Thurles report: French Dynamite blows opposition away
CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION: Members of the Gortroe Racing Club and jockey Michael O'Sullivan savour the moment after King Ferdinand won www.thurlesraces.ie Handicap Chase. Picture: Healy Racing
The He’llberemembered Hurdle was the feature on Thursday’s card in Thurles and French Dynamite made a fine return to action for Mouse Morris.
The second winner of the afternoon for rider Darragh O’Keeffe and owners Robcour, the seven-year-old was having his first run over hurdles in almost a year and a half but made light of the task with an all-the-way victory.
Favourite Cape Gentleman didn’t jump with the same fluency but mounted a challenge from two out. He held every chance at that point but was run out of second place by Ballyshannon Rose.
A return to chasing beckons the winner, with some of the more valuable staying handicaps on both sides of the Irish sea of interest to connections.
“You couldn’t fault him,” said Morris. “I’m happy, the horse is happy, and hopefully the owners are happy. I’m not sure where he’ll go as he’s hard enough to place. He mightn’t beat graded horses, he might be a bit short (of that level), so we’ll probably look for a handicap. He’ll go back over fences, and I think we’ll end up going further at the end of the season.”
Henry de Bromhead was a welcome figure back on the track following the tragedy of losing his son, Jack, and he was heartily welcomed by the crowd for each of his two winners. Secret She Keeps, owned by Robcour, set the ball rolling by taking the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Beginners’ Chase.
A point-to-point winner who didn’t cut much ice in admittedly limited opportunities over hurdles, she showed marked improvement when runner-up on her chasing debut and this was another step forward. Hope Des Blins made a race of it, but the winner pulled away close home to win with a degree of authority.
“Unfortunately, Rachael (Blackmore) is just out for a few days as she got hurt schooling, but Mark (Walsh) was brilliant on her,” said de Bromhead. “She’s a lovely mare. She got a bit lost over hurdles, but she’s loving the fences. She had won her point-to-point, and Rob (Acheson, owner) was keen to do it (send her over fences).
“She probably likes a bit of better ground, to be honest. We’ll see what’s coming up, but she’ll be a lovely mare for the spring, and we’ll see how she progresses.”
Still Ciel, a full sister to Grade One winner Skyace, gained a deserved first win over timber in the Thurles Mares’ Maiden Hurdle. Darragh O’Keeffe deputised for Blackmore and gave the winner a positive ride. Beyond Ambitious showed distinct signs of a return to top form with a bold bid in chase of the favourite but Still Ciel proved half a length too good, the pair clear of the remainder.
De Bromhead said: “She’s a lovely mare. She was unlucky not to win the other day. She’s a well-bred mare and I think she will improve plenty.
“She has been in a long time and that looked like a bit of a tired run, so I think we’ll give her a break now and bring her back for the spring. We’ll see what mark she gets, but we might look at the mares’ handicap in Leopardstown (Dublin Racing Festival).”
In-form trainer Eugene O’Sullivan was not present to see his King Ferdinand win the www.thurlesraces.ie Handicap Chase but the owners, the Gortroe Racing Club, did enough cheering for the whole of Cork as Michael O’Sullivan brought their horse with a winning run.
A well-beaten-but-promising runner-up on his first start for current connections, he led into the straight this time and ran on well to keep Well Joey at bay.
Grange Con, Co Wicklow, trainer Helen Markham took the Leugh Handicap Hurdle with Vairue, which Conor Smithers delivered with a perfectly timed run to land the spoils. Jungle Prose appreciated the step up to two miles and seven furlongs when getting the better of market rival Natural Look in the Premier County Mares’ Handicap Hurdle.
The market principals battled out the finish in the Munster Bumper and A Law Of Her Own, ridden by Declan Lavery for trainer Peter Fahey, pulled out a little extra close home to see off favourite Little Soiree and Patrick Mullins.
