Westport Cove delivers Grade Three victory for Mullins and Townend at Roscommon
Westport Cove and Paul Townend (left) win the Ballymore Group Irish EBF Kilbegnet Novice Steeplechase (Grade 3) from Special Cadeau at Roscommon. Pic: Healy Racing Photo.
Westport Cove, trained for Cathal Hughes by Willie Mullins, made all to land the Grade Three Ballymore Group Irish EBF Kilbegnet Novice Chase in Roscommon, second leg of a double for the champion trainer and stable-jockey Paul Townend.
Outstayed by stable-companion Gold Dancer in a similar contest in Galway last time, the 4/6 favourite dictated the pace, shook off the attentions of market rival King Of Kingsfield before the second last and stayed on under pressure to keep Special Cadeau at bay by a length and a quarter.
Townend enthused, “Two miles and not as stiff a track suited him better than Galway. And the three fences in the straight played to his strengths.
“Although he handles winter ground and got valuable experience in it, he wants nice ground. He’s definitely better on top of the ground.”
The Mullins / Townend double had been initiated when Rakki, placed on both the flat and over hurdles for Alan King and placed on his stable debut in a Galway handicap, justified 8/15 favouritism in the opening Athleague Maiden Hurdle, beating Hobart readily by almost four lengths.
Always close to the pace, he was taking command when making a mistake two out but recovered to register a convincing win, in the colours of the .
“It’s good to get his head in front,” said Townend, “His experience helped him a lot, back in a maiden. He would have won snugly if he hadn’t missed the second last, but in fairness to him, he picked up again and won well. He’s a grand fun horse for both codes.”
Henry de Bromhead was also in double form, taking the Image Furnishings Handicap Hurdle with the J J Slevin-ridden Quantum Quest, in first-time cheekpieces, a result which prompted the trainer’s representative Robbie Power to comment, “It’s his first handicap and the cheekpieces helped. He took a step forward from his maiden form and the three miles suited him – he’s a dour stayer.”
The stable double was completed when Darragh O’Keeffe partnered top-weight Cobra Queen followed-up her chase breakthrough win in Tramore by defying top-weight in the Irish Stallion Farms ERBF Mares Handicap Chase.
And Evan Nugent savoured his first success in the saddle when guiding Onlyforfrankie, trained by Brian McMahon, to victory in the bumper.
Meanwhile, Curragh trainer Willie McCreery took the honours in Down Royal, completing an early double with Love Bomb (first leg of a double for Billy Lee, completed on Andy Oliver’s Faro in the Pravha Handicap), in the five-furlong nursery and course winner Navy Waters (Nathan Crosse) in the Coors Fillies Handicap.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Smiling (Wayne Lordan) earned valuable winning brackets when taking the Madri Excepcional Maiden at the expense of odds-on favourite Diego El Queso.
And it was a case of ‘honours-even’ between title-chasing Dylan Browne McMonagle and Colin Keane.
The Donegal man is five ahead (82-77) following his victory on Joseph O’Brien’s Galway scorer Glenroyal in the finale, responding to the champion’s impressive success on Noel Meade’s potential stakes filly Stars Will Shine in the Irish EBF Auction Series 2-Y-O Fillies Maiden.
