Jack Kennedy began 2024 in typical fashion with a double on horses trained by Gordon Elliott at Fairyhouse on New Year's Day. He shared the first winner at the meeting with his great ally as Mollys Mango ran away with the two-mile one-furlong mares’ maiden hurdle. At odds of 2/9 favourite, the six-year-old skipped clear before the second-last hurdle to win by a facile 17 lengths from the Ray Hackett-trained Littlebiggie. The pair struck later on the card when 100/30 chance Riviere D’etel recorded a 33-length win in the Grade 3 John & Chich Fowler Memorial EBF Mares Chase. The Bective Stud-owned seven-year-old led four fences from the finish and drew away from the second-last fence to win as she liked from Willie Mullins’ 8/13 favourite Allegorie De Vassy. A treble for the trainer was completed in the concluding bumper as the Harry Swan-ridden Staffordshire Knot scored a cosy success at odds of 9/4. He got on top inside the final furlong to win by three and a half lengths from the Lorna Fowler-trained 12/1 chance Recoded.
Trainer Tom Cooper landed the opening two-mile maiden hurdle at Cork on Saturday with the Ciaran Mooney-owned D Art D Art. A bumper winner at Gowran Park a year ago, the now five-year-old led at halfway under Donagh Meyler and, despite a mistake at the second-last hurdle, the 100/30 shot ran out a cosy three and a quarter-length winner from the Willie Mullins-trained 9/4 chance Paggane.
Upcoming Fixtures
Clonmel – Thursday, January 11 (First Race 12.25pm)
Naas – Friday, January 12 (First Race 12.42pm)
Dundalk – Friday, January 12 (First Race 4.10pm)
Fairyhouse – Saturday, January 13 (First Race 12.12pm)
Punchestown – Sunday, January 14 (First Race 12.35pm)
