Kennedy a different class on Student Day in Limerick
He Can't Dance & jack Kennedy with groom Shelley Brickley win the Monks Bar Maiden Hurdle. Pic: HEALY RACING
Jack Kennedy retains his lead over Darragh O’Keeffe in his quest for a second Jockeys Championship after both riders were on the mark on a rainy Student Day in Limerick.
Kennedy registered his 99th domestic winner of the season when the Gordon Elliott-trained 6/4 shot He Can’t Dance, placed in each of his six previous excursions over hurdles, made all and readily brushed aside odds-on favourite King’s Bucks in the three-mile Monk Bar Maiden Hurdle.
“It’s nice to get that done,” declared Kennedy, “He’s a horse with ability, but holds on to a bit hence the blinkers.
“He’s a very slick jumper, with plenty of stamina, so I was happy to let him roll along. I could hear Darragh slapping his horse down the shoulder and knew I was going better. He almost got upsides coming down the hill, but my fellow stayed galloping.”
Darragh O’Keeffe struck when partnering the Mick Winters-trained mare Shellrunforbriggs to an all-the-way win over favourite Sense Of Occasion in the D’Icon Novice Handicap Hurdle.
A delighted Winters reported, “This mare used to be wired. Adrian Maguire popped this mare over a few jumps and told us to pop her out in front, so the change of tactics worked. We might give her a pop in a chase before she goes out for the summer.”
In terms of pedigree, Sparkling Wit, a full-brother to Gold Cup winner Gaelic Warrior, was the star attraction on the card, making his debut in the bumper, the Sinbin Events Flat Race, a race which his trainer Willie Mullins had won for the last two years.
And the Closutton gelding, sent off 6/4 favourite, delivered, coming from off the pace and staying on under a forceful ride by Patrick Mullins, to see off Muckanagh Lough by a half-length.
“He’s very different to his brothers, smaller and slighter, a more feminine type,” explained the winning rider, “We were very worried about the ground – he’s not a middle-of-winter horse and he’ll be much better on nicer ground.
“We bought him as a foal and Willie has been very patient with him. I’d be hoping he could go for a winners’ bumper around May-time.”
The formidable, local, father and son partnership of Charles and Philip Byrnes doubled-up with favourites Fly Away Home and Opposite Ends.
108-rated Fly Away Home put her experience to good use in the opening Locke Burger Mares Maiden Hurdle, getting the better of 25/1 shot Kisuton Enki on the run-in to score by a length and a quarter.
“She’s been ultra-consistent, is really solid and always runs her race,” said the winning trainer, “She was super-fir today and everything was right for her – ground and trip.
“She wants soft ground, so I’m not sure if she’ll run again this season. She’s not over-big, but will jump a fence.”
The 10/1 Byrnes double was completed when Opposite Ends, brought down last time in Clonmel, captured the second division of the 0-100 handicap hurdle at the expense of Ballingurteen.
And Byrnes explained, “We have this horse a long time, since he was a foal. He was brought down and a got a terrible fall the last day in Clonmel, when he might have been placed. Philip was lucky that day and gave him a beautiful ride today.”
Almost a year since her maiden success in Ballinrobe, Miss Corby (Harry Swan) returned to winning ways when taking the D & J Glazing Handicap Hurdle for Mouse Morris, mastering favourite Collaborative before beating Way Down South by two and a quarter lengths.
“She’s a funny mare and goes on most ground, and it’s nice to get out head in front and all my seconds recently,” said Morris, “We’ll see what the handicapper does and keep going with her. She’s improving and we might step her up in trip. She might go to Killarney next.
“That’s Harry’s second winner for me - he rides with his head, very much like his father.”
Springboard, trained in nearby Cratloe, County Clare by Michael McDonagh and ridden by in-form Cian Quirke, swooped late to foil favourite Wild Wild Wind in the Big Boss Group Handicap Hurdle.
And another Clare man, Diarmuid Ryan, who is based in Kilmacthomas, County Waterford, admitted to being “thrilled to bits” after his Cooltubrid Eva (Michael Kenneally) proved a shock 33/1 winner of the first division of the 0-100 handicap hurdle, his first success since 2015.
