Bythesametoken springs 'poignant' surprise victory at Listowel
Bythesametoken and Danny Gilligan (left) win the Kerry Dairy Handicap Steeplechase from Jasko Des Dames at Listowel. Pic: Healy Racing
Without a win for almost two years, the Ross O’Sullivan-trained Bythesametoken proved a shock winner of the Kerry Dairy Ireland Handicap Chase, the feature on the opening day of the seven-day Listowel festival.
Patiently handled by Danny Gilligan, the 11-year-old came from off the pace to get the better of Jasko Des Dames and favourite Battle Of Ridgeway.
O’Sullivan enthused, “It’s great for the lads (the Monroe brothers) – we had a winner for them on Friday and now this, with two horses who were out in a field together over the summer. He’s getting on a bit, but we decided to go again, to see if he still had the spark.
“It’s poignant for the lads – this is the last horse their dad bought before he died and today is their late mother’s birthday – she passed away during the summer.
“Everything suited him today – a flat, left-handed track, and the trip. And Danny is a great rider and I was delighted when he told me he’d do the 10-2. It’s a great start to the week.”
Farfromnowhere (Sean O’Keeffe) bounced back from a lacklustre handicap debut effort in Galway to take the Cheestrings Irish EBF Mares Hurdle in emphatic style from Dream On Baby and flattering favourite Jalila Noriviere.
Trainer Paul Nolan explained, “I was fierce disappointed in Galway,she didn’t seem to have any appetite for it. But today was different, she jumped, travelled well and went through the gap when Sean asked her.
“He said she needed every yard of the two and a half miles. We were hoping for a good run, so this is a bonus. She’ll handle softer ground and we’ll see where she brings us over the winter.”
Hopes Are High, one of two previous winners in the field, produced a smooth performance to land the festival opener, the Charleville Cheese 3-Y-O Hurdle, picking up well for Philip Byrnes to master favourite Whats New.
“The ground was too quick in the north the last day and the juice today definitely helped him,” stated Gary Bannon, assistant to winning trainer Bill Durkan, who owned the grey with his grandsons and a few friends in America.
“He’s a nice horse. Philip has always liked him and says he’s very quick over his hurdles. He’s entitled to run in some of the better juvenile races now – he could go to Fairyhouse, or to Cheltenham in November.”
Henry de Bromhead saddled three of the eight runners for the Kerrymaid Rated Novice Chase and duly registered a 1-2, spearheaded by the J P McManus-owned, Darragh O’Keeffe-ridden mare Birdie Or Bust who beat The Electrical Kid.
Frank Berry, representing owner J P McManus, said “That was grand. I’m delighted she’s back to winning ways. They went a good gallop and she jumped well, except for one mistake. We have plenty of options, mainly handicaps, as she’d have to improve for the better mares’ races.”
Favourite backers struck for the first time at the 2025 Harvest Festival when the Emmet Mullins-trained Good Girl Kathleen (5/4), in the colours of the Lions Mouth Racing Club, made a successful start over hurdles in the Dairygold Maiden Hurdle readily holding off Soldiers World.
“That was a nice performance, a lovely start,” stated Mullins. “She came out of Colin Bowe’s, so she knows her job. Donagh (Meyler) gave her a lovely ride and it was all straightforward.
“She’s a very nice filly and will stay further. She doesn’t want proper winter ground, but we’ll keep her going for a while. I think there’s a race for her in Limerick.”
Up 13lb for wins at Cork and Kilbeggan last month, the Gavin Cromwell-trained Pampar Lady defied the handicapper and top-weight in the Bloom Feeds Irish EBF Mares Handicap Hurdle, helped, significantly, by the 7lb claim of in-form Eoin Staples.
The six-year-old prevailed by a neck over Music Of Life with Ballycashin just a head away third after a terrific tussle.
And 7lb claimer Eoghan Finegan notched his second success of the weekend when partnering Casterly Rock, trained in County Down by Pat Collins, to an all-the-way win in the bumper, the Farm & Home Store Pro-Am Flat Race, ultimately hanging on by only the minimum margin, a nose, from newcomer State Pension.
The Lauro gelding, who was providing his trainer with compensation for the earlier defeat of Champagne Kid, will go straight over hurdles.
