Donagh Meyler continues fine start to the new season with Tramore double
Action from the Kilmeaden Mares Maiden Hurdle at Tramore won by Highland Penny and Jack Foley. Picture: Healy Racing
Donagh Meyler has made a bright start to the new season, and he added two more to his tally by riding a 36.5-1 double on Friday evening in Tramore.
His first, Eagle Terrace, dropped a hint that he would be up to winning races when staying on well on his jumping debut and it didn’t take long for Denis Hogan’s runner to live up to that promise.
Contesting the FormaHoof Maiden Hurdle and jumping better than he had done last month at Tipperary, Meyler’s mount was able to race closer to the pace and that proved key as his stamina carried him to the front late on for a comfortable victory over stablemate Prince Of Verona.
Meyler doubled up aboard the in-form Frazel Express, whose victory in the Visit Dunmore East Handicap Hurdle was the third of her career, all at this venue. In great form, James Barcoe’s ten-year-old travelled strongly and found plenty to win with a bit to spare.
Ex-Godolphin horse Mater Matuta was without a win since a Flat maiden in July 2019 and was competing from a couple of pounds of the handicap but neither prevented him from running out an easy winner of the Tramore Tourism Handicap Chase. Delivered to lead going to the last by Jordan Gainford, the Eamon Delany-trained runner readily moved clear to win on just his second start over fences.
Having been caught late here on his chasing debut, Lake Chad left it late to land the spoils in the Waterford Chamber Of Commerce Beginners’ Chase. A good run in defeat behind Siberian Prince in between his two visits to this track marked him down as an improving sort and he deservedly got off the mark over fences at the third time of asking.
Trained by Philip Fenton and ridden by Brian Hayes, he was a shade fortunate not to be brought down at the second-last but once in the clear he picked up strongly to collar long-time leader Leac An Scail Lady on the run-in.
Another to be delivered with perfect timing was Wild Shot in the Tramore Amusement Park Handicap Hurdle. Tom McGreevy set out to make all but the eventual winner, ridden by Shane Fitzgerald for John McConnell, challenged at the last and picked up well to go clear up the short run-in.
In contrast, Jack Foley made most of the running when taking the Kilmeaden Mares’ Maiden aboard the Ray Cody-trained Highland Penny. Well-backed Clairmc threatened to make a race of it, but the leader quickened away again close home to hit the line ten lengths clear of the staying-on Shannon Glory.
The Kilbarry Bumper brought the card to a close and victory went to The Friday Man, trained by Gordon Elliott and ridden by Lisa O’Neill. It was a third winner in the last month for winning owner Michael Hanrahan.
That win completed a great evening for the winning trainer as he saddled a four-timer in Down Royal. Shesadream, Banks Boy, and Bravo Team brought up a near 77-1 treble for jockey Jack Kennedy, before Harry Swan stepped up to complete Elliott’s near 184-1 four-timer aboard The Last Mardi in the bumper. The latter brought the trainer’s record in Down Royal bumpers over the last five seasons to 11 winners from 33 runners.
Irish Grand National-winning combination Dermot McLoughlin and Paddy O’Hanlon continued their fine run by taking the opportunity handicap hurdle with Dovalator, while The Grey Lad justified favouritism in the Danny Boy Handicap Hurdle for Paul Flynn and Gary Noonan.
The last National Hunt season was the best in Ross O’Sullivan’s career and the trainer got off the mark for this term when Champella, ridden confidently by Tom Harney, took the fillies’ bumper at the expense of the eye-catching Love At Sea.
