Not Just Any Eagle soars to Tipperary Cup glory at Clonmel
NOT FOR CATCHING: Not Just Any Eagle en route to winning the Jerry McDonnell Tipperary Cup in the hands of Robyn Donaghue-Leahy. Picture: Healy Racing
Beaten a neck in the race last year and now 7lb lower, Not Just Any Eagle, trained locally by Pat Flynn for his wife Catherine, landed the Jerry McDonnell Tipperary Cup, feature of Clonmel’s annual Flat fixture.
The seven-year-old Free Eagle gelding made all under stable apprentice Robyn Donaghue-Leahy and, although pressed by Highwind turning for home, staying on dourly up the hill to score by four lengths, at the expense of joint-favourites Lady Plimsoll and Highwind.
Flynn said of 5-1 victor: “He’s a very good horse and I’m delighted to win a Tipperary Cup with him, after going so close last year. He was in hard luck in Leopardstown two runs back but won well today. The horses have been a bit under the weather, but this is great.
“I’ve won the Tipperary Cup seven or eight times, maybe nine. And we might go into one of the big staying handicaps now.”
“Pat felt that, if I had made the running, he might have won it last year,” admitted the winning rider. “So, when he pinged the gates, I decided to leave him off in front. He’s wicked genuine and stayed going well. It’s unreal, a nice race to win for Pat, at his local track.”
Flynn was expected to complete a double with Gallo Dell Cielo in the concluding John Thomas McNamara Series (Amateur) Handicap. But, having cruised into the lead, the 5-6 favourite was collared late by the Lee Shanahan-ridden Cornmarket, a second winner, form his last two runners for north Mayo trainer John Cullen.
Both maidens on the card were dominated by the market leaders, with the opening fillies event going to the Hotazhell combination of Jessica Harrington and Shane Foley as Noble Honour (2-1) outpointed 8-11 favourite Shanala by a half-length as the duo pulled 11 lengths clear of the rest.
“It was a case of jockey and trainer error the last day, letting her run on quick ground,” explained Foley. “She enjoyed the ease today and might have a nice finish to the year. When I arrived alongside Ben, I thought we’d win by a couple of lengths, but she parked completely when she hit the front.”
Foley completed a double (bringing his seasonal tally to 33) when Mare Crisium (9-2 co-favourite) squeezed through on the inside to master Ochtar Againn in the Suire Blueway 3-Y-0 Handicap.
The Sea The Moon filly was an 11th winner of the campaign for Curragh trainer Ken Condon, who said: “Shane felt she was a bit unlucky the last day in Navan and fancied her today, once she handled the track. She has found her level and it’s great to win with her. She’s quite a big filly, with a good pedigree, and Shane thinks we can go again with her. She’ll stay in training and should improve from three to four.”
Rider of the runner-up Paddy Harnett subsequently received a nine-day ban for improper riding.
Declan McDonogh notched his 26th win of the season when adopting front-running tactics successfully on even-money favourite Kakori in the Slievenamon Maiden, Newtown Anner Stud’s Le Havre filly readily reversing Laytown form with Therewillbeglory, whom she slammed by almost five lengths, another winner for in-form Joseph O’Brien.
McDonogh said: “I’d say the trip to the beach helped her — she travelled around like a dream. She’s very big, with a high cruise and lengthens off that. She’s a grand, big, staying filly and should keep improving.”
Billy Lee followed up Tuesday’s Punchestown treble and moved five ahead of Colin Keane in the title race thanks to his win on Willie McCreery’s top-weight Guy’s Girl, off the mark at the 12th attempt, in the Camida Winning Solution Handicap, beating perpetual slow-starter and favourite Reponse Finale by a neck.
“I had to take my time, she cruised into it, picked-up and battled well,” stated the winning rider, now on the 76-winner mark for the campaign.
McCreery added: “She’s a small, timid filly and doesn’t like going between horses. Billy was very patient on her, came wide, and gave her a very good ride.”
