Lot Of Joy ready to open Flat account for Mullins
Lot Of Joy has won three times over hurdles for Mullins. Picture: Healy Racing
Accomplished, 136-rated hurdler Lot Of Joy might be capable of registering her first Flat success for Willie Mullins in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap which closes tonight’s flat card in Ballinrobe.
The seven-year-old mare, successful twice in Sweden before arriving in Closutton, responsible for two Royal Ascot winners last week, finished fourth to stable-companion Echoes In Rain on her stable debut in the 2002 Connacht Hotel Amateur Handicap in Galway.
She has failed to deliver on her subsequent starts on the level but has been placed in a couple of premier handicaps along the way, in addition to starting favourite for the 2023 English Cesarewitch.
She has won three times over hurdles for Mullins, at Fairyhouse, Gowran Park and Punchestown, including a win at listed level and, most recently, filled fourth spot behind stable-companion Jade De Grugy in the ‘Quevega’ (Grade 3) and the Grade 1 Mares Champion Hurdle, both at Punchestown.
Lot Of Joy, the mount of Royal Ascot victor Seamus Heffernan, remains feasibly treated on a flat mark of 84 and, presumably on her way back to Galway, should be ultra-competitive in this tricky affair.
Gordon Elliott’s Royal Eagle, who nailed No Niki No in last year’s race, returns for a double bid on the back of a hurdle success in Listowel and renews rivalry with Eoghan O’Neill’s mare twelve months on.
At the bottom of the handicap, the Ger Lyons-trained Heather, with her three-year-old allowance, looks nicely weighted with 8-10, minus the 7lb claim of Nicola Burns.
This diminutive filly was beaten less than two lengths when fourth to Galveston in a three-year-old handicap in Naas last time and is one of the main threats to the Mullins mare.
Earlier, Joseph O’Brien, who bagged an across-the-card four-timer on Saturday, should be on the mark again with 80-rated Nobler in the Irish Stallion farms EBF Median Auction Maiden.
This Amaron gelding has finished in the frame in all six starts, achieving a decent level of form which should make him tough to beat in this type of maiden.
Third to Dakota Blue on his three-year-old debut in Navan, he then finished fourth to the progressive Reyenzi on the same track and, lasts time, chased home Admiral Churchill in a one-mile Listowel maiden.
Helped by a low draw and, significantly, wearing blinkers for the first time, to help him concentrate, Nobler is likely to be ridden positively by Dylan Browne McMonagle and should be tough to beat.
Rated 78, Eoin Griffin’s Molto Amichi has obvious claims in the Lodge At Ashford Castle but, a horse who hitst a flat spot in most of his races, the Ballinrobe track might not be ideal for him.
And it might be worth opposing him with Joseph O’Brien’s mare Janes Harbour, consistent over hurdles before getting off the mark in a maiden hurdle at this venue four weeks ago.
She has raced only once on the flat (her debut in Cork last August), but might have sufficient gears to land the spoils.
5.10 Sugar Club
5.40 Nobler (nb)
6.10 Janes Harbour
6.40 Bill Silvers
7.15 Academe
7.50 Positive Energy
8.20 Lot Of Joy (Nap)
5.10 Lady Plimsoll
5.40 Made U Blush
6.10 Molto Amichi
6.40 Expound
7.15 Magnolia Drive
7.50 Preparations
8.20 Royal Eagle
