Winners galore for Limerick racing connections

BALLINGARRY jockey Billy Lee’s fine association with trainer Paddy Twomey is one to keep an eye on and the pair landed the big race at Leopardstown on Wednesday where Pearls Galore impressed with her success in the Listed Gradguide Heritage Stakes.

A very strong 4/5 favourite, she raced up with the pace and went clear inside the final furlong to win by two and a half-lengths from the Ado McGuinness-trained Pretreville with Jessica Harrington’s Cadillac a length further behind in third place.

Twomey said, "I picked the race out a good while ago but I thought the ground would be softer. My owner was less keen than me to run but I liked the idea of running in a prep race like this. I had to convince my owner that it was a good idea.

"The Ridgewood Pearl Stakes at the Curragh and the Duke Of Cambridge at Royal Ascot are likely options but she is in the Lockinge and I wouldn't rule running in that race out.”

Athea trainer Eoin McCarthy landed a local success at Limerick on Thursday where the Denis Enright-owned Name Me Famous scored a narrow success in the two-mile handicap hurdle. A 22/1 chance under Richie Deegan, the six-year-old led before the penultimate hurdle to win by three-parts of a length from the Ray Hackett-trained Sequoiaspirit, with McCarthy’s Dylan Lombardy taking third place.

Ballingarry-based Richard O'Brien gave Danny Mullins his second winner of the afternoon as Sparkling Stars took the two-mile five-furlong handicap hurdle at odds of 11/5 favourite. The seven-year-old got the better of the Mary Ellen Doyle-trained Francois by three-parts of a length.

Trainer Michael Mulvany was full of praise for Limerick apprentice Wesley Joyce who partnered Red Heel to a narrow victory in the fillies’ handicap over seven furlongs at Gowran Park on Thursday. Although 3lbs out of the handicap proper, the five-year-old made much of the running to win by half a length from the Johnny Murtagh-trained Mise Le Meas at odds of 16/1.

Mulvany said, “We’ve learned that she runs better without the whip and Wesley gave her a fine ride. Starting off today I thought she might need the run. She’s a tough lady and seems to be getting stronger.”

Moyross jockey Joyce was a winner again at Dundalk the following evening where he teamed up with Navan trainer Liam McAteer to win the 12-furlong handicap on Decorated Guest. The 14/1 chance led inside the final furlong to get the better of the Joseph O'Brien-trained Buenaventura by three-parts of a length.

Bruree-based trainer Enda Bolger gave County Cork conditional rider John Shinnick his first winner over jumps when L’Impertinent took the maiden hurdle as racing returned to Ballinrobe of the first time in 2022 on Friday evening. The Fermoy man made all the running on the 11/1 chance to beat Denis Hogan’s 3/1 favourite Mahons Glory by four lengths in the same JP McManus colours that had been carried to Grade 1 success at Aintree by both Fakir D'oudairies and Jonbon earlier in the day. Bolger said, “He got away in front and got a clever ride from John, it’s a track where you can do that and his jumping was very slick.”

Shanagolden jockey Chris Hayes landed a double at the Curragh on Sunday where he rode winners for two younger members of the training ranks. He teamed up with Jack Davison to take the six-furlong maiden on Joyous Moment which is owned and bred by Brian Dolan.

The 12/1 shot came from well off the pace to beat the Johnny Murtagh-trained New York Dreams by half a length. There was a notable conclusion to the afternoon as rookie trainer John O’Donoghue saddled his first winner. Operating from John Oxx’s yard, O’Donoghue won the six-furlong handicap with York Thoroughbred Racing-owned Cailin Cliste, the 25/1 chance coming from well off the pace under Hayes to beat the Dick Brabazon-trained Let’s Behave by three-parts of a length.

O’Donoghue said, “Training in Ireland was always something that myself and my wife Jodi wanted to do. I spent the last six years in England, the latter part with Roger Varian. The opportunity to move into Currabeg came up and we took it with both hands.”

Terrific Irish success with a winner-a-day at Aintree:

Irish-trained horses were very much to the fore over the three days of the Aintree Festival with the 50/1 success of Noble Yeats in the Grand National itself very much the icing on the cake.

Emmet Mullins’ charge became the first seven-year-old to win the race since 1940 when prevailing under amateur rider Sam Waley-Cohen. Owned by the winning rider’s father Robert, Noble Yeats got the better of the Ted Walsh-trained Any Second #

Now, runner-up in the race last year and the 15/2 favourite this time, by two and a quarter lengths with Gordon Elliott’s Delta Work, a 10/1 chance, 20 lengths away in third place a dream result for connection and Mullins who was winning with his first runner in the world-famous race.

Elliott had saddled Three Stripe Life to win the Grade 1 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle under Davy Russell earlier in the day and there was further big-race success for Ireland as the Willie Mullins-trained Gentleman De Mee and Mark Walsh won the Grade 1 Maghull Novices’ Chase in the colours of JP McManus.

Mullins and his son Patrick took the Grade 2 mares’ bumper with the Blue Blood Racing Club-owned Ashroe Diamond beating Gavin Cromwell’s Law Ella in Thursday’s finale while on Friday, Fakir D'oudairies repeated last year’s win in the Grade 1 Marsh Chase for Joseph O'Brien and Mark Walsh, another success for JP McManus who was inducted into the Aintree Hall Of Fame on Saturday.

Upcoming Fixtures:

Tramore – Monday, April 11 (First Race 4.30pm)

Dundalk – Tuesday, April 12 (First Race 5.30pm)

Gowran Park – Wednesday, April 13 (First Race 4.15pm)

Clonmel – Thursday, April 14 (First Race 4.15pm)

Cork – Saturday, April 16 (First Race 1.40pm)

Fairyhouse – Saturday, April 16 (First Race 1.55pm)

Fairyhouse – Sunday, April 17 (First Race 2pm)

Cork – Sunday, April 17 (First Race 1.10pm)