Sixandahalf crowns fantastic four-timer for Cromwell with Cork success

Also in Mallow, Powerful Nation, pipped on his recent debut over course and distance, justified 5-2 favouritism for the Slatterys in the featured two-year-old maiden

SMART EFFORT: Sixandahalf and Gary Carroll win for the Best Of The Rest Syndicate and trainer Gavin Cromwell. Picture: Healy Racing

Winner of a bumper at the Punchestown festival, Sixandahalf crowned a remarkable across-the-card four-timer for in-form Gavin Cromwell when landing the Mallow Fillies Maiden in Cork.

Owned by the Best Of The Rest Syndicate, the four-year-old Snow Sky filly was a fourth winner on the day for Cromwell, who had earlier completed a superb treble with Mywayofthinkin, Fenway Park, and On My Bike in Punchestown.

Sixandahalf, who got the better of promising debutant Cancelled in a race which saw favourite Familiar Dreams flop, was ridden to victory by Gary Carroll, who reported: “She relaxed lovely and came alive quickly for me in the straight. She travels well and has plenty of gears.

“We know she stays well, but has a gear, which she showed here in a maiden — handicaps would be a different story but, if she continues to progress, there might be a nice handicap in her.” 

Also in Cork, Powerful Nation, pipped on his recent debut over course and distance, justified 5-2 favouritism for the Slatterys in the featured two-year-old maiden, foiling newcomers Fiery Lucy and Shamrock Breeze in a finish of heads.

Winning trainer Andy Slattery explained: “We think he’s a very good horse. He was giving weight to most of his rivals and idled in front, he’s still raw and we’ll give him another run before he goes for the Windsor Castle (at Royal Ascot).” 

Earlier, maiden hurdle winners Mywayofthinkin and Belloccio, both jumping debutants, proved the stars of Punchestown’s all-hurdle card, justifying 4-5 favouritism in the divisions of the Tuesday Treat At Punchestown Maiden Hurdle.

In the first division, Mywayofthinkin, a half-brother to classy stable-companion Inothewayurthinkin and Limerick Lace, made a successful start to his hurdling career when outpointing chief market rival Omniscient by a length and a quarter, kicking off a tremendous day for trainer Cromwell.

The Mark Walsh-ridden, JP McManus-owned five-year-old, runner-up in two bumper starts, prompted Cromwell to comment:  “He’s a big horse and I was glad to see the rain earlier. He had hard enough races in his two bumpers and we felt he should go hurdling straight away.

“He was a bit deliberate and careful everywhere, but he was professional over the last two, when it mattered. He’ll have a break now — he’ll be off to Martinstown for the summer.” 

Cromwell was on the mark again when the season’s leading rider Keith Donoghue partnered Fenway Park to victory in the Punchestown Home Of Jumps Maiden Hurdle, the 4/7 shot digging deep to see off Syracus Du Houx.

“We felt a reproduction of his festival run would be good enugh,” said Cromwell. "He was quite professional and pulled out again when the other horse came at him. He’ll be a nice horse when he goes chasing.” 

Cromwell completed his jumps treble when On My Bike, a second winner on the day for the new season’s leading rider Keith Donoghue, outpointed fellow 9-2 co-favourite Warmer Days Ahead in a division of the 80-95.

A four-time winner on the Flat for David Menusier in England, the Willie Mullins-trained Belloccio ran out an easy, nine-length winner of division two of the maiden hurdle, providing Paul Townend with a win on his only mount of the day, before serving a four-day ban.

Townend commented: “He brought a good level of form into the race and showed a good attitude to jumping. He got a bit keen a few times but will have no problem adjusting. He jumped well and quickened up nicely and will learn from his little peck at the back of the last — he’ll be fine and Willie has the option to stay going or give him a summer break.” 

Back in Cork, on a night of shocks, Jack Davison’s seasonal debutante Scorchio, 28-1 outsider of the six runners, landed the five-furlong Follow Us On Social Media Handicap while Gerrit’s Gem, a 33-1 shot, ridden by Scott McCullagh for Kieran Cotter made all to take the six-furlong maiden.

• In the Punchestown stewards' room, Jody McGarvey received a ten-day whip ban following his ride on Bearwithmenow while Mark McDonagh was handed a four-day ban for careless riding on Lake Mazaleh.