9 February 2023 - Flipbook - Page 71
HORSEWEEK
FARMWEEK
APRIL 01 2021
71
Downpatrick hosts competitive
Ulster Grand National
BOLD DISPLAY: ‘Big Leg Up’ (Simon
Cavanagh), trained by Banbridge based Jerry
Cosgrave, gave a bold display of jumping to win
the hunterchase at Downpatrick.
(FW13-508SO)
TROPHY: Peter Stewart, Chairman of Downpatrick Racecourse,
presents the winning trophy to former Champion trainer, Arthur Moore,
following ‘Fag An Bealach’ landing the £50,000 feature. (FW13-512SO)
By Shaun O’Dea
T
HE Arthur Moore trained ‘Fag An
Bealach’, partnered by Darragh
O’Keefe - who was celebrating his 21st
birthday - proved the facile winner
of a very competitive renewal of the
Ulster Grand National at Downpatrick on
Sunday, March 21.
The winner of the £50,000 feature improved
steadily in the nal mile and led before the
last prior to stretching clear on the run to the
line. The locally trained pair ‘Flinck’ (50/1)
and ‘Askann’ (16/1) nished runner up and
third respectively.
Moore, a former Champion Irish trainer,
is familiar with Grand National success,
having sent out the locally owned
‘Organisedconfusion’ to win the 2011 Irish
Grand National.
Moore said: “This is a great day. I rode the
winner in my time for Willie Rooney (from
Glengormey), the grandfather of my son-inlaw (Kevin Ross) and previously trained the
winner. I was half keeping her for the three
mile novice handicap in Navan and she didn’t
get in and we are probably lucky because this
race suited her very well and the ground was
perfect for her. This was her rst time over
further than two miles four furlongs - her
dam is a half-sister to ‘Niche Market’, an Irish
National winner, so there was no reason why
she wouldn’t stay.
“She is only a seven-year-old and I had
thought this race was for older horses and it
worked well her getting in down the bottom of
the weights, so it is all in front of her.”
Moore added that his Down Royal bumper
winner last week, ‘Me Too Please’ is entered
for the online sale of horses on Wednesday.
Banbridge trainer, Jerry Cosgrave, having
watched two of his graduates win at the
highest level at the Cheltenham Festival,
recorded success in the hunterchase, when
‘Big Leg Up’ with Simon Cavanagh aboard, won
the contest in a canter. The winner caught the
eye improving before four out, travelling well
and giving a bold jumping display to lead over
the last, where favourite ‘Saint Benedict’ fell
when beaten.
ULSTER GRAND NATIONAL: The Arthur Moore trained, ‘Fag An Bealach’
partnered by Darragh O’Keefe, leads over the last to land the Ulster
Grand National at Downpatrick, with the local pair ‘Askann’ (third),
extreme right and ‘Flinck’ (second), black and white, two from right.
(FW13-507SO)
Cosgrave said: “He’s massive and he stays.
He wouldn’t be the fastest in the world, but
stays and gallops. He just laid back off it and
they went too fast. He dropped him in well
because there was no point in going after it.
He has scope to burn and he is a serious horse
to jump altogether. He has been working
brilliantly and I did expect a good run today.”
The locally trained, ‘San Lorenzo’ (150s to
40/1) attempted to make all in the opener,
but was headed at the nal ight nishing
third. Gold Cup winning jockey Jack Kennedy
on ‘Stranger Danger’ attempted to get a run
up the inside at the last, as ‘Gelee Blanche’
challenged wider, however Kennedy was able
to switch to the outside close to home and
prevail.
Stable representative, Ian Amond said: “He
had a bit of experience with the two runs over
hurdles and the better ground suited him
well. He stays at it well. It’s nice to get him
off the mark. He looked in a bit of trouble at
the last, but he picked up well in the straight
and stayed going. He’ll go for that nal in
Punchestown.”
Class told in the Rated Novice Hurdle, when
Mark Walsh dictated from the front and
made all to score on the Ted Walsh trained,
‘Pure Genius’. The winner (5s to 11/4 ) always
travelled ultra well at the head of affairs and
readily held the challenges of ‘Bold Enough’,
which raced second and ‘Mitchouka’.
Walsh said: “He settled well in front and
did it well. He won over three miles at
Punchestown, he stays and he jumps. He’ll
make a nice chaser next year - he’s a ne big,
scopey horse and he’s not short of pace. He
loves jumping. Maybe Punchestown (next);
Fairyhouse is coming up in two weeks time
and might be a bit quick for him.”
The James Nash trained, ‘My Manekineko’
was produced late with Mikey O’Connor
aboard - leading at the last and keeping on
best on the climb to the line in the handicap
hurdle.
O’Connor said: “He is some servant. He still
loves his job and that’s a great sign in a horse.
There seems to be plenty more races left in
him going off that run. I sat on him the other
day and he was ying, so I thought he would
take the beating today. The ground was in his
favour. James (Nash) was condent.”
‘Springeld Lodge’ was left in the lead
when the front running ‘Drummullagh Rocky’
crashed out four from home in the handicap
chase, but having been clear, had to dig deep
to hold ‘Mullaghmurphy Blue’ close to the
line and supply jockey, Jordan Gainford with
a double.
The John McConnell trained debutante,
‘Drumbear’ with Ben Harvey aboard, made
virtually all to land the bumper beating off all
challengers during the race.
McConnell said: “We thought he was a nice
horse. He’s very big and a baby and he is just
going to get better.”
WINNING DEBUT: ‘Drumbear’ (Ben Harvey)
made all at Downpatrick for an impressive
winning debut and looks the horse to note.
(FW13-511SO)
CLASS ACT: ‘Pure Genius’ (Mark Walsh)
proved a class act, making all to win the Rated
Handicap Hurdle at Downpatrick.
(FW13-509SO)
Concerns expressed
regarding suspension
of point-to-point racing
THE Irish Joint Committee on Agriculture
and the Marine has written to the Taoiseach
and also the Irish Minister for Agriculture,
Food and the Marine regarding the ongoing
suspension of point-to-point racing.
At last Monday’s Committee meeting,
it was agreed that the Chairperson of the
Joint Committee on Agriculture and the
Marine would express serious concerns in
relation to the suspension of point-to-point
racing due to Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions.
Chair Jackie Cahill, TD, explained: “The
Committee requests that point-to-point
racing be allowed to recommence under
strict safety protocols as a matter of
urgency. Horse racing and show jumping
events have been permitted to take place
under such safety protocols, and similar
dispensation should be extended to the
point-to-point format.”
The Committee previously wrote to the
Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and the
Marine on February 18, with a response
subsequently received by the Committee.
The Committee makes this latest request
in the context of upcoming discussions
on easing Covid-19 restrictions, and the
importance for the horse sport industry
and the livelihoods of those involved.
Chair Cahill added: “The safety protocols
put in place to allow horse racing to
continue behind closed doors should
be considered to allow a resumption of
point-to-point. Although the Committee
welcomes the ve additional National
Hunt meetings this month, a return of the
point-to-point racing format is needed
to showcase horses. Point-to-point is the
nursery for Ireland’s extremely successful
horse racing industry and its suspension
has serious implications for the bloodstock
industry and the broader rural economy.”
For more information about the work of the
Committee on Agriculture and the Marine,
see the Committee webpage: https://
www.oireachtas.ie/
en/committees/33/
agriculture-and-the-marine/
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DOWNHILL RUN: The view of the Ulster Grand National on the downhill
run at Downpatrick, with the winner ‘Fag An Bealach’, joint leader on the OPENER: ‘Stranger Danger’ (Jack Kennedy), pictured inside, prior to
claiming the opening maiden hurdle at Downpatrick. (FW13-510SO)
outside. (FW13-513SO)
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