Echoing Silence impresses in Mares Novice as emerging talent shines at Punchestown
PUNCHESTOWN: Echoing Silence and Darragh O'Keeffe win for trainer Henry de Bromhead. Picture: Healy Racing
In the Honeysuckle colours of Kenny Alexander, Echoing Silence ran out a convincing winner of the listed Matchbook 50:50 Graduation Series Mares Novice Hurdle in Punchestown.
Having tracked Carry On Heidi, Henry de Bromhead’s charge was sent to the front by Darragh O’Keeffe before the final flight and stayed on to beat favourite Switch From Diesel by two and three-quarter lengths.
“She’s a cracker, a lovely mare,” enthused de Bromhead. “I’m delighted for Kenny. And Darragh gave her a super ride.
“She jumped great, travelled well and picked up when Darragh asked her. She’s a queen of a mare and the dream is still alive.
“She was weak last year and needed time. And she’s strengthened and developed into a powerful mare.”
Asked about plans for the five-year-old daughter of Doyen, de Bromhead replied, “We’ll work back from the ‘mares novice’ (at Cheltenham). We’ll probably freshen her up now and she might go there without another run.”
An eye-catcher on his fencing bow, Pure Steel impressed when taking the Matchbook Betting Exchange Rated Novice Chase for J P McManus, Jimmy Mangan and Mark Walsh, connections who won the race with subsequent Grade 1 winner Spillane’s Tower in 2023.
Confidently handled, the Yeats gelding picked up between the last two fences, mastering Coral River and forging clear to triumph by more than three and a quarter lengths.
“We like him,” declared Mangan. “ It was handy enough race when you consider the calibre of horse in the country at the moment.
“He came from Derek O’Connor’s and, from day one, he was a master over his fences. We’ll stick to two miles for now and might look for a novice handicap somewhere. He didn’t have a hard race today, so we might go again over Christmas.”
Exciting four-year-old Kurasso Blue, runner-up on his recent chase debut in Thurles, went one better when proving too strong for Ballygunner Castle in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase, scoring by a length and a half.
Trained for Robcour by Gordon Elliott, he was partnered by Jack Kennedy, who commented, “He jumped great but had a look when he was left in front – he’d be better with a lead.
“He’s a horse with a big frame and is only filling into himself. He’s not the quickest, so it’s important to press on with him. He’s light on his feet and is versatile, ground-wise, although he wouldn’t want extremes.”
Ridden by Brian Hayes, the Colm Murphy-trained mare Zanoosh swept past front-running favourite Fillyoureye to land the Matchbook Backs Irish Racing Maiden Hurdle in convincing style.
Murphy acknowledged, “There was no hiding place out there and her bit of experience stood to her. She improved off the last day and we’ll take baby steps – we’ll try to find a little handicap for her next.”
Hayes completed a personal double and provided Willie Mullins with the second leg of a Closutton brace when Sea Of Sands, last seen when finishing last in the Irish Cesarewitch, outpointed stable-companion Charlus (Paul Townend) in the Solo-Arte – An Irish Art Gallery At Punchestown Hurdle.
“He had a great run in the ‘Royal Bond’ last year and, thankfully, he’s delivering on it now,” said the winning rider. “This was a very good performance – he stuck at it well.”
The Mullins double had been initiated when Espresso Milan, formerly with Fergal O’Brien in England, made a successful stable debut under Paul Townend in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle, foiling stable-companion Blue Velvet by a length and three-quarters.
“That was a nice performance – he was very professional and quickened nicely off a sedate pace,” stated Townend. “He jumped brilliant and will jump a fence in time. And he’ll have no bother going further.”
And both divisions of the 0-100 three-mile handicap hurdle went to front runners, Milanaway continuing Denis Hogan’s rich vein of form in the first division (his rider Philip Donovan received a three-day whip ban) while amateur Jack Martin guided Comeoncharlie to victory in the finale for Finbar Hand.
