DOUBLE SUCCESS FOR BURKE

Local trainer Liam Burke paid tribute to the late Jerry Nolan after Rebel Early won the two and a half-mile handicap hurdle at Cork on Saturday under Doneraile’s Darragh O’Keeffe. The 11/1 chance was nicely clear over the final hurdle as she beat the Dick Lalor-trained Carrigeen Lotus by five lengths in the colours of the Simply The Best Syndicate. Afterwards, Burke said, “It is a shame Jerry isn’t around but that’s it unfortunately. Jerry was with me since 1986 and was my backbone all the time. We had Thyne Again which gave us some great days and he brought us to Cheltenham.”

Bandon owner/trainer Padraig Butler won the concluding bumper with the Darragh Allen-ridden six-year-old Fons Vivus. A point-to-point winner at Boulta only last month, she was sent off at odds of 9/1 and comfortably scored by four and three-parts of a length from the Denis Hogan-trained Henning. Butler said, “I’m delighted with that. She won in Boulta in December and after that, we knew she liked the soft ground and were delighted to see the meeting go ahead after the inspection this morning. She is a lovely mare and her half-brother Final Nudge was second in the Veterans Final at Sandown earlier today. All credit to Darragh, we’ve had great success with him in point-to-points and he rode my first track winner at Galway last October.”

Davy Russell and Gordon Elliott combined to win the two-mile maiden hurdle with the Royal’s & Blue Syndicate-owned Ebasari. The 15/2 chance did not go unsupported in the pre-race betting markets and readily got the better of the Willie Mullins-trained Adamantly Chosen, the 1/4 favourite, by three-parts of a length. Russell commented afterwards, “His work was good at home, he had schooled well and handled the ground surprisingly well for a Flat horse. The syndicate had good fun with Silver Star with Gordon in the past, so hopefully this fella can bring them on another step.”

The Charles Byrnes-trained All Those Years landed quite a gamble when winning the opening rated novice hurdle at Cork on Saturday. The eight-year-old was running for the first time since November 2020 and made light of the absence when getting up late on to beat the Barry Connell-trained De Lady In Red by half a length. Mark Walsh carried the JP McManus colours on the winner which was backed from 7/1 to 9/4 favourite.

Henry de Bromhead supplied Rachael Blackmore with her first winner of the New Year when sending out Shantreusse to take the three-mile maiden hurdle at the meet. A strong 4/6 favourite in the colours of owner Anthony Head, the six-year-old led at the second last hurdle and looked to have the race in safe keeping when left clear over the final hurdle as the Jimmy Mangan-trained Mahler Allstar sprawled on landing and unshipped Sean O’Keeffe. The winner came home all of 17 lengths ahead of the Johnny Hurley-trained Corbeau.

John Flavin won the two and a half-mile handicap chase with the gambled-on Street Value which was ridden by in-form Danny Mullins. The 9/4 chance readily got the better of the Philip Fenton-trained 2/1 favourite Carrolls Cottage by six lengths.

Meanwhile at Fairyhouse on Sunday, although out of luck with runner-up Blackbow in the featured Dan & Joan Moore Handicap Chase, Paul Townend and Willie Mullins landed the beginners’ chase with the hugely promising five-year-old Saint Sam. A strong 11/10 favourite, the Edward Ware-owned gelding hardly put a foot wrong as he made all the running to beat Noel Meade’ s The devils coach man by nine length son his chasing and seasonal debut.

Conditional jockey Eoin Walsh and Noel Meade teamed up to win the rated novice chase with the Gigginstown House Stud-owned grey Farceur Du Large. The seven-year-old made much of the running and eased clear before the final fence, as he accounted for the Liz Doyle-trained Flash De Touzaine by three lengths at odds of 13/2.

Liam Burke landed his second winner of the weekend when the Finny Maguire-ridden Heliko Conti took the bumper. Owned by Niall McGuinness and Peter Mulvany, the 18/1 chance didn’t enjoy the best of runs in the straight, but once in the clear flew home to deny the Willie Mullins-trained 5/6 favourite Grivei by half a length.

John Ryan landed a 22/1 winner at Clonmel last Thursday where Bitview Colin won the two-mile handicap chase. With Littleton’s Liam Quinlan in the saddle, the Imelda O’Riordan-owned 11-year-old battled well to hold off the sustained challenge of the Robert Tyner-trained Nelly’s Money by half a length, to record his fifth win and his first since the Listowel festival in 2020.

Apprentice Daniel King rode the sixth winner of his career when completing a double for County Meath-based Andrew McNamara at Dundalk last Wednesday week. McNamara had shared his opening success with Limerick youngster Wesley Joyce who partnered the Dr Margaret Heffernan-owned Ellabella to a narrow win in the opening division of the eight-furlong apprentice handicap. He then won the first leg of the 10-furlong handicap with the Henry Lappin-owned Kingslayer, the mount of l King. The 15/2 shot edged badly right inside the final furlong and survived a stewards’ enquiry after beating the James McAuley-trained House Of Kings by three-parts of a length.

UPCOMING FIXTURES

Dundalk – Friday, January 14 (first race 4.45pm); Fairyhouse – Saturday, January 15 (first race 12.15pm); Punchestown – Sunday, January 16 (first race 12.45pm).