Dinoblue shrugs off last-fence drama in Fairyhouse victory

Dinoblue survived a final-fence blunder to land the YellowFord & Drumlin John & Chich Fowler Memorial Irish EBF Mares Chase at Fairyhouse.

Ridden by Mark Walsh for trainer Willie Mullins and owner JP McManus, the chestnut was the 1-4 favourite to begin the year with victory at Grade Three level in a small field of three.

She cantered into the home straight with a clear lead and seemed well on her way to justifying her odds, but an ungainly effort at the last saw her climb through the birch and almost unseat the jockey.

The partnership stayed intact and eventually the win was comfortable on the line as Dinoblue came home seven lengths ahead of Gordon Elliott’s Shecouldbeanything.

David Casey, assistant to Mullins, said: “She jumped great until the last, she just stood back a bit when the race was over.

“Up to the last she was brilliant, but she just came out of Mark’s hands. Mark had the race put to bed and she decided she’d make a bit of excitement.

“You’d love loads more like her, she’s brilliant. She’s really consistent, even the days she gets beat she runs her race.

“Hopefully she’ll go back (to Cheltenham) and try to win the mares’ race again. I’d imagine she’ll run somewhere in between, there is Leopardstown and the Opera Hat.”

Mullins and Walsh also teamed up with Kaid d’Authie (5-6 favourite) to land the Grimes Estate Agents Beginners Chase

Place De La Nation made the Fred Kenny Memorial Mares Hurdle seem a formality with a five-and-a-half-length victory as the 1-16 favourite.

Another Mullins-trained mare, she was ridden by Jack Kennedy for owners Gigginstown House Stud and dropped back to two miles successfully to win with little fuss.

Casey said: “Jack said it was straightforward, she jumped well and quickened well.

“He said it was pretty simple, it looked that way beforehand so thankfully there was no drama.

“If they were all as easy as that it would be great, but it doesn’t work like that unfortunately!

“The Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle is back here in a month so we might have a look at that.”

The same rider struck again with Spinningayarn in the Easter Festival Early Bird Tickets On Sale Now Maiden Hurdle.

This time riding for Gordon Elliott, the 5-6 favourite secured a comfortable seven-and-a-half-length victory to get off the mark over hurdles after finishing third on debut at Clonmel.

Elliott said: “We had a run and we knew he’d stay. He’s a grand, honest, straightforward horse. He’s probably more of a chaser down the road but he’s a nice horse.

“He probably got stuck on the worst of the ground the last day and it just didn’t happen for him. We kept it simple today.

“We’ll try to find a rated novice for him.”

It was a successful afternoon for Kennedy, who also took the TheTravelShop.ie Handicap Hurdle aboard Ian Donoghue’s 7-2 joint-favourite Midleton Rare.