in him, and even jumping a fence is in him.”
No Memory ran out an easy winner of the Boylesports Mares’ Maiden Hurdle for Liam O’Brien and jockey Ambrose McCurtin.
Winner of a point-to-point, she appreciated the step up in trip after a decent effort over two miles at Galway and pulled away in the closing stages to win like an improving sort.
McCurtin said: “We were quietly confident because she had a point-to-point win under her belt over three miles, and the step up to two-five was always going to be to her benefit.
“She was very keen-going but she is after settling now with more racing. She got there sooner than I thought but did it very well in the finish. She’ll probably stay hurdling for the meantime.”
Too Falutin ran out an easy winner of the bumper for Edward O’Grady and Tom Hamilton.
Behind some promising sorts on her three previous outings, she made her experience count this time.
Out of a half-sister to Miss Nomer, who won a bumper, and two hurdles, including one at Grade Three level, for O’Grady, she raced wide most of the way in search of better ground and coasted clear late on for a facile success.
