The Gordon Elliott-trained Zanahiyr and Jack Kennedy (right) on their way to winning at Punchestown on Tuesday from eventual runner-up Run For Oscar. Photo: Patrick McCann/Racing Post
Favourites Wodhooh and Zanahiyr obliged to give Jack Kennedy and Gordon Elliott a double at Punchestown on Tuesday. At odds of 11/10, the Sundowners Partnership-owned Wodhooh ran away with the three-year-old hurdle to add to last month’s Listowel festival success. She scored by all of 24 lengths from the Jessica Harrington-trained 11/4 chance Pigeon House. The 10/11 favourite Zanahiyr beat two rivals to take the conditions’ hurdle over two and a quarter miles to give the pair a second win on the day. In the Bective Stud colours, the six-year-old came home a two and a half-length winner from the even money chance Run For Oscar.
Jack Kennedy and Gordon Elliott will share plenty of winners this season but not too many of them will be returned at odds of 28/1. That was the price of the Brendan Scully-owned Faux Fur which landed the mares’ maiden hurdle at Tramore on Thursday, leading before the second-last hurdle and staying on to beat the Declan Queally-trained Rachel’s Secret, a 40/1 shot, by half a length. Killarney trainer Charles Coakley took the near two-mile handicap chase with the Shane O’Callaghan-ridden Itsalonglongroad. The 10/1 chance made all the running for a seven-length victory over the Dermot McLoughlin-trained Peckham Springs in the colours of owner Patrick O’Leary. It was the nine-year-old’s second win for Coakley and his ninth in all. Four of those wins have come at Tramore.
Other Racing News
Irish raiders on the mark at Newmarket
There was plenty of cheer for the Irish at Newmarket over the weekend where trainers Kieran Cotter, Aidan O'Brien and Emmet Mullins all made the headlines. Cotter landed his first Group 2 success as Matilda Picotte won the Challenge Stakes on Friday afternoon, the Oisin Murphy-ridden 2/1 chance making all the running to beat the Joe Murphy-trained Lord Massusus and Gary Carroll by two lengths. Aidan O'Brien shared a Group 1 double with Ryan Moore, the pair scoring with two hugely exciting two-year-olds. Ylang Ylang came from off the pace to win the Fillies Mile while City Of Troy could hardly have been more impressive when making all the running to take the Dewhurst Stakes. Emmet Mullins showed once again that he’s another man for the big occasion as he won the 31-runner Cesarewitch Handicap with The Shunter, a Cheltenham Festival winner in 2021. With James Doyle in the saddle, the JP McManus-owned 14/1 chance beat Gordon Elliott’s Pied Piper by three-parts of a length.
Upcoming Fixtures
Gowran Park – Monday, October 16 (First Race 1.20pm)
Gowran Park – Tuesday, October 17 (First Race 1.55pm)
Navan – Wednesday, October 18 (First Race 1.45pm)
Thurles – Thursday, October 19 (First Race 1.40pm)
Dundalk – Friday, October 20 (First Race 5.15pm)
Leopardstown – Saturday, October 21 (First Race 1.20pm)
Limerick – Saturday, October 21 (First Race 2.05pm)
Limerick – Sunday, October 22 (First Race 1.55pm)
Leopardstown – Sunday, October 22 (First Race 1.35pm)
