Damian Murphy, who enjoyed his greatest racing moment on board Whyso Mayo in the Foxhunters at Cheltenham back in 2006, saddled promising newcomer Iron Bridge in the familiar colours of Trevor Hemmings to win the second division of the Nenagh 5-Y-0 Flat Race on point-to-point day in Tipperary.
The Milan gelding, a €58.000 purchase, proved three lengths superior to favourite Casey West (runner-up in a maiden hurdle at Punchestown last month) with well-backed Don Chalant staying on in third.
“He’s always been a lovely horse,” stated Murphy. “He was trained for point-to-pointing and jumps well, but he has no hard galloping done. That said, I was expecting him to take beating today.”
And he added: “Mr Hemmings has been very good to me. I’ve been breaking horses for hm for a long time and it’s nice to have a winner on the track for him. I’m not sure what the plan is for this horse, but he should be a way better horse when he sees a jump.”
Top rider Jamie Codd completed a fine double, on a couple of exciting prospects, Denis Murphy’s Au Fleron in the Lisronagh 4-Y-0 Flat Race and Ballybough Native, a first track winner, as a trainer, for Ian McCarthy, better known as a jumps jockey, in the Horse & Jockey 5-Y-0 Flat Race.
Au Fleuron picked-up well off the home-turn and kept on strongly to beat Zero Tolerance by four and a half lengths, prompting his owner-trainer to explain: “He has plenty of pace. His home work has been very good and he jumps well, so he’s a good prospect. He cost £37,000 in Doncaster, with Jonjo (O‘Neill) as under-bidder. Jamie said there was plenty left in the tank and that he’s still babyish. And like all of our horses, he’s for sale.”
Codd’s second winner Ballybough Native, was, arguably, more impressive, coming from off the pace before seizing the initiative and forging clear to beat Time Marches On by thirteen lengths.
Well-touted and sent off 3/1 favourite, the Shirocco gelding delighted his handler Ian McCarthy, who is based in Kildangan, County Kildare. “He’s a nice horse. We’ve always thought a bit of him and he has never let us down. He’s done a lot of schooling and jumps well. On paper, it looked a strong race. They went a nice gallop and he quickened off it. With luck, he’s a horse with a big future.”
In-form Gavin Cromwell registered his third win on home soil since his Cheltenham exploits when Derrylinda proved an emphatic winner of the Ormond Mares Flat Race, slamming chief market rival Somewhat Cloudy by eleven lengths.
The Soldier Of Fortune filly, a half-sister to Run Wild Fred, was a fourth winner for jockey Joey Dunne, who said: “She’s a very nice mare and has been working well. She’s only four but has done plenty of jumping and should be very nice next year.”
Liam Burke, on the mark with First Touch in Clonmel on Tuesday, was on the mark again when Broomfield Hall, runner-up on her recent debut in Punchestown, drew clear in the last two furlongs to beat front-running Mainstown point-to-point winner and favourite Glenbeg Express by 12 lengths.
The trainer acknowledged: “I took a chance running her back so soon. But she’s obviously a very good filly. I thought she was a long way back for the first half of the race, but Tom (Feeney) judged it well.”
Burke completed a double when Jordan Bay, pulled up in his only point pounced late to foil 33/1 shot Rockon Henry in the first division of the Ballingarry Flat Race, for six and seven-year-olds.
“I can’t believe that he’s won,” admitted Burke. “He’s a horse that has never shown us much. But he got a super ride from Shane.” The winning rider, (20), from Fermoy was registering his first success under rules.
Second division of this event went, in impressive style, to 7/4 favourite Bardenstown Lad, winner of his point for Adrian Murray in Lingstown and having his first start for John McConnell.
The Black Sam Bellamy, ridden by Ben Harvey, powered clear in the straight to beat Clay Rogers by no less than 15 lengths.
Harvey commented: “We’ve liked him a lot since ha arrived and his work has been good. We were a little worried about the ground, but he was the class-horse in the race and won well. He should turn into a lovely chaser in time.”
Shock of the day came in the first division of the Nenagh 5-Y-0 Flat Race when Pa King brought 25/1 shot Mr Fred Rogers with a well-timed challenge to master joint-favourite Gortmillish and Contemplateyfaith.
The winner, a Sholokhov gelding, is trained by Willie Murphy, who stated: “He’s a horse we’ve always liked and he won well. He was nearly ready to run last year, when the lockdown hit. He was a €8,000 store and it was the owners who wanted to come here, rather than wait to see if the point-to-points come back.”
Continue reading for €5
Unlock unlimited access and exclusive benefits
Already a subscriber? Sign in
Cancel anytime
