Week 7 11th-17th February 2013

O’Meara and Keniry Combine With White Fusion

Another good week for locals with no less than 9 winners to report from across the Irish Sea.

Fermoy trainer, David O’Meara teamed up with Killeagh jockey Barry Keniry at Catterick early last week, where O’Meara’s White Fusion took a handicap hurdle in good style. Riding his third winner for O’Meara, Keniry’s mount travelled strongly through his race and could be called the victor from two out. This horse was having his first start over hurdles for O’Meara and duly obliged, as has often been the case this season with horses acquired from other yards. Keniry said, “They went a good gallop and White Fusion travelled well but I don’t think it was the best of races.”

On the same Catterick card, Keniry went on to complete a double when Rapidolyte De Ladalka, trained by Simon Shirley-Beavan, took the novice handicap chase. Tending to run in snatches and shortening up at his fences, Rapidolyte De Ladalka never left the inside and with Balding Banker coming down when challenging two out, he took charge going to the final fence for a nine length victory.

This was Keniry’s second win on the eight year old Network gelding and moved him onto nine winners, in what has been a stop-start season with weather conditions causing havoc on all British racecourses since early winter.

On to Musselburgh in Scotland and O’Meara was again in winning form with Ifandbutwhynot, this time ridden by Timmy Murphy. In what looked a very competitive handicap hurdle, Murphy held up this Raise A Grand gelding until making his move four out. Ifandbutwhynot travelled smoothly into contention, led two out and kept on well over the last for a three length victory. This win and subsequent penalty should ensure this horse now gets into the County Hurdle at Cheltenham.

O’Meara went on to say, “If Ifandbutwhynot settles he runs well. We might have a look at the County Hurdle now. He was rated 130 here, so he should get in. He wins on soft, but I think he’ll do better on good ground.”

Duke Impresses For Harding

Castletownroche jockey Brian Harding again had a good week with a brace of winners. Firstly to Kelso where he was aboard Duke Of Navan for his boss Nicky Richards. This son of Rathbarry based stallion, Presenting, couldn’t have been more impressive when taking the MoreBattle Hurdle in fine style. His defeat of Any Given Day, who is rated a 155 horse, marks Duke Of Navan down as a likely graded hurdle winner of the future.

Saying that, his trainer was quick to point out that Aintree rather than Cheltenham could be his next target. Richards said, “We’ll let the dust settle, but I wouldn’t think he’d go to Cheltenham. That 2m novice hurdle looks a hot race this year, so we might be better sitting out of that one and going to Aintree. He’s bred to stay but he’s all speed, and we’ll wait until he gets good ground, he’ll be even better then.”

On Sunday last, Harding was again in action, this time at Market Rasen. Riding Four Jacks for trainer Tim Easterby in a four runner novice chase, Harding had little option but to make the running on this son of Karinga Bay as no one else wanted to make it. With his main market rival Ifyouletmefinish blundering away his chance and unseating Aidan Coleman and Prolinx falling two out, Four Jacks was left in splendid isolation to saunter home by forty nine lengths. Mick Meagher, racing manager to the horses owner, Trevor Hemmings said, “Fourjacks jumped around grand, it wasn’t ideal to be out in front but there wasn’t a lot we could do. He will be entered in the novice handicap at Cheltenham but that mightn’t be his scene yet, he is a big raw chaser but he’s going the right way.”

Harding is now on the 23 winner mark for the season.

Best Of The Rest

Castletownroche native, John Joe O’Neill has another nice recruit on his hands with Tominator. This six year old son of Generous, off since a disappointing run in a Grade 2 hurdle last November, made no mistakes this time around at Sandown Park last Saturday. Dropped in class and back in novice company, he was sent off second favourite behind the odds-on Master Of The Game. Looking held at the final flight, Tominator stayed on strongly up the run in and passed Leviathan for a one and quarter length win under Tony McCoy.

O’Neill said, “I’m pleased he jumped better, that’s the main thing. I don’t know about Cheltenham, though. He is still novicey and I don’t know if he would have enough experience.”

Rockmills native Ed Vaughan was again in the winning groove on the all weather at Kempton Park last week. His Flamborough Breeze ridden by George Baker took a low grade handicap in smooth fashion. Held up off a strong pace, she travelled kindly in Baker’s hands and swept into the lead one furlong out to be well on top by two lengths from Atlethic at the line. She looks well capable of following up in a higher grade next time out.

Not to be outdone by his brother Barry, Liam Keniry had one of those rare dead-heat winners on the same Kempton card as Ed Vaughan’s winner. Riding Katy Spirit for Michael Blanshard, Keniry’s mount fought a protracted duel all the way up the run-in with Indian Affair. The pair passed the winning post locked together and the judge couldn’t separate the two horses in the photo finish print.

An unusual pattern is now developing with all of Liam Keniry’s winners this season, they are all three year olds. Let’s hope the winners keep flowing over the coming weeks.