The Avondhu

Great weekend for Hayes

LIMERICK

Charles Byrnes was on the mark at Limerick on Sunday where the Jack Gilligan-ridden Cafe Con Leche won the two-mile opportunity handicap hurdle in great style. The 10/1 shot, owned by the trainer’s son Cathal, had any amount in hand as he beat the Brendan Walsh-trained It’sallabouteve by four lengths. Happy Dreams landed the two-mile three-furlong handicap chase for Shannon owner/trainer Michael McDonagh. A winner at Fairyhouse last month and a runner-up at Limerick on his previous start, the Sean O’Keeffe-ridden 7/4 favourite came with a late effort to beat the front-running Shark Hanlon-trained Take All by a neck, with the Eric McNamara-trained Falco Blitz half a length away in third place. It was the six-year-old’s second success at Greenmount.

Queen Jane was another winner for Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore as she landed the novice handicap chase in grand style in the novice handicap chase at Limerick on Sunday. A 3/1 chance in the colours of Angus Potterton, she came from well off the pace to lead at the final fence and beat the Michael McDonagh-trained Battle Of Mirbat by four and three-parts of a length.

NAAS

Chris Hayes certainly had a weekend to remember. The Aidan Howard-trained Magical Vision was another winner for Hayes (also a winner on Friday in Dundalk and on Saturday at the Curragh) as she won the near six-furlong handicap at Naas on Sunday. The six-yearold, a 6/1 chance, held off the late surge of the Joseph Murray-trained Mickey The Steel by a head to win in the colours of the trainer’s partner Alana Insole. Mark Enright and trainer Fozzy Stack took the seven-furlong handicap with Chazzesmee which scored in convincing fashion to add to an all-weather success at Dundalk in January. The strong 11/8 chance was eased in the final strides as he beat the Jim Bolger-trained Vocal Studies by a length and three-parts in the colours of the trainer’s mother, Liz.

Andy Slattery and his son Andrew were winners again where Senado Square landed the five-furlong handicap at odds of 5/2 favourite. The three-year-old led inside the final furlong and was well on top at the line as he beat the Edward Lynam-trained Disco Bear by two lengths. Paddington gave Aidan O’Brien his first success of the season when taking the Irish Racing Writers Carmel Kirwan And Loretta O’Hanlon Memorial Madrid Handicap. Another successful favourite, the 6/4 chance led over a furlong from the finish to beat the Michael Mulvany-trained Duke Of Leggagh under Ryan Moore. O’Brien also won the eight-furlong fillies’ maiden with Jackie Oh which was partnered by Seamie Heffernan. The 4/1 chance battled well to get the better of her own Ryan Moore-ridden stable companion and 4/6 favourite Red Riding Hood by half a length.

CURRAGH

The big winner at the Curragh on the opening day of the season on Saturday was Chris Hayes, who partnered the William Haggas-trained Lattam to a last-gasp success in the Paddy Power Irish Lincolnshire. The 8/1 chance didn’t enjoy the clearest of runs but he picked up well deep inside the final furlong and got up on the line to deny the Ado McGuinness-trained Saltonstall by a shorthead. It was the first British-trained winner of the race. Billy Lee landed a notable success of his own when taking the Group 3 Lodge Park Stud Irish EBF Park Express Stakes on the six-year-old Insinuendo. The Willie McCreery-trained mare was all the rage in the betting and scored in great style at odds of even-money favourite. She beat the Ger Lyonstrained Redressed by a length and a half in the colours of the Deegan Racing Syndicate.

Joseph O’Brien landed a double and Shane Crosse completed the trainer’s brace with a comfortable success on 4/1 chance Shadowed in the seven-furlong maiden. Owned by the EuroLindy Syndicate, the three-year-old raced up with the pace throughout and came home two and a quarter lengths to the good over the Michael Mulvany-trained Something Nice. O’Brien had earlier been a winner with the Dylan Browne McMonagle-ridden 6/5 favourite Honey Girl.

DUNDALK

On the eve of the new Flat season, Chris Hayes was among the winners at Dundalk on Friday evening where he partnered the George Kingston-trained Hero Of The Hour to land the six-furlong handicap. The 3/1 favourite, owned by David Hoey, had loads in hand as he beat the McAuley-trained Pulse Of Shanghai by a length and a half. The 100/30 chance Sea Chariot was a winner for trainer John Murphy. Ridden by Scott McCullagh, the three-year-old led early inside the final furlong to beat the Johnny Murtagh-trained Artemis Jones by half a length in the colours of the Hewins Hoare Partnership.

Thedevilscoachman jumped to the head of the early betting for the BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday with a cosy success in the Grade 3 Hugh McMahon Memorial Novice Chase.

Denis O’Regan had an easy time of it on the JP McManus-owned 11/8 favourite which led after the final fence to beat 13/8 chance Grandero Bello by two and a half lengths for trainer Noel Meade.

Burren Song scored for the father and son team of Andy and Andrew Slattery when taking the 10-furlong handicap. It was tight at the line as the 11/2 chance held off the determined challenge of the John Nallen-trained Cristal Clere by just a shorthead in the colours of Patrick McNamara. The young jockey was back in the winners’ enclosure as the David Marnane-trained Amemri took the seven-furlong handicap at odds of 40/1. A neck was the winning margin this time as the three-year-old got on top close to the finish to win from the Kevin Coleman-trained Fleetfootsoldier.

CORK

The father and son team of Eric and Conor McNamara shared a winner at a rain sodden Cork on Thursday where Storm Mahler scored a narrow success in the two and a half-mile handicap hurdle. An 8/1 chance in the colours of owner Michael Hannon, the five-year-old came with his challenge between the final two hurdles and he battled well to beat the Liam O’Brientrained 7/4 favourite Mighty Jeremy by a neck. John Kiely was back in the winners’ enclosure for the first time since his unforgettable Cheltenham Festival success eight days previously as Penny Glory won the ladies’ bumper under a confident Maxine O’Sullivan. In the colours of owner Veronica Sherwood, the 9/4 chance led early in the straight to beat the Mags Mullins-trained Armed And Fabulous by a cosy three and three-parts of a length.

The card also produced winners for Conor and Charlie O’Dwyer and Willie and Patrick Mullins. A winner at Thurles on the previous Saturday, Killinure Lass followed up for trainer Brian McMahon with a narrow win in the two and a half-mile handicap hurdle for amateur riders. Ridden by Swedish jockey Elliot Ohgren, the 7/2 shot led approaching the final hurdle and had a little in hand as she beat the Gavin Cromwell-trained 7/4 favourite Jump The Shark by half a length. The 25-year-old winning jockey works for champion trainer Willie Mullins and was a champion jockey himself in Sweden. It was his first winner in Ireland. Meanwhile, Rachael Blackmore rode her first winner for Curragh trainer James Nash as 100/30 chance Snapius took the opening maiden hurdle at the meet. In the colours of the Fiveohclock Syndicate, the four-year-old battled well to get the better of the Gordon Elliott-trained 5/6 favourite Calico by half a length.

CLONMEL

Daniel King gave trainer Denis Hogan his second winner in as many days as Bal De Rio landed the opening claiming hurdle at Clonmel on Tuesday. The well-supported 9/2 chance led after the final hurdle to beat the Gordon Elliott-trained Boothen Boy and Denis O’Regan by a length. Sean Aherne landed the beginners’ chase with the nine-year-old Johngus. In the Conna trainer’s own colours, the 4/1 chance recovered from a couple of early jumping errors to race clear from the second-last fence to beat the Eoin McCarthy-trained Clounts Pride by an easy 17 lengths under Phillip Enright. Paul Townend teamed up with Willie Mullins to take the feature Suir Blueway Chase on the veteran Bachasson, which had little difficulty in justifying his favourite’s tag in the two and a halfmile event. Owned by Catherine O’Connell, the 12-year-old previously won the race in 2020 and in beating the Declan Queally-trained My Design by seven lengths under Paul Townend, he became the sixth consecutive winning favourite of the race for Mullins.

UPCOMING FIXTURES

Limerick – Thursday, March 30 (first race 1.40pm); Naas – Thursday, March 30 (first race 2.32pm); Dundalk – Friday, March 31 (first race 5.30pm); Wexford – Friday, March 31 (first race 4.40pm); Bellewstown – Saturday, April 1 (first race 1.20pm); Leopardstown – Sunday, April 2 (first race 2pm); Downpatrick – Sunday, April 2 (First Race 1.40pm).

SPORT

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2023-03-30T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-30T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://avondhu.pressreader.com/article/283850102621618

The Avondhu (Ireland)