Darragh O'Keeffe records another double to go six clear in jockeys' championship

The first leg was vociferously welcomed back into the winner’s enclosure as the horse, the Arthur O’Grady-trained Malinas Glory, had been placed on seven of his 22 previous outings but never managed to get his head in front. Held up in midfield this time, he moved to challenge shortly after turning for home, led over the last, and pulled clear on the short run-in to win the Racing Again Tomorrow Handicap Chase.

“It was a while coming, but he did it nicely in the end,” said O’Grady. “He’s owned by a syndicate from Dublin, Kerry, Waterford, and a few local lads, and it’s always nice to win for a syndicate.” 

O’Keeffe caused a real upset in the Killinan Maiden Hurdle when 40-1 chance Therellbguddaysyet collared odds-on favourite Foreverwalking in the closing stages. The winner, trained by Mikey O’Connor, was trainer ridden when last of six finishers here last week, but he proved a different prospect this time. O’Keeffe wound him up for a late challenge and as the favourite struggled to pick up after the last, he quickened by him to score by three parts of a length.

The feature race on the card was the listed Racing TV Black Friday Offer Chase and only two of the five declared runners went to post for his one, and one of those, Fil Dor, was sent off at odds of 1-40.

Trained by Gordon Elliott, the grey made all the running and even if he got in a little close at the final fence, his rider, Jack Kennedy, was in complete control as he pushed him out up the run-in to keep sole rival Hazelhatch Lady at bay.

Four horses, with a spread of reasons, were taken out of the opener and while there were just three runners and a 2-13 favourite, there was still time for some drama. Boldog was sent off the long odds-on market leader and looked in control as he amassed a sizable advantage from an early stage. However, he was unable to sustain his effort from the final fence, after which he was reeled in by the Philip Rothwell-trained and Daniel King-ridden That’s About Right. The runner-up was subsequently reported to have blood in both nostrils.

The four runners at the top of the morning market for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Maiden Hurdle were all non-runners, leaving Beauforts Storm to assume the mantle of favourite. Even prices as short as 2-7 proved too tempting for punters as she was backed into 1-5, and she duly obliged. Hurdling debutant Mile End kept her honest the whole way but the favourite, trained by Tim Doyle and ridden by David Doyle, was comfortably too good for her only serious rival.

There was a dramatic finish to the www.thurlesraces.ie Maiden Hurdle in which Party Dress, ridden by Ricky Doyle for Willie McCreery, got up in the final stride to land the spoils. Scriabin was in front rank throughout and when he quickened up again after the final flight it looked as though he might prevail. However, Doyle got a great tune out of his mount and, with the width of the track between them, it needed the judge to confirm that his mount, Party Dress, had prevailed.

The finale was the Horse & Jockey Hotel Hurdle and Brave Troop made a winning start for Charles Byrnes. A smart sort on the Flat when trained by Barry Fitzgerald, he had shown only a modicum of ability in four previous runs over hurdles but the switch to handicapping for the first time clearly suited. A long way off the pace but still travelling as they left the back for the final time, he made rapid progress through the field, jumped the final flight in front, and duly went on to victory.

“The main thing was to get over his last (hurdle) run when he fell but he got him around nicely and he settled,” said Cathal Byrnes. “We were fortunate to get this type of ground in November, and now we'll probably tip away with him on the all-weather for the rest of the year."