Run For Mahler shocks Murcia to claim Mares Hurdle at Killarney
Run For Mahler and Philip Enright (left) pip Murcia to post at the Killarney July festival. Pic: Healy Racing
Trained by Charles Byrnes, Run For Mahler turned over odds-on favourite Murcia in the D Ivo O’Sullivan Memorial Mares Hurdle on the fourth day of the Killarney festival.
Ridden by Philip Enright, the 12/1 shot pounced on the run-in to foil the Mullins-trained flattering favourite by a half-length, substancially overturning last-time-out form in Listowel.
“She’s a good mare, but we didn’t know what to expect after the last day,” said Byrnes, “She loves that good ground and is very genuine and a strong stayer.” “These owners have been lucky for me and it’s great to get it. I don’t know what programme there is for her – we’ll have to try to find something suitable. She wouldn’t be overly well-handicapped.
Willie Mullins and Paul Townend had enjoyed better luck with long-absent Early Dawning in the opening INCO Broking Maiden Hurdle, asserting after Tyson Fury blundered at the final flight.
Townend stated, “He’s a long time off and was a little keen early. But he jumped brilliant and I was happy enough going to the last. He should step forward from this.” The biggest prize on offer on day four of the festival, for the Noel C Duggan 110 Series Final, went to the versatile, Gavin Cromwell-trained ten-year-old Arcland (Eoghan Finegan) who held the late surge of Jupiter Du Gite by a nose.
“He’s been a great horse for his owners and this was a lovely pot to win,” said Cromwell, ”He ran a belter the last day (in Downpatrick), but just bumped into one. This is a lovely prize for this level of horse, a great initiative.” Andy Slattery, successful with Loughrea in Leopardstown, completed an across-the-card double when Adam Ryan guided 2/1 favourite Caislean Gear to an all-the-way win over Emergency Man in the first bumper, the Matchbook Exchange Flat Race.
The meeting produced two 33/1 winners, Donncha Duggan’s Luck Between Us (Nial Moore) who won the second division of the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle and the John Burke-trained Farney Bridge,a. first winner for Aine Connolly, in the lady riders bumper.
In Leopardstown, Colin Keane’s initiative proved crucial as he partnered 11/10 favourite Geryon, trained for Newtown Anner by Ger Lyons, to victory in the Group 3 Boyle Sports Meld Stakes.
Reacting to a muddling early pace, Keane soon seized the initiative and dictated the pace before the Lope de Vega colt stayed on to beat Cowardofthecounty by a length and a quarter.
“He was unlucky in both Navan and the Curragh, but he’s only growing up and that was a good performance, no more than we expected,” declared Lyons, “He’s a big strapping colt and he needs to keep improving. He likes that fast ground and we might look at Champions Weekend.” Joseph O’Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle shared a tremendous two-year-old treble on the supporting card.
S off a red-hot 1/3 favourite, Star Of State made all and bolted-up by nine lengths from Not You Too in the median sires series maiden.
O’Brien commented, “You don’t see any more impressive maiden winners than that. Dylan feels she has enough pace for six furlongs and she’s our first winner for Jaber Abdullah, who has suggested the ‘Lowther’ (in York) as her next target.” Unlucky after a tardy start on her debut in Roscommon, Ballyskeagh (7/4 favourite) took the auction maiden after a protracted battle with Star Glory and Sea Of Rain.
“Dylan felt that she’s still quite green and immature,” said O’Brien, “But you couldn’t fault her, winning from a wide draw. She fell out of the gates in Roscommon but learned plenty. And she’ll have no problem going a mile.” The treble was completed when even-money favourite Bellesque, second on her debut last week, took the Irish Stallion Farms 2-Y-0 Fillies Maiden, making all to beat the Ballydoyle pair So Lovely and Exceptionally readily.
“She had a nice debut run and Dylan got to control today’s race,” said O’Brien, “She’s a nice filly and did it well. She’ll go for a stakes race next, maybe the (Group 3) ‘Flame Of Tara’ at the Curragh.” Andy Slattery confirmed, “I put him in the Galway Mile yesterday and that’s where he’ll go, although it’ll be a big ask on his fifth run,” after Loughrea, ridden by his son and namesake, got the better of Aviatrice in the Dublin To Bahrain Handicap.
Also Galway-bound, for a two-mile handicap, is the Harry Rogers-trained Cooley’s Mist, who made all to take the finale, providing in-form Chris Hayes with his fifth winner of the week.
