Motherway’s Uhavemeinstitches lands Limerick feature for McManus
WINNER ALL RIGHT: Uhavemeinstitches and Mark Walsh win for trainer James Motherway in the Hugh McMahon Memorial Novice Chase at Limerick. Pic: Healy Racing
Owner J P McManus was present to see 8/11 favourite Uhavemeinstitches, trained by James Motherway, land the Hugh McMahon Memorial Novice Chase, Limerick’s Grade 3 feature.
Ridden by Mark Walsh, the Walk In The Park mare, an early casualty in the Leinster National last time, made most of the running and, when pressed by market rival You Oughta Know (Paul Townend) on the run-in, found enough to hold on by a half-length, the pair finishing eleven lengths clear of Slotty Dotty.
“They didn’t go mad early and Mark decided to let her stride on,” explained winning trainer Motherway, who won this event with the winner’s dam Bluesea Cracker, a subsequent Irish National winner.
“I usually like mine to get a lead, but she’s a cool customer, jumped like a buck and Mark said she won cosy enough. I thought Paul (Townend) gave the second a brilliant ride, biding his time to have one go at us up the straight. After what happened in Naas, we were glad to come here – it looked an ideal race for her. We were looking at the Irish National. But she’d need a minor miracle to get in. It’s great to have a winner for JP – he’s a superb owner.”
Out of luck in the feature with You Oughta Know, Willie Mullins had earlier registered a double with favourites Baby Kate and Dani Donadoni.
Ridden by Brian Hayes, even-money favourite Baby Kate ended her racing career with an all-the-way win in the RacingTV.com Mares Hurdle, beating Blue Waters by more than two lengths.
Patrick Mullins explained: “Kevin Doyle very kindly leased her to the lads (the Gorm Agus Ban Syndicate) and they’ve had fun with her. She’s not a natural jumper and wouldn’t make a chaser, so I’d say she’ll be retired after this."
The Closutton double was completed when Paul Townend guided 2/5 shot Dani Donadoni to a convincing win in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle, proving far too strong for market rival Doctor Elvis.
“He put it together today,” said Townend, “On ratings, he was entitled to beat Jack’s horse and won well. The penny is only dropping with him. And he’ll jump a fence, no problem.”
The chief supporting race, the listed Kevin McManus Bookmaker Champion (Pro-Am) 4-Y-O Flat Race went to Gavin Cromwell’s Academy Hurdle graduate Coole Café, under Declan Lavery.
Successful in Naas last month, Coole Café swooped down the outside to master favourite Apache Peak before holding the late surge of Brady Hartsfield by three-quarters of a length.
“It was a messy race,” stated Lavery, “John Gleeson kicked and I had to move and when I got to him, she was tough and stayed galloping. She’s a filly with plenty of pace and there’s plenty of fun to be had with her.”
Earlier, Michael McDonagh, who trains in Cratloe, County Clare, declared, “A winner here for me is like a winner in Cheltenham to someone else,” after Cian Quirke produced his Krabat with a well-timed challenge to master Caesar Rock in the SIS Handicap Chase.
