Tag Archive for: Gowran Park

Grange Walk bags Gowran feature and tees up Aintree trip

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Grange Walk teed himself up for a trip to Aintree next month with a clear-cut victory in the Holden Plant Rentals Shamrock Handicap Chase at Gowran Park.

John Ryan’s charge was not done with when falling two fences from home at last month’s Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown in the race won by Final Orders and was fitted with blinkers for this €45,000 feature.

Ridden by 5lb claimer Liam Quinlan, Grange Walk proved two and a quarter lengths too strong for runner-up Minx Tiara, with Shakeytry best of the rest in third.

“I thought he was the only horse in the field capable of winning a Grade Two and the rest were handicappers. He’s a bit more than a handicapper,” said Ryan.

“He’s been a bit of an unlucky sort. Liam gave him a tip-top ride – he’s a brave lad over a fence.

“He’ll go to Aintree, the owner wants to go there. He’ll go to a two-mile handicap.

“He’s a proper two-mile chaser and the blinkers probably helped a bit.”

David Christie has stated all along that he feels Ferns Lock is booked for the top and he did nothing to alter his trainer’s thoughts when winning the INHSC Supporting Point-To-Points Tetratema Cup Hunters Chase as a 1-4 favourite should.

Just a six-year-old, Christie felt Cheltenham would come too soon for him this year, and in any case, the trainer plans on fielding last year’s narrow runner-up Winged Leader and ante-post favourite Vaucelet for that event.

Ridden by Barry O’Neill he was soon in a clear advantage and was never off the bridle in the beating Lough Derg Spirit by three and a half lengths.

Winning connections with Ferns Lock
Winning connections with Ferns Lock (Gary Carson/PA)

“At one or two on the far side he was having a look, he went to shorten and I think he actually stood on himself. I see he pulled a shoe,” said O’Neill.

“On that ground he’s travelling away and he wants to get on with it a bit and you only want to be popping away.

“I’ve no doubt in a better race, going a better gallop, maybe you could take a lead and he’ll be 100 percent.

“To be honest he’s so far ahead of everything at the moment you are restricting him a little bit by sitting against him. I’ve no doubt going forward that he’ll be fine.

“He seems to have everything. Everyone was talking about Cheltenham this year but myself and Dave had a good chat earlier in the year and it was just coming a year too soon.

“He’s still only learning, that’s only his sixth run. Next year with a good hunter chase campaign under his belt he’ll be a force to be reckoned with, I think.”

Gordon Elliott and Jordan Gainford teamed up to win division one of the Goresbridge Maiden Hurdle with 11-2 chance Abbeydale, while division two went the way of Ellmarie Holden’s 28-1 shot Karuma Grey, with 7lb claimer Diarmuid Moloney doing the steering.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained Lantry Lady dominated her rivals in the Best Of Luck To The Irish At Cheltenham Mares Maiden Hurdle – pulling 14 lengths clear in the hands of Rachael Blackmore.

Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore were among the winners
Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore were among the winners (PA)

De Bromhead and Blackmore doubled up with odds-on favourite Ain’t That A Shame in the Holden Fleet Management Beginners Chase.

Although winless in six previous starts over fences, the nine-year-old has finished second on three occasions including a head defeat in the Munster National at Limerick in October.

Making his first appearance since finishing fourth in Leopardstown’s Paddy Power Chase at Christmas, the 8-13 shot made no mistake, coming home with six lengths in hand over Macs Charm.

Blackmore said: “He deserved to win that race. It was a good performance and I couldn’t be happier with him.

“He handles those conditions and it was a perfect race for him. It’s nice to get him off the mark over fences.”

Willie and Patrick Mullins took the closing bumper with £220,000 purchase Tullyhill (4-6 favourite) in the Cheveley Park Stud colours.

“He’s a real decent horse and a horse that I’ve been trying to get out all spring,” said Mullins.

“I was hoping to qualify him for Cheltenham but he just wasn’t right and we waited.

“I think he’s championship class. We’ll look for a winners’ bumper, whether we wait for Punchestown or go for one before that.

“He’s from the top drawer and is another nice horse for Cheveley Park, I think.”

Mullins looking to Sharjah to seize Red Mills opportunity

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Patrick Mullins is confident Sharjah can make the most of having his sights lowered in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park on Saturday.

The record-breaking amateur has guided the veteran to six of his nine victories over hurdles, a haul which includes a Galway Hurdle, two Morgiana Hurdles and four wins in the Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown.

But having proved no match for the younger legs of his Champion Hurdle-bound stablemate State Man in either of the latter two contests this season, Sharjah makes a rare appearance outside Grade One company in this weekend’s two-mile Grade Three.

“We skipped the Dublin Racing Festival as he doesn’t seem to run well there, so this seems like a good opportunity for him,” said Mullins, who is assistant to his father, Willie.

“This is his first time to run below Grade One level over hurdles since 2018 so he should enjoy the drop in class. Obviously, he’s got all the penalties and I’d like to think he should be very hard to beat.

“I think the ground will really suit him. Normally we wouldn’t go to Gowran with him at this time of year as it’s usually soft ground, but it’s dry so that will suit.

“Hopefully he can do the business and win a race as prestigious as the Red Mills Trial Hurdle. It’s a big local race for us and I’m delighted to be riding in it.”

Sharjah’s rivals include Gordon Elliott’s pair of Fil Dor and Doctor Bravo, plus Padraig Butler’s course-and-distance winner Da Capo Glory.

Haut En Couleurs in action at Leopardstown
Haut En Couleurs in action at Leopardstown (Niall Carson/PA)

The Mullins team appear to hold all the aces in the Grade Two Red Mills Chase, with champion trainer Willie saddling Haut En Couleurs, Capodanno and Janidil.

Haut En Couleurs is the hot favourite, having looked the likely winner of the Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase at Thurles last month when tipping up the final fence.

“It’ll be a good trial for Cheltenham. They’re sort of Ryanair horses so it’ll be interesting to see how they go in the Red Mills Chase,” Willie Mullins said earlier this week.

“It’s a great opportunity for them with Allaho out and will answer a lot of questions for us.”

Capodanno and Janidil are two of three runners for leading owner JP McManus along with Joseph O’Brien’s stable stalwart Darasso, who won the Red Mills Trial Hurdle on this card four years ago.

O’Brien said: “He’s a brilliant horse to have and has been a superstar for the yard.

“It looks a good race, but hopefully he can collect some more prize money.”

Sir Gerhard enters Cheltenham reckoning after victorious return

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Dual Cheltenham Festival winner Sir Gerhard made a successful transition to the larger obstacles on his belated reappearance at Gowran Park.

Winner of the Champion Bumper in 2021 and the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle last term, the Willie Mullins-trained eight-year-old’s seasonal return was delayed by a pre-Christmas injury.

Faced with just two rivals, Sir Gerhard was the 1-6 favourite for his comeback in the Daly Farrell Chartered Accountants Beginners Chase – and while he ultimately got the job done with ease, his first start over fences since his point-to-point days was not without the odd scare.

Largy Debut cut out much of the running at a sound gallop under Rachael Blackmore, with Paul Townend happy to take a lead aboard the market leader.

His supporters would have had their hearts in their mouths when he made a mess of the fence in front of the stands with a circuit to go, but he improved in the jumping department from there on and mastered Largy Debut from the home turn.

Sir Gerhard brushed through the second fence from the finish, but was safe at the last and passed the post with 38 lengths in hand.

Paddy Power left the winner’s Arkle odds unchanged at 10-1, while he is a 6-1 shot with Coral for the two-and-a-half-mile Turners Novices’ Chase and 10-1 for the even longer Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.

Sir Gerhard after winning at Gowran Park
Sir Gerhard after winning at Gowran Park (Thomas Weekes/PA)

Of Sir Gerhard’s shuddering mistake, Mullins said: “My heart jumped and he stood so far back at it. I hope his back is all right in the morning as he caught it and did well to stand up and Paul did well to stay on him. That is what novices do and it is great to make that mistake early in the race as it puts manners on the horse and he jumped fine after that.

“Paul thought he wasn’t racing, so after the fourth-last sent him up and he was in his hands. He had just been a bit lazy and maybe cantering around on his own on our gallop, he probably thought he was having a quiet day. We teach them, especially the staying chasers, to settle on the mornings they’re not working but we were probably overdoing it.

“I imagine he will go to Cheltenham with very little experience and maybe just that run as I don’t see anything else in the calendar for him. We might take our chance and go straight there, maybe for the Turners or the Brown Advisory – they’ll be going that bit slower and it’ll give him a chance.

“We’re not that well represented in the three-mile race (Brown Advisory) yet, but who knows what’ll happen between now and then?”

Carefully Selected edges out Dunboyne in Thyestes thriller

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Carefully Selected gave further evidence of the remarkable training talents of Willie Mullins with a pulsating victory in the Goffs Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park.

While successful in six of his first 10 starts under Rules, the Well Chosen gelding unseated the trainer’s son Patrick as an odds-on favourite for the 2020 National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and was subsequently sidelined for the best part of three years.

But having shaped with some promise on his long-awaited return in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown last month, the 11-year-old was the 9-2 favourite to provide Mullins with a ninth victory in the €100,000 feature at his local track.

Ridden by Paul Townend, previously successful in the Thyestes aboard On His Own in 2014, Carefully Selected charted a wide course for much of the three-mile-one-furlong journey.

After losing his position with a circuit to race, he made ground onto the heels of the leaders before the home turn and landed in front at the second fence from home.

Dunboyne, one of nine runners for Mullins’ great rival Gordon Elliott, emerged as a major threat on the run-in and the pair flashed by the line almost as one – but the judge confirmed Carefully Selected the winner by a short head.

Mullins said: “It is always a great thrill to win the Thyestes, but I think that was Paul Townend’s victory. The ride he gave him – he had two horses behind him with a circuit to race and kept wide out of trouble – puts huge pressure on a jockey but he loves pressure and rides better with pressure.

“He has been off sick the past two days, but to come back and give a ride like that is a tremendous achievement and he rushed off to get a drink just now. It was as fine a ride as I ever saw around here to win a Thyestes with that sort of weight.

“I thought after the third-last that his winning chance had gone but he sat and sat, gave him a breather, got a good jump at the last and I thought it was fantastic riding. He was obviously very sick the last two days so to come back and ride a race like that was huge in my mind.”

Willie Mullins was fulsome in his praise of Paul Townend following Carefully Selected's victory
Willie Mullins was fulsome in his praise of Paul Townend following Carefully Selected’s victory (Brian Lawless/PA)

Of Carefully Selected, he added: “He gave a huge performance as well.

“He had been off for 33 months before his last run and sometimes a horse can bounce. He was coming back quick enough after his last run, as sometimes a horse can need longer to recover in these longer distance races.

“But Paul had ridden him work the other day and knew what he had under the bonnet. He has come back from a long lay-off and you could look at any of those staying chases now, an Irish National or an English National, but today we will celebrate the Thyestes.”

Teahupoo advertises Stayers’ claims with Galmoy glory

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Teahupoo shot to ante-post favouritism for the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival following a facile victory in the John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park.

Gordon Elliott’s charge finished last behind Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdles at Cheltenham and Punchestown last season, but turned the tables when inflicting a first career defeat on the superstar mare in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse last month.

Stepping up to three miles for the first time, Teahupoo was a 4-11 chance to give weight and a beating to five rivals at Grade Two level and could hardly have been more impressive.

Ridden by Davy Russell, enjoying his first Graded success since coming out of retirement to deputise for the injured Jack Kennedy, Teahupoo travelled like the class horse in the field before being asked to extend in the home straight.

He swiftly put any stamina doubts to bed as he powered 15 lengths clear of the veteran Summerville Boy, seeing Paddy Power slash his Stayers’ Hurdle odds to 11-4 from 7-1.

Elliott said: “He was good and is a good horse. He is going the right way and the plan is to go straight to Cheltenham for the Stayers’ Hurdle.

Gordon Elliott saddled Teahupoo to win the Galmoy Hurdle
Gordon Elliott saddled Teahupoo to win the Galmoy Hurdle (Brian Lawless/PA)

“It was two miles in Cheltenham last year and I’d say this distance is the key to him – over two miles the gun is to your head the whole time. I know he was well beaten in Punchestown after that, but he wasn’t actually beaten that far.

“At the moment we have no worries ground-wise, although it (Stayers Hurdle) is an open race too.

“Davy (Russell) said he panicked and got there a bit soon, as he is so laid-back early but when he gave a squeeze, he leapt back on the bridle. You’d love the way he quickened from the second-last to the line.”

Sir Gerhard makes belated chasing bow at Gowran

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Willie Mullins is looking forward to seeing his dual Cheltenham Festival winner Sir Gerhard belatedly get his novice chase campaign under way on the Thyestes Chase undercard at Gowran Park on Thursday.

The Cheveley Park Stud-owned eight-year-old won the Champion Bumper at Prestbury Park in 2021 and returned to the Cotswolds to land the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle last season.

He suffered his first defeat in four hurdles outings at Punchestown in the spring, but was still expected to take high rank over the larger obstacles this season.

Having suffered a setback before Christmas, the point-to-point winner starts off over regulation fences later than planned in the Daly Farrell Chartered Accountants Beginners Chase, but will nevertheless be a short price to make a successful return.

“He schooled well this morning and I’m looking forward to him running,” Mullins said at Fairyhouse on Wednesday.

“It’ll be a big task for him in that ground coming so late in the season against more experienced horses.

“If his hurdle rating is anything to go by and if he jumps well, he’s one to look forward to.”

Sir Gerhard is set to face four rivals over two miles, with Henry de Bromhead’s Largy Debut bringing decent placed form to the table, having finished third behind Mighty Potter, Minella Crooner and Gentlemansgame in his three chase starts to date.

Indiana Jones (Mouse Morris), Battle Of Mirbat (Michael McDonagh) and Natural Ability (Tony Martin) are the other contenders.

Teahupoo to test Stayers’ credentials in Galmoy heat

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Hatton’s Grace hero Teahupoo tests the water over three miles for the first time in the John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park on Thursday.

Gordon Elliott’s charge finished last behind Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Punchestown Champion Hurdle last season, but turned that form on its head when inflicting a first career defeat on Henry de Bromhead’s superstar mare at Fairyhouse last month.

That victory came over the intermediate distance of two and a half miles and Elliott is keen to see how he fares over an even longer trip in a bid to discover whether the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March is a realistic target.

When asked if he was looking forward to running Teahupoo over three miles, Elliott said: “I’m looking forward to every day!

“It is a step up in trip and it looks like it will suit him, so we will see what happens.

“We will get Thursday out of the way, but that (Stayers’ Hurdle) is what we are thinking. We are dreaming rather than thinking!”

Teahupoo will be ridden by Davy Russell, who is out to secure his first Graded success since coming out of retirement to fill in for the injured Jack Kennedy.

“It was no surprise to us what this lad did in Fairyhouse last month as he was simply returning to the level we know he can perform at,” Russell told his Star Sports blog.

Davy Russell rides Teahupoo at Gowran Park
Davy Russell rides Teahupoo at Gowran Park (Niall Carson/PA)

“He was good here in Gowran last February and we know conditions are in his favour. He’s always shaped like he’s worth a crack at this sort of a trip so we will learn plenty about him.

“This is no easy task though as it’s a good deal further than he’s gone before and he’s a fair penalty to shoulder too. That said, it does look the ideal opportunity for Teahupoo.”

Martin Brassil is looking forward to saddling Longhouse Poet, who won the Thyestes Chase on this card 12 months ago before going on to finish sixth in the Grand National at Aintree.

While his better form is over the larger obstacles, the nine-year-old did make a successful switch to hurdling at Limerick over the Christmas period and Brassil is happy to roll the dice.

He said: “We’re looking forward to his run and he’ll love the ground and he’ll love the trip. It looks like there’s a horse a stone and a half better than him in there, but we’re happy to run him anyway and see how he gets on.

“We were very pleased with his Limerick win and we are hopeful he can build on that. He took the Limerick race very well and we’ve been very happy with him since, so we will see how we go.”

Beacon Edge is fitted with blinkers for the first time by Noel Meade, while De Bromhead is represented by the veteran Summerville Boy.

Early Doors (Joseph O’Brien) and My Design (Declan Queally) complete the Grade Two field.

Connell backing Bello for bold Thyestes showing

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Owner-trainer Barry Connell believes “all the boxes are ticked” for Espanito Bello ahead of his bid for glory in the Goffs Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park.

The nine-year-old has mixed it between fences and hurdles over the past couple of years, but it is over the larger obstacles where he has shown his best form – notably finishing second to Coko Beach in a Grade Two novice chase in 2021 before finishing down the field in the Irish Grand National.

Last time out he was fifth in a two-mile-six-furlong hurdle race, meaning Thursday’s contest represents a return to fences as well as a step back up in trip to three miles and a furlong.

Espanito Bello is likely to be suited by the soft going at Gowran and with confidence seemingly high, he has attracted significant support ahead of Thursday’s €100,000 feature.

“He’s in good form. He had a very good novice season and was second in a Grade Two, but he’s been lightly raced since so he’s come down the handicap ratings,” said Connell.

“He’s in good form and we expect a big run from him on Thursday.

“Soft ground is what he wants, he needs heavy ground, even. He has a nice weight and I think all of the boxes are ticked there, so we’re looking forward to a big run.”

Owner-trainer-breeder Robert Murphy has a leading contender in Darrens Hope – a nine-year-old last seen landing the Grade Two Florida Pearl Novice Chase by a head from Minella Crooner.

With that victory registered in November, Murphy’s mare has enjoyed a freshening-up period ahead of her Thyestes bid off a weight of 10st 6lb, with Danny Mullins retaining the ride.

Darrens Hope after winning the Florida Pearl
Darrens Hope after winning the Florida Pearl (Brian Lawless/PA)

“She’s good, we jumped her on Tuesday and she jumped grand. She’s in good form, I can say that,” said Murphy.

“She’s had a good gap, we don’t run her too often because she’s getting on a small bit. We wouldn’t want to run her too often and she needed her break, but she’s grand now.

“She’s back up to three miles and the soft ground should suit her as well.

“We’ve a good jockey on board, we’d like to see her get her nose in front and we’re hopeful.”

Gordon Elliott’s nine-strong team includes two of the market principals in Pencilfulloflead and Escaria Ten – the latter a good quality stayer owned by the McNeill Family.

Escaria Ten during the Grand National
Escaria Ten during the Grand National (Mike Egerton/PA)

The nine-year-old finished eighth in last year’s Thyestes Chase on what was his seasonal reappearance before missing out in the Bobbyjo Chase by just a nose, after which he came home ninth in the Grand National at Aintree.

He got the current campaign under way in a Listed Thurles Chase on December 1 and was far from disgraced in finishing a two-length second to Joseph O’Brien’s Darasso.

The Welsh Grand National was vetoed in favour of another Thyestes tilt, despite the fact Escaria Ten will carry top weight of 11st 12lb in the hands of Adrian Heskin.

“He hopefully has a nice chance, he’s had his prep race this year,” said Iain Turner, racing manager to the owners.

“He ran well at Thurles and everything has gone fine, it’s just going to be very difficult carrying top weight. It’s not often you wish Willie (Mullins) had one in the race, but I really wish he had Franco De Port in there as it would have kept the weights down 6lb!

“He goes there with a good chance. It will be difficult carrying that weight but there’s not much we can do about it.

“With him the softer the ground, the better. Last year we went for his first run of the season and he needed it, he’s had his run this time and then it was a choice between the Welsh National and the Thyestes. We’ve made the decision and fingers crossed it all goes well.

“Max (McNeill, owner) is in the final few days of his winter holiday and is flying straight to Ireland from sunnier climes for his first ever trip to Gowran, let’s hope it isn’t an unwarranted extension to his holiday!”

Elliott Is also represented by Braeside, Coko Beach, Defi Bleu, Dunboyne, Fakiera, Frontal Assault and Punitive.

Willie Mullins could saddle up to five runners, with Captain Kangaroo, Carefully Selected, Egality Mans all guaranteed a run in the top 18, while Rambranlt’jac and Stones And Roses are on the reserve list.