Fantastic four-timer for Cromwell
NOT FOR CATCHING: Pinot Gris and Keith Donoghue win the Veterinary Clinic Ratoath Maiden Hurdle at Bellewstown on Wednesday. Picture: Healy Racing
Trainer Gavin Cromwell enjoyed a Wednesday bonanza, registering a super, across-the-card four-timer at Bellewstown and Gowran Park.
He bagged a treble at his local track, with Pinot Gris, Club Manager, and Me Wee Bonnie Lass taking the first three races on the Bellewstown card while Madame Plaintiff (Robert Whearty) triumphed in the three-year-old 47-65 handicap in Gowran.
Pinot Gris, the 2-5 favourite, made all to take the opener at the Meath track, the Veterinary Clinic Ratoath 4-Y-0 Maiden Hurdle, coasting clear to score by 11 lengths and provide Keith Donoghue with the first leg of a double.
“He tends to race lazily, so the cheekpieces and nice ground helped him,” said Cromwell.
Sean Flanagan provided Cromwell with the second leg of his Bellewstown haul, producing handicap debutant Club Manager with a well-timed challenge to beat Mary’s Pride, prompting his trainer to explain: “They went very fast and it fell into his lap a bit. Sean gave him a lovely ride.”
And the trainer, whose Addragoole failed narrowly to Henry de Bromhead’s newcomer Withabitofluck (john Gleeson) in the bumper, also struck withh Me Wee Bonnie Lass, off the track since Christmas, in the Good Enuf To Eat Catering Mares Handicap Hurdle, mastering front-running favourite Jolie Coeur Allen before seeing off First Dare.
“She’s a nice mare, going the right way,” acknowledged the trainer. “She’s taken a few scalps today and this is her third win in four starts. I’m not sure where she’ll go next.”
The Limerick yards of Eric McNamara and Eoin McCarthy were on the mark with outsiders Ma Hoey (40-1) and stable debutrante Killinure Lass (25-1) in the later handicap hurdle action.
Successful in Cork for Sheila Lavery last September, bought for €130,000, and making her stable debut for Joseph O’Brien, Expressova swooped late under apprentice Wayne Hassett to land the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap in Gowran Park, at the expense of Gypsy Woman.
“I’m pleasantly surprised,” admitted O’Brien, who was winning the race for the third time in four years. “She has been keen at home and not straight-forward. The turning track suited her, and the light weight. She switched off, quickened up nicely and came home well. The strongly-run race set it up nicely for her. We might look at a fillies' handicap at the Curragh now.”
Wayne Hassett was later denied a double on board Valleyoftheeagles in the finale, pipped by the Cian Horgan-ridden Rumi, owned and trained by Edward O’Grady, making a successful return to action after a 358-day absence and holding an entry at Punchestown next week.
The Joseph O’Brien-trained 4-5 favourite Dollerina disappointed in the one-mile fillies' maiden, finding little, having hit the front, and having to settle for third spot behind James Barrett’s Ameilya (Seamus Heffernan) and promising newcomer Bint Al Dandy.
“The ground was a bit quick when she ran in Limerick last year, in a very good maiden, and she needed time to recover,” explained Barrett. “She was raw and wanted further. She’s a nice filly and we’ll have to discuss where to go with her next.”
The market got it right in the opening Gowran Park Golf Club Maiden as the Paddy Twomey-trained Sea The Polaris (8-11 favourite) made all to see off market rival Thor’s Hammer readily, the pair coming 12 lengths clear of the remainder.
“He’s by Sea The Stars and looked like a horse that would stay, so there has been a lot of trainer error,” quipped Twomey. “I’d say seven furlongs or a mile is his trip.”
Sea The Polaris was ridden by Billy Lee, later denied a double when his mount Cardinal Zin failed by a short-head to Ger O’Leary’s 22-1 shot Action Plan (Shane Foley) in the Irish Injured Jockeys 3-Y-0 Handicap.
