Gordon Elliott made sure he left Cheltenham with a Grade 1 to cherish after Wodhooh dug out a gutsy one length victory in the Mares’ Hurdle as the odds-on 5-6 favourite.
Jack Kennedy was on the hardy, classy mare, owned by the Sundowners Partnership, who also won at the meeting a year earlier in the Martin Pipe Hurdle for conditional jockeys.
Wodhooh defeated Jade De Grugy, trained by Willie Mullins, with Paul Nolan’s Feet Of A Dancer in third in an Irish 1-2-3.
Elliott said: “It’s hard to get winners here but we’re on the board now. The race worked out great; Jack gave her a peach of a ride. She idled a bit halfway up the straight but picked up again - she’s something else. It’s hard to know just how good she is, because to be fair to her she doesn’t do anything fancy at home, but we’re lucky to have her. My own feeling is that she needs two and a half miles.”
The Dingle jockey added: “I was very happy the whole way. She just hit a bit of a flat spot coming down the hill, which she can do, and I probably gave her a bit of a squeeze a bit early and got there plenty soon enough on her but she’s so honest nothing was going to get by her in the straight.”
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Wodhooh’s connections celebrate at Cheltenham - photo Patrick McCann, Racing Post
Breaking Dawn gave trainer Michael O’Callaghan an immediate boost with the new Flat season off and running when he justified 2-1 favouritism in the six-furlong maiden.
Colin Keane was able to race prominently on the three-year-old colt who had run well in his only two starts towards the end of last season. Breaking Dawn grabbed the lead approaching the final furlong and kept on well, over two lengths clear at the line.
“Seven furlongs is probably his trip. He has progressed well over the winter. He might come out quickly and run next weekend at Naas in the Madrid Handicap. We will see how he is,” Tralee native O’Callaghan said.
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Breaking Dawn and Colin Keane score at the Curragh - photo Patrick McCann, Racing Post
Upcoming Fixtures
Tues Mar 17 Down Royal NH (first race 1.18pm) & Wexford NH (first race 1.37pm)
Thurs Mar 19 Cork NH (first race 2.30pm)
Fri Mar 20 Dundalk (first race 4.37pm)
Sat Mar 21 Navan NH (first race 1.55pm)
Sun Mar 22 Limerick NH (first race 1.53pm) & Naas (first race 1.35pm)
