First jumps success for Donnacha O’Brien as Kilmeaden springs Punchestown surprise
NOT FOR CATCHING: Kilmeaden and JJ Slevin win the Matchbook 50:50 Graduation Series 4-Y-0 Maiden Hurdle at Punchestown. Picture: Healy Racing
Donnacha O’Brien wrote another chapter into the O’Brien/Crowley family history when registering his first success over jumps with Kilmeaden in the opening Matchbook 50:50 Graduation Series 4-Y-0 Maiden Hurdle at Punchestown.
A first runner over obstacles for the Group 1-winning trainer when he was brought down at Limerick over Christmas, Kilmeaden responded to JJ Slevin’s driving to collar front-running, 4-11 favourite Madness d’Elle at the final flight before edging clear to score by two and a quarter lengths.
“He’s a hardy horse, a lazy racer,” said Slevin, following his first winner since returning from injury. “Just like Limerick, he seemed to be struggling. But he’s good and tough and kept finding for me.
“He was a distance horse on the Flat and, on this evidence, he’s going to be the same over hurdles. And he handled the ground well.”
Connections of Madness d’Elle, Willie Mullins, and Paul Townend had further disappointment when 4-7 shot Poetisa, bought for €300,000 in the wake of a listed bumper win at Cheltenham in April, was turned over by Ill Raise A Glass in the Matchbook 50:50 Series Graduation Series Mares Maiden Hurdle, a race in which Bambino Fever was a non-runner.
The favourite jumped sloppily throughout but had her task eased when both Susie Lenglen and Doing It In Style crashed two from home.
However, the favourite failed to cope with Ill Raise A Glass in the closing stages, going down by five lengths.
The Darragh O’Keeffe-ridden winner was second in as many runners for Killeagh-based trainer Martin Fitzgerald, successful with Our Uncle Jack in Clonmel last Thursday, who will try to find a novice for his charge while dreaming of getting black type in the future.
Charles Byrnes, in double form on Sunday, was on the mark again when Shabby Hill, ridden by son Philip, captured the Matchbook 50:50 Graduation Series Maiden Hurdle, holding Lyreen Og by three-quarters of a length, with favourite Kimi De Mai only third.
“We bought him in Goresbridge and he won his point-to-point, but he’s had a few bits of injuries,” said Byrnes. “His owner (Peter Mackin) has been rewarded for his patience. He’ll be a nice horse when he steps up to three miles and jumping fences will be his forte.”
Having saddled beaten odds-on favourites in the three maiden hurdles, Willie Mullins took the bumper when How’s Hannah bolted-up, under Patrick Mullins, on her racecourse debut.
The seven-year-old took command before the home-turn and stayed on powerfully to score by 13 lengths, prompting her rider to comment: ”I bought her off Tim Townend, who was very sweet on her. And Aubrey (McMahon, of Temple Bloodstock) took her off me for the syndicate.
“She’s stays well, although she’s not slow. I’m not sure whether she’ll run in another bumper or go hurdling now with a view to going chasing next season.”
The Ted Walsh-trained Be Fierce, whose last win was recorded under the late Michael O’Sullivan on New Year’s Day last year, landed the John Thomas McNamara Series Handicap Hurdle under well-judged ride by Lee Shanahan.
The 10-1 shot came from off the pace, got a dream run up the inside in the straight and held the late surge of favourite Where Are You Now (made a costly mistake two out) by a head.
“Lee gave him a great ride,” stated Walsh. “He’s a horse that has one, short run in him, so you have to time it right. The inside track here is easy, which suits him. He’s not a bad horse, but a weak finisher.”
Handicap debutant Mojoe, ridden for Pat Foley by Simon Torrens, landed the Matchbook Betting Exchange Novice Handicap Hurdle in a blanket-finish.
“Simon was class on him — he’s not a straight-forward horse,” Foley said. “I was a bit worried about his jumping in his first handicap, but he was a lot slicker. We’ll look for a another similar handicap for this fellow.”
The consistent Lough Nigara, trained by Eoin Griffin, gained a deserved breakthrough success when taking the Matchbook Betting Exchange Handicap Hurdle at the expense of top-weight Folly Master.
“He’s tricky enough, but the cheekpieces sharpened him up and he deserved to get his head in front,” said Griffin.
