Thurles report: The Bosses Oscar survives lengthy enquiry

The Bosses Oscar & Caitriona Bolger after winning the He'llberemembered Hurdle. Picture: Healy Racing

The He’llberemembered Hurdle was the feature on the Thurles card and it went to The Bosses Oscar, though he had to a lengthy stewards’ enquiry to be called the winner.

The mount of Gavin Brouder, Gordon Elliott’s runner shook off the attention of favourite Robin Des Foret when that one made a mistake at the second-last, but he veered to his left after the final flight, impeding the fast-finishing Rightplacerighttime.

When straightened up, The Bosses Oscar went on to hit the line two and a quarter lengths clear of that rival, and the no alteration was made to the placings.

Sapphire Lady made light of a 548-day absence when making a winning debut over fences in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Beginners’ Chase. The eight-year-old, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend, jumped well and went on turning for home for the final time. Well-backed favourite Gin On Lime had no answer as Sapphire Lady skipped across the last couple of obstacles and eased away to an impressive success.

Steer Clear had good form over fences last season without getting his head in front but he ensured there would not be a repeat as he took the www.thurlesraces.ie Handicap Chase for Padraig Roche and 5lb claimer Aidan Kelly. It was a first winner for the dam, You Little Daisy, who, in her short career, won a maiden hurdle and a beginners’ chase.

Carrigtwohill trainer Noel O’Neill, who is a farrier by trade and trains just three horses, had a nice winner in the shape of Ava Rose, who took the Thurles Mares’ Maiden Hurdle in dramatic fashion. Dropped out early by Phillip Enright, she was brought with a late, late run to snatch victory from Botani, who traded 1.01 for big money.

“Delighted with the run, but it was heart-stopping stuff,” said O’Neill.

“The biggest problem we have with her is getting her to settle. She’s very buzzy, and we rode her completely differently the last day as it wasn’t working any other way so we said we’d take a punt and drop her out. They just got away from her on the front end that day, but we had to take a punt that we’d ride her the same way today and Phillip gave her an absolute peach of a ride.

“She’s a home-bred. Her owner is Tom O’Brien, who is a veterinary surgeon in Midleton, and himself and his wife breed a couple of mares. She’s actually out of a half-sister to Watson Lake, who won a Drinmore Chase. The filly is called after Tom’s granddaughter, who is in Australia.”

Molly Kaye got up in the final strides to land the Leugh Handicap Hurdle for Shane Duffy and Rachael Blackmore. Island Mahee gave a bold display of front running and jumping but the winner picked up really well and hit the front late enough for that rival not to have time to battle back.

In the Premier County Mares’ Handicap Hurdle, Danny Hand gave the Dermot McLoughlin-trained Trickey Trix a well-judged front-running ride to earn a second win of the season for the eight-year-old mare.

The action finished with an impressive introduction for the Gordon Elliott-trained Indigo Breeze in the Munster Bumper. Winner of a point-to-point bumper, the four-year-old half-brother to former Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle winner Brindisi Breeze stretched away in the straight to win by a wide margin. He has the scope and size to make top grade as a jumper.

“He is very, very nice,” said winning rider Jamie Codd. “He is owned by Gearoid Costelloe and won a point-to-point bumper in England, but he couldn’t get him sold off the back of it.

“We were lucky enough to get him at Gordon’s. He is a beautiful horse, a big strong horse.

“He is a jumper, handles soft ground and is one of our nicer young ones.”