Timurshah completes five-timer in Kilberrey Handicap

Timurshah and Derek O'Connor win for trainer Aidan Melia. Pic:Healy Racing.

The fairytale story of Timurshah continued in Navan yesterday as Aidan Melia’s progressive five-year-old completed a fabulous five-timer in the Kilberrey (Amateur) Handicap.

The Mastercraftsman gelding, who has won four times over hurdles this summer which saw his rating rocket from 93 to 132, was racing off a flat mark of 73 and ridden with supreme confidence by Derek O’Connor to justify 2/1 favouritism.

Having tracked the leaders, he cruised into the lead before holding the persistent challenge of Day Trader by a half-length.

“He’s a right horse,” declared winning trainer Melia. “It was no harm to run him on the flat and he proved that he can do it on flat too.

“We have plenty of options down the line for him. He might go on his holidays now and come back at Christmas or early in the New Year.”

And the winning rider added; “He travelled well all the way, and I got there way too soon. He didn’t do much in front, which might be no harm - he might win another.”

Seeking his first Jockeys Championship, Billy Lee reached the 70-winner mark for the season (he’s now three ahead of Colin Keane), thanks to a 17/1 double on Chapel Lane and Make The Tide, sharing the brace with in-form trainer Willie McCreery.

The consistent Chapel Lane, reverting to maiden company, dug deep to foil Resurgence by a head in the one-mile maiden, prompting McCreery to comment; “We got him cheaply. He’s from a good Airlie family and deserved that – he’s been placed plenty of times.”

The double was completed when Make The Tide (7/2) landed the second division of the (0-60) Navan Handicap cosily from Moyassr.

‘She’s a very well-bred, from Oghill Stud and has been weak, so we had to give her time,” said the trainer. “We’ll look for something similar for her, on easier ground.”

Six-time champion Colin Keane replied when Sonoran (9/1), trained for Sean Jones by Ger Lyons, landed the Navan Racing Festival; 14th & 15th November Handicap, coming from off the pace to beat Harana by a length, with the winner’s stable-companion Daler third.

Lyons commented; “That’s the way he has to be ridden – you have to ride him cold as he leans left when he gets there – you can do that on a proper track like this. They both ran their race, so it was a good result for us.”

Few meetings have passed in recent weeks without a win for Joseph O’Brien. And his Carriganog team duly delivered in the concluding, ten-furlong fillies maiden as Mawhibah, beaten in Tramore last time, arrived late under Joey Sheridanto deny Sunatia by a half-length, with Shanala an eye-catching third.

The first division of the 0-60 event went to the Ado McGuinness-trained Land Of The Giants (13/2), who under a strong ride from Adam Caffrey, saw off 40.1 shot Spiritofthedawn by more than a length.

Arguably the most promising apprentice on the scene, Reese Holohan notched his 14th success of the season when guiding the Ken Condon-trained filly Cashel Blue to victory over Amerillis in the five-furlong Navan Racecourse Handicap.

Condon pointed out; “Billy (Lee) suggested putting cheekpieces on her after he rode her in Cork and it has paid off. She travelled well for Reese, and she battled when Billy’s horse came to her. She wants top of the ground, so we’re probably running out of time.”

Best Love, rated 71 and trained by Eddie and Patrick Harty, opened her account when getting the better of favourite Annie Batt in the opening two-year-old maiden.

“The race didn’t pan out as we expected,” said Eddie Harty. “We were hoping for a lead, but Declan (McDonogh) adopted Plan B and gave her a fantastic ride – he waited as long as he could. This was originally a Bellewstown race, and this is a much stiffer track. Declan thinks six furlongs will suit her better and we’ll probably look for a nursery for her.”

*Sam Coen, one ahead of Paddy Harnett in the battle for the Apprentice Championship, received a three-day whip ban following his ride on Moyassr (runner-up in a division of the 0-60 handicap).