Heart Wood lands Tramore spoils for Henry De Bromhead
RISING TO THE CHALLENGE: Heart Wood and Darragh O'Keeffe soar over a fence en route to winning the Grade Three O’Driscoll’s Irish Whiskey New Year’s Day Chase. Picture: Healy Racing
Local trainer Henry de Bromhead bagged the Grade Three O’Driscoll’s Irish Whiskey New Year’s Day Chase for the third time in four years when the Robcour-owned Heart Wood landed the spoils before a huge crowd in Tramore.
Enterprisingly ridden by Darragh O’Keeffe and the second leg of a New Year’s Day double for the Knockeen stable, the 2-1 joint-favourite was up front throughout with Croke Park before asserting on the run to the second last and powering up the hill to beat Ile Atlantique, best of four runners for Willie Mullins, by eight and a half lengths.
“It’s a race we always try to win and I’m delighted,” said De Bromhead. “Darragh gave him a brilliant ride and I’m delighted for the Achesons. He jumped brilliantly — Darragh said he was electric at his fences, short or long.
“He’s had three runs, so we might miss the DRF and wait for the spring. You’d imagine the Ryanair (he finished second to Fact To File last year) would look his likely target. We’ll try three miles again with him, but we might wait to do that in Aintree.”
The Knockeen double had been sparked when Captain Ryan Matt, winner of his maiden over course and distance in August, ran out a smooth winner of the Jimmy Shanahan Memorial Handicap Hurdle.
“He obviously likes it around here,” said De Bromhead. “It’s a nice way to start the new year and we had pinpointed this race for him for a while. He jumps really well and will be a lovely chaser next season.”
O’Keeffe rounded-off a memorable day and completed a treble when giving top-weight Ag Obair Go Crua, from another local yard, John Flavin’s, a power-packed ride to land the Tom Carroll Memorial Handicap Chase, beating favourite Duffys Hodey whose trainer Philip Rothwell had won the earlier SIS Supporting Irish Racing Rated Novice Chase with Rockbrook, a gutsy, all-the-way winner for Shane O’Callaghan.
Gordon Elliott rounded off a remarkable week with doubles at both Tramore and Fairyhouse, bringing his tally for the festive period to 23.
In Tramore, Danny Gilligan delivered on dual bumper-winner Stede Bonnet and American Jukebox in the maiden hurdle action.
Meanwhile, stable-jockey Jack Kennedy partnered 5-6 favourite Spinningayarn, in the Robcour colours, to a convincing all-the-way success in the Easter Festival Early Bird Tickets On Sale Now Maiden Hurdle, middle leg of a treble for the former champion.
“He’s a grand, honest, straight-forward horse and we’ll try to find a rated novice for him,” said Elliott. “He stays well and would have no problem stepping right up in trip.”
Elliott completed his Fairyhouse double when the Harry Swan-ridden With Nolimit, a third winner on the day for Gigginstown House Stud, made virtually all and toughed it out well to foil Some See Stars in the bumper.
Jack Kennedy had earlier ridden his second winner for Willie Mullins when 1-16 shot Place De La Nation made all for a bloodless win in the Fred Kenny Memorial Mares Hurdle before delivering Ian Donoghue’s Midleton Rare (7-2 joint-favourite) with a late surge to deny Oneforgonzo in the long-distance handicap hurdle.
Willie Mullins was also in treble form, providing owner JP McManus and his retained rider Mark Walsh with a chase double thanks to Dinoblue and Kaid d’Authie.
A former Grade One winner, Dinoblue started 1-4 to beat just two rivals in the Grade Three YellowFord & Drumlin John & Chich Fowler Memorial Mares Chase and duly obliged.
The nine-year-old made all and jumped impeccably until giving her supporters a fright with a last fence blunder, from which she recovered to beat Shecouldbeanything by seven lengths.
“She jumped great all the way until she came up out of Mark’s hands at the last,” said assistant trainer David Casey. “She’s a brilliant mare and you’d love to have more like her. She’ll be going back to try and win the Mares’ Chase in Cheltenham again and will run in either the Opera Hat or at the DRF on the way there.”
As the market predicted, the beginners chase developed into a duel between market-leaders Kaid d’Authie and Wingmen, with the latter’s stamina proving crucial in the closing stages, a 10-lengths gap separating the pair at the line.
