Limerick jockey in winners enclosure on opening day of new flat racing season

IT'S LIKELY the Curragh’s mile maiden for three-year-olds and up on Sunday produced a pretty smart winner in the form of Victory Tip, ridden by Ballingarry jockey Billy Lee and trained by Henry De Bromhead.

This horse was picked out of a National Hunt sale for €10,000 and could have a nice future under any code, judged by the way he cut through a big field to win by over a length at 16-1 on the opening day of the new flat season.

Limerick jockey Lee later said on Racing TV: “Henry said try to get him settled in midfield, but he walked out the stalls so I just left him alone. They went a good gallop and I let him find his feet. We got to halfway and I have him a squeeze and he came alive. It was a nice performance.

“He sliced through them and went on that ground fine and I had a job pulling him up. He was probably the only horse today that went to the white boards at the end of the track. Chris Jones owns him so maybe he will end up hurdling but they have plenty to look forward to.”

It’s nice when a plan comes together. That’s what Curragh trainer Padraig Roche was thinking when Saratoga won with the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle with some authority by over two lengths at the Cheltenham Festival last week.

This horse was certainly bred for the job as a half-brother to many good horses, including Irish Derby winner Capri and Brazil who won this same race in 2022.

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He had been held in three maiden hurdles before last week at Cheltenham when he raced prominently. Once Mark Walsh asked the grey to extend, the result was not in doubt and he returned at 10-1.

It was an 85th success at the meeting for Limerick businessman JP McManus on his 75th birthday.

“Every winner at Cheltenham is very, very special,” the legendary owner said.

“I go back a long way with Padraig’s father Christy. I owned the horse’s [half] brother a couple of years ago, Brazil. They were praying that the ground would be fast, as he bounces off it. They were worried the ground might be a bit too soft for him a couple of weeks ago, but every day it was drying out. We are very happy with the horse.”

For his part, Roche said: “We came here by near enough the same route when we won this with Brazil and after Christmas we thought we might have a chance. So we’ve had it in mind for a while.

“We would only have 12 or 13 jumpers and five or six for the Flat - that’s all we have. Today was what mattered. We’ll find out if he’s a bit better than a handicapper down the road.”

Dinoblue was the middle pin of a Willie Mullins treble on Friday, battling to a margin just shy of two lengths in the Grade 2 Mares’ Chase. Mark Walsh did the steering on the 11-8 favourite who was winning the race for the second year straight.

Mullins said: “She’s a lovely mare. They’re a good match, Mark and Dinoblue. Her jumping was extraordinary, and if you had a horse which jumped like that every day of the week, it would make this game very easy.”

Upcoming Fixtures:

Tuesday, March 17 Down Royal NH (first race 1.18pm) & Wexford NH (first race 1.37pm)

Thursday, March 19 Cork NH (first race 2.30pm)

Friday, March 20 Dundalk (first race 4.37pm)

Saturday, March 21 Navan NH (first race 1.55pm)

Sunday, March 22 Limerick NH (first race 1.53pm) & Naas (first race 1.35pm)