Old allies Phillip Enright and Kinsale trainer Robert Tyner combined to take the two-mile two-furlong handicap chase with the well-supported 9/4 favourite McGrath From Clune at Thurles on Thursday. The Brendan Keogh-owned seven-year-old led before the final fence to win by five lengths from Philip Fenton’s Lake Chad. Jack Kennedy and Gordon Elliott shared their first winner of the week as Will Do took the near three-mile novice hurdle. A maiden hurdle winner at Sligo last month, the Gigginstown House Stud-owned six-year-old was sent off at odds of 4/11 favourite and he scored a cosy two and three-parts of a length success from Tim Doyle’s 100/30 chance Getaway Charlie.
Kennedy landed a double at the rearranged fixture at Fairyhouse on Friday. He rode a winner for Jessica Harrington for the first time in over five years when Jetara took the opening mares’ maiden hurdle. Owned and bred by Gerry McGrath, the 4/7 favourite was quickly clear after the second-last hurdle and she raced to a 16-length win over the John McConnell-trained Notkeepinyagoing, Kennedy’s second winner for the Moone operation and his first since Loupgarou landed a handicap hurdle at Clonmel in May, 2018. Kennedy followed up straight away when winning the near three-mile maiden hurdle on Gordon Elliott’s 2/9 favourite Better Days Ahead. The Bective Stud-owned five-year-old scored in similar fashion and had 11 lengths to spare over the Liam Cusack-trained Metalor at the line.
Gordon Elliott won four of the eight races at Punchestown on Saturday with Jack Kennedy riding three of them and Harry Swan wrapping up another huge day for Cullentra in the finale. Mighty Bandit was the first of the day when taking the three-year-old maiden hurdle in impressive fashion. The Jack Kennedy-ridden 3/1 chance led at the final hurdle and went right away to beat Joseph O'Brien’s 11/4 favourite Lark In The Mornin by all of nine and a half lengths. Favori De Champdou had even more in hand when winning the Grade 2 Liam & Valerie Brennan Florida Pearl Novice Chase to give Elliott and Kennedy their second winner of the day. In the Gigginstown House Stud colours, the 11/2 chance led at the third-last fence and went clear before the last to win by 14 lengths from Paul Nolan’s Sandor Clegane with the Gavin Cromwell-trained Flooring Porter a length and a quarter away in third place. The 5/2 favourite Yeats Star completed the trebles with a game win in the two-mile handicap hurdle. Owned and bred by Bertie Mannion, the four-year-old led of the home turn and battled well to beat Heliko Conti, another trained by Paul Nolan, by half a length. The Enabler, ridden by Harry Swan, took the bumper in fine style. Sent off at odds of 8/11 favourite, the Gigginstown House Stud-owned four-year-old led after four furlongs and was clear early in the straight to win by six and a half lengths from Gavin Cromwell’s 2/1 shot I Am Mimi.
Jack Kennedy and Gordon Elliott brought their remarkable form back to Punchestown on Sunday where they landed three more races. Although only a 4/1 chance, Shannon Royal was a surprise winner for the pair in the five-runner maiden hurdle over two and three-quarter miles. The Robcour-owned five-year-old easily brushed aside the Willie Mullins-trained 1/8 favourite Tullyhill which flopped on his jumping debut having shown high-class form in bumper last season. At the same odds of 4/1, Bob Cigar won the three-mile handicap hurdle in the colours of Bronsan Racing. The five-year-old made much of the running and beat Paul Nolan’s Western Zara by a length and a quarter. Although a 30/100 favourite, Imagine made hard work of winning the Grade 2 BetVictor Craddockstown Novice Chase to complete the Elliott/Kennedy treble. He was all out in the closing stages to hold off the late surge of Lucid Dreams by half a length and there might well have been a different outcome if John Ryan’s charge had secured a clearer run at the final fence.
Upcoming Fixtures
Tramore – Tuesday, November 28 (First Race 12.30pm)
Dundalk – Wednesday, November 29 (First Race 3.50pm)
Thurles – Thursday, November 30 (First Race 12.10pm)
Dundalk – Friday, December 1 (First Race 5.30pm)
Fairyhouse – Saturday, December 2 (First Race 11.40am)
Fairyhouse – Sunday, December 3 (First Race 11.55pm)
