Phillip Enright rode his second Punchestown winner in as many days when partnering the Oliver McKiernan-trained Silver King to a comfortable success in the two and a half-mile handicap hurdle on Monday. At odds of 7/1, the eight-year-old was pushed out from the final hurdle to win by three lengths from Eoin Griffin’s 5/1 favourite Mr Socia. At the track on Sunday, the Tralee jockey won the mares’ handicap hurdle over the same distance on the Sam curling-trained Idol.
In terms of winners, Jack Kennedy hasn’t had much luck since the turn of the year but his fortunes changed over the weekend as he rode winners at both Navan on Saturday and at Thurles on Sunday. He partnered the Gordon Elliott-trained My Trump Card to a narrow success in the two and a half-mile handicap hurdle at Navan. Bred by Patrick Mullins and owned by Bective Stud, the 7/4 favourite led after the third-last hurdle and got home by half a length from the Willie Mullins-trained Dr Eggman, a 9/2 shot. Kennedy was on the mark again as he won the three-mile handicap chase on the Ian Donoghue-trained St Denis’s Well. Owned by the Declans Bar Syndicate, the 13/2 chance was ridden clear from the second-last fence and he came home a three-length winner from Danny Howard’s Starlight Cato.
Jack Kennedy secured two more winners at Thurles on Sunday. The Pioneer Racing-owned Purse Pulse ran out a 16-length winner of the auction maiden hurdle at odds of 7/4. Trained by Gordon Elliott, she went clear from the second-last hurdle to beat the Paul Tobin-trained Sharetheknowledge, a 50/1 chance, in fine style. The pair scored a bigger success as Harmonya Maker, owned by Tim O’Driscoll, won the Grade 2 Carey Glass Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase. The seven-year-old found her winning form again when leading before the final fence to beat Willie Mullins’ 8/11 favourite Hauturiere by a length and a half with the Con O’Keeffe-trained Silent Approach eight lengths further back in third place. Kennedy heads into the new week on the 93-winner mark, 16 clear of Paul Townend in the race to become champion jockey.
Upcoming Fixtures
Down Royal – Tuesday, January 23 (First Race 12.40pm)
Fairyhouse – Wednesday, January 24 (First Race 12.30pm)
Gowran Park – Thursday, January 25 (First Race 1.05pm)
Dundalk – Friday, January 26 (First Race 4.30pm)
Fairyhouse – Saturday, January 27 (First Race 1.05pm)
Naas – Sunday, January 28 (First Race 1.20pm)
