Kilbarry Saint justifies favouritism to claim Clonmel Beginners Chase
SAINTS AND SINNERS: Kilbarry Saint and jockey Darragh O'Keeffe win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Steeplechase for Con O'Keeffe and Tadhg O'Sullivan in Clonmel. Pic: Healy Racing
Boasting solid black-type form and plenty of experience, Kilbarry Saint opened her chasing account when justifying 6/4 favouritism in Clonmel’s opener, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase.
Having pressed market rival Fancy Girl, the daughter of Saint Des Saints asserted on the long run before the second last and stayed on, under hands and heels riding from Darragh O’Keeffe (riding his 86th winer of the season) to beat Gaoth Chuil by four lengths.
“She was well due a win,” stated trainer Con O’Keeffe, “She’s been in better company all along. We dropped her into a beginners today and we were very confident.
“She had excellent form, including a good second to Spindleberry here, when things didn’t go her way. But she’s made up for that today.
“Breeding is our business. And this mare is tentatively booked into our new stallion Dschingis Secret. We’ll try another black-type race before she’s covered, either at home or in the UK.”
In the other ‘beginners’ action, Youlita, representing Charles and Philip Byrnes, justified hefty support and 7/5 favouritism in the Kilmanahan Beginners Chase.
But his supporters got a fright when the seven-year-old chasing debutant made a serious blunder two out before digging deep to see off determined front-runner Is Charlie Around by a half-length.
“The conditions of the race suited him,” said Charles Byrnes, “Jumping fences was always going to be his job. He jumps well, although he landed on top of the second last. He could go back over hurdles and be ridden handier the next day.”
Willie Mullins and Paul Townend struck with 118-rated Boedic in the Nire Valley Maiden Hurdle, the 10/11 favourite mastering San Hilario at the second last before drawing away for an emphatic success.
“He’s still immature and the penny is only starting to drop,” said Townend, “The two miles was a slight concern, but it was a nice find for him. He’s improving away and will jump a fence.”
Successful with Air Of Entitlement in Cheltenham, Henry de Bromhead and Paddy O’Brien combined to take the Adare Manor Opportunity Mares Maiden Hurdle with Tangara Bay, not disgraced behind El Cairos in Thurles last time, and a convincing conqueror of Early Bird.
Back where he started in the business, with trainer Peter Fahey, 7lb. claimer Ethan O’Sullivan delivered again for the stable when guiding Live To Laugh, up 10lb. for a wide-margin Thurles success, to an emphatic win over Plain Or Battered in the Carey’s Castle Novice Handicap Chase.
O’Sullivan declared, “Chasing is his game – he was pulling my arms out and winging fences,” while Fahey suggested that the seven-year-old “might sneak into something at Punchestown.”
And Terence O’Brien, out of luck with favourite Courtbrack Boy in the 0-100 handicap hurdle won by Anthony McCann’s top-weight Silent Guardian (Conor Brassil), landed the bumper with well-backed 3/1 shot Tadhg’s Rock, ridden by Darragh Allem to beat the Mullins-trained newcomer Scarecrow.
“We think he’s a nice horse, but thought the ground would be too soft for him,” admitted O’Brien.
