Final flight drama helps Gordon Elliott land 67/1 double at Ballinrobe
Be My Fortune and Jack Kennedy win the Bank Of Ireland Brendan Maloney Memorial Maiden Hurdle at Ballinrobe. Pic: Healy Racing
Gordon Elliott continued in fine mid-summer form when registering a 67/1 double with Be My Fortune and Down Around in Ballinrobe.
The Jack Kennedy-ridden Be My Fortune proved a fortunate winner of the Bank Of Ireland Brendan Maloney Maiden Hurdle.
Hampered at the first, the 14/1 shot looked destined for a minor share of the spoils between the last two flights as the Willie Mullins-trained odds-on favourite How's Ellie was chased by stable-companion Boo Radley. But the favourite, under Paul Townend, crashed at the final flight, bringing down her stablemate.
This left Crystal Mariner in front, but he was reeled in and beaten by Kennedy’s mount. “Paul was probably going best, but my fellow was getting into gear," said Kennedy. "His jump at the last was his best and I knew I had a chance of catching Darragh.”
The Elliott double was completed when Down Around, formerly with Philip Rothwell and having his second run for Cullentra, made all to take the marathon Burleigh Accountancy Handicap Hurdle, holding off the late surge of Killowen House by a half-length.
Sam Ewing explained, “There was no early pace and I got it handy in front. I was able to dictate and quickened from the back of the third last. And he stayed going well.”
That was Ewing’s 14th success of the season, two ahead of 5lb. claimer Eoghan Finegan, who landed the Broderick’s Electric Handicap Hurdle on the Adrian Murray-trained Euro Maker (9/1) while another jockey-in-form Phillip Enright was on the mark again on board Hilary McLoughlin’s top-weight and course and distance winner Nothing Hectic in the finale.
The latter outcome proved another popular local success as the seven-year-old mare, carrying the green and red of Mayo, is owned by local businessman and race sponsor Tim Kelly.
Third on his hurdling bow in Limerick, Nicky Larson stepped up to land the opening C J Sheeran Ltd. 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle for Paul Nolan, mastering favourite Minella Buoy on the run-in to score by five and a half lengths.
The Galiway gelding was ridden by Sean Flanagan, who explained, “Sean O’Keeffe rode him in Limerick and both he and Paul and James Nolan thought he’d come forward from it – and he did. The experience helped him and he jumped well. He even jumped pathways out there, so he has a bit to learn and should improve. And he has the option of going back to the flat.”
Mark Molloy’s Koeur A Prendre, runner-up in his last two starts, opened his account in the Cummins Homevalue Hardware Handicap Hurdle under a confident ride by Galway hero Dan King who bided his time before finding a gap on the run-in and coming through to beat Fremantle Doctor by a length.
“He’s a lovely horse and is improving with racing, but you need everything to go right against handicappers,” said Molloy. “The plan was to get him settled and ease into it late. And Dan is riding with great confidence. I have no immediate plan, but he jumps a fence well and I’m looking forward to him when he goes chasing.”
In a first-time tongue-tie, the Ross O’Sullivan-trained mare Walkingmayotomilan (Shane Markey) proved a fitting winner of the Bay Leaf Maiden Hurdle, recovering from a last flight mistake to get the better of front-running favourite Keep Em Quite by almost two lengths.
The winner is owned by Mayo firm Alberta Capital Ltd, owned by Damien Conway, and was another winner carrying the ‘green and red’ Mayo colours.
