Nara shows her class at Clonmel 

FLYING DISMOUNT: Courtmac Gesture and Michael Kenneally part company in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle. Both horse and jockey were okay. Picture: Healy Racing 

The Henry de Bromhead-trained Nara was the class act on Thursday’s card in Clonmel, where work is advancing on a new weighroom complex, and she duly obliged in the Suir Blueway Mares’ Chase.

The only question the five-year-old had to answer was with regard to her jumping as she unseated her rider at the first in the Munster National, just four days earlier. Thankfully, she looked much more relaxed this time and, consequently, jumped well in the hands of Mark Walsh on her way to an easy victory.

“She jumped well and Mark said she is more settled this year, or at least she looked it anyway,” said De Bromhead. “She is learning all the time and hopefully can keep improving.

“We’ll look at our options and might go back to handicap company, for something similar to the Munster National but back down in trip.” 

The Crottys Lake Maiden Hurdle provided the opportunity Irish Panther needed to make a belated breakthrough and in making all the running and racing to a 31-length victory, he gave Patrick and Eddie Harty another winner in a good year for the dual-purpose stable.

“That’s what it’s all about,” said Eddie Harty as the winning owners, Jennifer Coyle and Brian Whelan beamed whilst walking their winner, ridden by Cian Cullinan, back to the winner’s enclosure. “It’s their first winner and they bought him well.

“He’s a very good horse on his day, and he was running in top-class company. He ran a great race at the Dublin Racing Festival and was entitled to win this as he did.

“We told Cian to keep it simple, to not try and be clever, just to let him enjoy himself, and he did that and won well. It was great to get today.

“As regards where he goes now, we’re undecided. He could go back for a good handicap hurdle or another option we’re throwing around is to go chasing with him as he’s such a good jumper and he’s got the engine for it.” 

Looking back at the year as a whole, he added: “You have to enjoy it when it’s there because there will be times when it’s not going your way. It took a while to get going on the Flat. They were running well without winning but once Gegenpressing won in May, it has been almost seamless from there on, so I’d like to think we’re doing something right.

“You also have to remember you can’t go anywhere without the horses, and we’ve got a nice bunch this year — we’re lucky in that regard.

“We both love the jumping and we’re not going to get rid of that, but realistically, if we’re going to make inroads, it will probably be on the Flat — but that’s up to other people. We can only do what we can do. We’d like to get the numbers up, but that’s not our call. Hopefully a good season will help in that regard.” 

No Big Deal also ended a long frustrating run with an overdue victory in the Kilclooney Woods Qualified Riders’ Handicap Hurdle. Josh Williamson, riding for Charles O’Brien, had to be at his strongest as his mount edged left after the final flight and was all out to deny the well-backed She’s On Line by a head.

It was a red-letter day for Jerry Baragry as his two-time point-to-point winner Carry On Heidi gave him a first track success by taking the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Maiden Hurdle. The five-year-old, ridden by Darragh O’Keeffe, travelled sweetly throughout and as the more forwardly ridden runners came under pressure, she eased through to win with a nice bit in hand.

“We knew she'd be in the first three today, but Darragh said he was cantering all over them all the time,” said Baragry. “She loves soft ground too, so we're hopeful she will go a bit of a way.

“I have my licence for years but haven’t had horses good enough to win on the track. We ran horses now and then but I have a good few point-to-point winners trained.

"I trained horses when I was still riding in point-to-points, so I go back a long way. We could have sold this mare several times, but we wanted to keep her.” 

The Tony Mullins-trained Ballycashin, who won a handicap here in May of last year and finished runner-up in a similar race here in June, again showed her liking for the venue by taking the Mahon Falls Handicap Hurdle under a well-judged ride by Anna McGuinness.

Spellacy’s Cross, who was a winner here at the first meeting of the month, was even more impressive over the longer trip of the Botanica International Handicap Chase. Donagh Meyler took his time aboard Jimmy Barcoe’s horse and though he looked in trouble leaving the back for the final time, he picked up really well to win going away.

Kobalt St Georges, whose figures were uninspiring, left previous form behind with a convincing effort in the finale, the Clonmel Oil Chase Day November 6 Handicap Chase. Robert Tyner’s runner was keen in the hands of Phillip Enright but still found plenty for pressure to win comfortably and, as a five-year-old, can only improve for this experience.