Tag Archive for: Mark Walsh

Zenta repels Bo Zenith in Aintree thriller

/in /by

Hot favourite Zenta edged out the gallant Bo Zenith in a thrilling climax to the Jewson Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree.

Having placed third as part of a Willie Mullins one-two-three-four in last month’s Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham, Zenta was the clear form pick and was priced up accordingly as the 5-4 market leader.

After travelling powerfully in midfield in the hands of Mark Walsh, the JP McManus-owned filly moved towards the front end still full of running early in the home straight, at which stage it looked a case of how far she would win by.

But in Gary Moore’s dual winner Bo Zenith she came up against a rival who refused to go down without a fight, setting up a titanic tussle on the run-in.

No quarter was given by either horse or jockey, but much to the delight of favourite-backers it was Zenta who had her head down when it mattered.

Nusret, bidding to give Joseph O’Brien a Grade One double following the opening-race success of Banbridge, was five lengths further back in third.

Mullins’ assistant, David Casey, said: “She travelled and jumped brilliant, we think she’s still improving.

“Mark just thought he got there a bit too soon. She travelled and jumped so well he’s just ended up in front sooner than he wanted.

“When he got there he felt he’d better keep going but he said she pulled herself up, she still had plenty left.

Zenta and Bo Zenith locked in battle
Zenta and Bo Zenith locked in battle (David Davies for The Jockey Club)

“She’s a lovely mare to go forward with. She’s not had much racing and she was very green the day she won her first race for us. That was why we ran her, just to get some more experience into her.

“I don’t know if she’ll go to Punchestown, we’ll see how she is when we get her home.”

Mullins was not on course, but said: “Two very good horses fought it out and it was just on the nod so she was very brave to come back and get back up.

“She looks a real prospect for the future, but I doubt she’ll go to Punchestown.”

Owner Olly Harris said of his runner-up: “He’s a proper horse, really good, and when he battled back I thought we had it.

“He’s going to be a two-and-a-half-mile chaser. We’ve looked after him but thought he had a massive chance today.

“We were a bit scared of Willie’s and it turned out that Zenta had a bit more speed than us.

“Ours is a horse for the future and we will put him away now.”

Mullins chalks up extraordinary Easter Sunday eight-timer

/in /by

Willie Mullins enjoyed an Easter Sunday to remember as a remarkable across-the-card eight-timer saw him break his own record for number of winners in a National Hunt season.

The all-conquering champion trainer’s previous best tally of 212 was achieved in the 2017/18 campaign and having reached the double century at the end of March, it has been obvious for some time that he would go past that number before the current season ends at Punchestown later this month.

Mullins began Easter Sunday with 205 winners under his belt and several chances across the two Irish meetings at Cork and Fairyhouse.

The Closutton handler ended up saddling a treble at Cork, with Bachasson’s (6-4) front-running success in the Grade Three feature preceded by victories for the Rich and Susannah Ricci-owned pair of Mister Policeman (evens) and Aione (4-1), both ridden by Michael O’Sullivan.

At Fairyhouse he claimed five winners, with Ashroe Diamond (2-1) and Flame Bearer (17-2) striking Grade One gold, Nick Rockett (9-1) and Hercule Du Seuil (7-1) both winning Grade Twos and Cheltenham Festival runner-up Dinoblue (evens) going one better as one of three winners on the afternoon for jockey Mark Walsh.

Nick Rockett continued his steep upward trajectory with victory in the Paddy Kehoe Suspended Ceilings Novice Hurdle under the trainer’s nephew Danny Mullins.

Previously successful in a Thurles bumper and a maiden hurdle at Naas, the six-year-old proved up to the rise in class as he pulled 15 lengths clear of his rivals.

Mullins’ assistant, David Casey, said: “We thought he had improved a bit from Naas, we weren’t sure going there what to expect as he was a horse that was always going to improve with time.

Nick Rockett after winning at Fairyhouse
Nick Rockett after winning at Fairyhouse (Gary Carson/PA)

“Danny said he improved a lot more than he thought he would and he put up a very good performance. He travelled super and jumped great.

“We always had him down as a horse for the future for jumping fences. I think the best is ahead of him.”

Hercule Du Seuil raced keenly throughout the Cafe En Seine Novice Hurdle, but it is testament to his latent ability that he still had enough in the tank at the finish to see off his stablemate and 6-5 favourite Hunters Yarn by a length and three-quarters in the hands of Walsh.

Casey added: “It was a good performance. I thought he’d gone fast enough and it looked like they might swallow him up turning in, but Mark said he got a good breather into him between the fourth and third last and he toughed it out well.

“He wants nicer ground and we gave him a break over the winter. He’s not in any of the graded races at Punchestown and the plan is to go chasing.”

Walsh, who had earlier steered Tony Martin’s Golf Marin to a maiden hurdle win, completed his treble for owner JP McManus aboard Dinoblue in the BoyleSports Novice Handicap Chase.

Second in her previous three races, including in the Grand Annual last month, the six-year-old had a fight on her hands when the final fence fall of Whiskeywealth left her in the clear.

“Mark said he thought he was probably a fraction lucky, but either way, even if she had been second I thought it was a very good performance coming back from a tough run in Cheltenham,” said Casey.

“She jumped super and you need a bit of luck. There is an open handicap at Punchestown and she’ll get an entry in it, we’ll see what happens.”

Mark Walsh on the sidelines after weekend fall at Leopardstown

/in /by

Mark Walsh faces another spell on the sidelines after a fall at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Walsh, JP McManus’ retained rider in Ireland, only returned to the saddle on Saturday after a bruising Christmas period which saw him suffer several heavy falls, although he did ride a Grade One winner on Saint Roi.

His rides at Leopardstown at the weekend were his first of 2023 and he was successful on the Gavin Cromwell-trained Perceval Legallois in a big handicap hurdle.

However, his first ride on Sunday, Willie Mullins’ Risk Belle, fell at the fifth in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle and Walsh was taken immediately to hospital.

Perceval Legallois won on Saturday for Mark Walsh
Perceval Legallois won on Saturday for Mark Walsh (Donall Farmer/PA)

“He’s going to be off for at least another three or four weeks,” said McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry.

“He’s seeing his surgeon in a fortnight and then he’ll know more. He’s out of hospital now at least.

“He’s done some damage to vertebrae, but he’s home and he’s in good form. He’ll know more after he’s seen his surgeon.”

Precautionary X-rays for luckless Mark Walsh after fall

/in /by

Mark Walsh was taken for precautionary X-rays after a heavy fall at Leopardstown on Sunday.

The rider was partnering 5-2 favourite Risk Belle in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle when the filly came down at the fifth flight.

Walsh, who only returned from a previous injury lay-off on Saturday, was taken to hospital for further examination, missing his later two rides on the second day of the Dublin Racing Festival.

Dr Jennifer Pugh, senior medical officer for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, said: “Mark Walsh has been stood down for the day following his fall in Race One.

“He has been transferred to St. Vincent’s Hospital for precautionary X-rays but was conscious at all times and moving all limbs.”

Saint Roi swoops for Grade One victory at Leopardstown

/in /by

Saint Roi came from last to first to open his account over fences in the Brand New Racing Post App Novice Chase at Leopardstown.

Fourth in the Irish Champion Hurdle, the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Punchestown Champion Hurdle last season, the JP McManus-owned seven-year-old had found the reopposing Fil Dor four lengths too strong on his chasing debut at Navan last month.

The pair again dominated the betting, with Fil Dor the 8-11 favourite to confirm his superiority and Saint Roi a 3-1 shot for Willie Mullins and Mark Walsh.

Visionarian gave a bold sight in front for much of the Grade One contest, with a couple of jumping mistakes late in the back straight putting Fil Dor on the back foot.

Walsh, meanwhile, bided his time aboard Saint Roi before producing him to challenge for the lead approaching the final fence.

Visionarian, the 25-1 rank outsider, did his best to make a race of it, but Saint Roi’s class kicked in on the level and he proved two and a quarter lengths too strong in the end.

Paddy Power cut the winner to 14-1 from 25-1 for the Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham in March.

Mark Walsh with Saint Roi at Leopardstown
Mark Walsh with Saint Roi at Leopardstown (Brian Lawless/PA)

Mullins, saddling his third winner on the card, said: “I thought he ran very well against a horse that had already had a run in Navan. If he’d won we’d be coming here anyway so rather than running in another beginners chase, I thought let him have a crack at a good prize.

“He jumps well enough and he’d schooled very well in the meantime. We decided to change the tactics. JP (McManus) was wondering would he be better waited with and Mark agreed. He’s a nice prospect for the rest of the season.

“He’s not the biggest horse in the world but he jumps very efficiently. He’s also a lot more sensible over a fence than a hurdle.

“He had a hurdle rating good enough to run in championship races but was probably not a champion hurdler himself.”