Disco Dancer hits the high notes for in-form Elliott
ON SONG: Disco Dancer and Danny Gilligan en route to winning the Franciscan Well Rated Novice Hurdle for Gordon Elliott. Picture: Healy Racing
Gordon Elliott registered his eighth win in four days when Disco Dancer, enterprisingly ridden by Danny Gilligan, took the four-runner Franciscan Well Rated Novice Hurdle at Down Royal.
The Snow Sky mare made all and held the late surge of favourite Blue Mosque to score by a half-length, prompting Elliott, on the mark with Timmy Tuesday over in Ayr, to comment: “That’s job done — she’s great and Danny gave her a lovely ride. He dictated from the front, quickened at the right time, and got a good jump at the last, which probably made the difference.”
Elliott and Gilligan had been narrowly denied in the opening Molson Coors Beverage Company Maiden Hurdle when Pour Les Filles, the uneasy 11-10 favourite, was collared close home by Tony Martin’s Putapoundinthejar, who recovered from a last flight mistake and pounced, under a well-judged ride by Michael O’Sullivan to score by a neck, the pair finishing 10 lengths clear of the remainder.
“He’s still relatively young and immature,” stated Martin. “It has taken a while for everything to fall into place for him, but he should be a nice horse down the road. His jumping was only average today. We’ll take baby steps with him and nicer ground will suit him in the spring.”
Like Elliott, Stuart Crawford completed an across-the card double, initiated by Ayiko in the opener in Ayr and completed when Darragh O’Keeffe’s strong handling saw Now Where Or When (12-1) defy top-weight in the finale, the Madri Excepcional Handicap Chase, overcoming gallant front-runner Marronstown on the run-in.
The featured Irish Stallion Farms EBF Rated Novice Chase went to County Wexford as Conyers Hill, trained for the Buzzer Racing Syndicate by Paul Nolan and ridden by Sean O’Keeffe, outpointed One Last Tango.
O’Keeffe delivered his challenge down the inside on the extended run to the final fence before asserting on the run-in to triumph by a neck.
“We’ve always hoped he’d make a nice chaser and we were hopeful coming here today,” said the winning rider. “He has loads of gears, so the race was run to suit him — it turned into a sprint down the straight.”
Nolan added: “The lads (the syndicate) are enthusiastic. They travelled in numbers today and might want to go to Cheltenham now, for the novice handicap.”
The valuable Paddy & Maureen Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle at Leopardstown on February 2 is a likely target for Thisistheway following her smooth defeat of favourite Albatala in the Coors Mares Handicap Hurdle.
Ridden by Cian Quirke, she challenged to lead at the last before easing clear to score by four and a half lengths.
“Andrew (Latta) filled me with confidence beforehand,” said Quirke, “She’s a lovely mare and they had her spot-on for today. Everything seemed easy on her.”
Trainer Karl Thornton savoured a welcome winner (his first since last July) when Don’t Talk opened his chasing account in the Aspall Handicap Chase, readily mastering top-weight Doonbeg Don.
“I was worried about the ground but decided to take a chance,” explained Thornton. “He is what he is. He might have another day. We’ll see how he is before deciding if he’ll run again in Fairyhouse on Saturday.”
And Philip Rothwell and Tiernan Power Roche, now two winners short of losing his 7lb claim, continued on their winning ways when Prince Quatro dug deep to see off Sights Unseen by a half-length in the Pravha Handicap Hurdle.
