At odds of 14/1, Phillip Enright was among the winners at Punchestown on Tuesday where he landed the near two and a half-mile handicap hurdle on the Edward Cawley-trained Petit King. The seven-year-old, which carries his trainer’s colours, was reverting to hurdles after two runs over fences and he was comfortably on top at the line as he beat the Ray Hackett-trained Morricone, an 11/2 chance, by a length.
Jack Kennedy and Gordon Elliott landed a couple of early winners at Fairyhouse on Saturday and another later in the day for trainer Ted Walsh saw the Dingle jockey complete a treble. Luck was certainly on the side of Kennedy and Elliott as Sa Fureur was left clear at the final fence to win the two-mile beginners’ chase by 40 lengths. The 5/2 chance looked held in second place behind Willie Mullins’ 1/3 favourite Hunters Yarn but the latter came down allowing the Caldwell Construction-owned six-year-old to coast home. That good fortune wasn’t needed as the KTDA Racing-owned Pacini took the three-year-old maiden hurdle at odds of 5/4 favourite. He made all the running and led home a 1-2 for the Cullentra yard as 11/2 chance Hey Whatever filled the runner-up spot, six and a half lengths off the taking winner. Kennedy’s treble was completed on the Ted Walsh-trained Pictures Of Home which scored a narrow success in the near three-mile handicap chase. The 10/1 chance led approaching the final fence and held the late run of the Michael Bowe-trained 100/30 favourite Kiln Time by a head. Kennedy leads Paul Townend by 81 winners to 58 in the jockeys’ championship heading into the Christmas festivals.
Killarney trainer Eamon Courtney featured among the winners at Thurles on Sunday where the 8/1 chance Willywampus landed the two and a quarter-mile opportunity handicap chase. Ridden by Ben Harvey, the Valerie Courtney-owned six-year-old led through the early stages of the race and again at the final fence to win by half a length from the Martin Hassett-trained Battle Of Ridgeway.
