Switch From Diesel makes belated breakthrough at Punchestown
POWERING ON: Switch From Diesel and Keith Donoghue win the Ladbrokes Mares Maiden Hurdle. Picture: Healy Racing
The Ross O’Sullivan-trained Switch From Diesel proved the star of Wednesday’s Punchestown action as she registered a breakthrough success over flights in the Ladbrokes Mares Maiden Hurdle.
Ridden by Keith Donoghue, the seven-year-old, winner of three bumpers and second in a Grade One at the Punchestown festival, in addition to winning a flat maiden at the Curragh, made virtually all to justify even-money favouritism at the expense of market rival Salsinha, whom she beat by two lengths.
“I thought she would have that done earlier in the year, but I’m delighted,” said O’Sullivan. “She was a classy bumper mare and here were excuses for her over hurdles, although we did try her in Grade One company.
“Paul [Mullins, owner] decided to take her home and give her a break. This was the perfect race for her, so it made perfect sense to come here. Keith was impressed and we’ll pick our tracks for the summer. She’ll go back on the Flat too — she won her maiden and she’s rated 80.”
Switch From Diesel proved the first leg of a short-priced double for the O’Sullivan team, completed when Spanish Maid, successful over fences in Tramore last time, justified 4-5 favouritism in a division of the two-mile Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle, travelling strongly throughout before knuckling down under Michael Kenneally to foil Marian Avenue by a neck.
“That makes it a great day,” declared the successful trainer. “She has a nice workable hurdle mark, although she’s definitely a better mare fences. When I saw the race was being divided and diluted, we had to come here.
“We’ll pick tracks and try to keep her right. She ‘ll probably go back over fences and might come back here in June.”
The meeting opened with a shock as the Willie Mullins-trained hotpot Noemis De la Vie was turned over by Gordon Elliott’s once-raced Order Of St George gelding Porcupine Bank after a protracted tussle.
The winner was ridden by Sam Ewing, deputising for Jack Kennedy, who sustained an arm injury in a fall in Killarney on Tuesday.
The winning rider said: “He has a good attitude. He’s very honest and tries hard. He liked that better ground and will be a nice horse for the summer.”
Elliott and Ewing doubled-up when Gigginstown-owned 7-4 favourite Lemmy Caution, who failed to win a bumper in four attempts, produced a gutsy, staying performance to take the three-mile Ladbrokes Maiden Hurdle on his hurdling bow, holding off The Rebel Fox by a length and a half.
The strength of Patrick Mullins proved crucial in the bumper as he galvanised recent Cork debut winner Emerald Enigma in the closing stages to get the better of Working Class Hero by a head.
The winning jockey said: “She’s probably not the quickest, but she’s very tough and went forward once she got to the rail. I won on her dam at the Galway festival, but she got injured.
“I’d say this mare could go out in trip, We’ll see what the boss wants to do, but she could have a break and come back for the listed bumper in Gowran.”
