Paul O’Flynn leads the way as Cork trainers take four races at Clonmel

Cregane Ned brought up a quick double for trainer Paul O'Flynn winning the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle at Clonmel. Picture: Healy Racing

Cork-based trainers dominated the Clonmel card, winning four of the seven races, and Paul O’Flynn earned the lion’s share of the plaudits by recording his second double of the season.

Quarry Lil has been something of a flag bearer for the yard and the daughter of Quarryvale, who was also a grand race mare for owner Thomas O’Flynn, was winning for the third time this term when making all the running in the Minorstown Mares’ Handicap Hurdle.

The seven-year-old, who was also half of the trainer’s double in early October, jumped well in front, maintained a good gallop throughout, and Gary Noonan’s mount found plenty to fend off the challenges of Irregularheartbeat and Josewayornoway.

Cregane Ned completed the double when getting on top late in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle. By the trainer’s own admittance, he is quite the mercurial character, but he showed he possesses a fine engine when leading after the last and quickly moving five lengths clear of newcomer God Help Us.

“Delighted to get the double – it’s my second of the season, after one earlier this season at Killarney,” said O’Flynn.

Of Cregane Ned, he added: “He has loads of ability this horse, but you have to relax him a small bit. He was working very well at home, but we didn’t know about the ground – being by Vinnie Roe, he might want it a bit better.

“You can never be too cocky with this horse what he’s going to do. I knew he was getting to them, and I knew jumping the last he’d get past them after that.” 

Phillip Enright, rider of Cregane Ned, completed his own double when winning the Monksgrange Handicap Hurdle aboard the Sean Aherne-trained Nicole’s Milan.

Bridging a gap of more than three years since his last visit to the winner’s enclosure, the 10-year-old travelled extremely well throughout, challenged going particularly well coming down the hill for the final time, and duly coasted clear to see off favourite Macs Legend.

Denise O’Shea had set the ball rolling for the Cork contingent with a fine training performance to get the eight-year-old debutant Kate Ill Know, ridden by Brian Hayes, to win the second division of the maiden hurdle on her racing debut.

A half-sister to winners Jennys Day and Jennys Grey, the 28-1 chance challenged early in the straight, led over the last, and, after edging across the path of the challenging Coconut Tudor, survived a stewards’ enquiry to ensure a winning start to her career.

The Priests Leap was sent off the 2-7 favourite to get off the mark in the first division of the Derrygrath Maiden Hurdle and duly obliged as a short-priced one should. 

Arthur Moore’s representative jumped particularly well for Donagh Meyler and, despite being keen for much of the journey, he stretched away in the straight to win with a considerable amount in hand. 

Runner-up Ben Thomson showed a little more than on previous outings, while third-placed Made In Killarney made a promising debut.

“He’s a natural over an obstacle, and we thought whatever he did over a hurdle would be a bonus as he’s a real chaser,” said Meyler. 

“He’s starting to relax, and I think he’s going to make into a fine chaser.” 

The best finish of the day came in the Kilmolash Handicap Hurdle, in which Hilltop Supreme, Added Bonus, and Crack On Corrie had a great battle all the way up the straight. All three led at some point on the run for home, but Hilltop Supreme, ridden by Kevin Brouder for trainer Davy Fitzgerald, found that little bit extra in the final push to beat Added Bonus by a neck, with the same distance back to third-placed Crack On Corrie.

Premier Queen, a full-sister to Grade 2 bumper winner Darling Daughter, earned her stripes in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Bumper. Prunella Dobbs’ runner, ridden by Tom Hamilton, was a shade unfortunate when touched off at Thurles on her previous outing, but the luck may have been on her side this time as clear leader Faith Du Val hung badly all the way up the straight and eventually had to settle for fourth place.

In the same race, Denise Foster sent out her first runner from Cullentra, and her runner, Areutheoneiwant, ran a respectable race to finish third.