Another 8 winners to report on from Avondhu area locals based in the UK, with David O’Meara and Jonjo O’Neill training 3 winners each. Liam Keniry and Brian Harding completed Week 41 by riding a winner apiece. This now takes our combined 2015 winners total onto 384.
CHANCERY PUSHES GARRITY TO LANDMARK VICTORY
Fermoy native and trainer David O’Meara, recorded another three winners in week 41, taking his 2015 winning total onto the 113 winner mark. His most notable winner came with the Jack Garrity ridden Chancery (9/1), who took the 8 runner, Coral Stakes H’cap (C2), over 10.5f at York, on October 10th last.
One of three O’Meara runners in the line-up, this seven year old gelded son of Street Cry, was considered the least fancied of his three Nawton runners. Held up as per usual, off a very sedate pace set by Off Art, Chancery settled well, always travelling in Garrity’s hands as the field passed the halfway point. With the pace still moderate and Chancery said to need an out and out gallop, things didn’t look to be panning out for Garrity as the runners straightened up for home.
Switched to challenge and find room up the centre of the track, Chancery, looked to be going as well as any at the two marker, and taking a gap between leader, Off Art and stablemate Earth Drummer, he was produced to lead just inside the final furlong. Staying on well and there to be shot at, Chancery was not for catching, duly annihilating this field inside the final 100yds.
Ridden out strongly to the line, he had a solid two and a quarter lengths to spare over Off Art, it was a further half a length back to his other stable mate Awake My Soul, in third. Recording his 7th win in total and third at York, this Hollowdean Racing-owned gelding, was winning here off a mark of 98, some 7lb higher than his highest winning mark of 91. At seven he looks to have to put in a lifetime best performance and is a credit to all concerned.
“Chancery is a hold up horse and things have to go right.”
This win also gave his young jockey Jack Garrity, a landmark 95th winner, which means he has now ridden out his claim. Jack Garrity, winning rider, went onto say: “Chancery is a hold up horse and things have to go right. They went an okay gallop and I had to pick my way through them. He picked up really well.”
O’Meara went onto record another two winners and they were in date order, Signorina Roseina (7/1) who scored under Josh Doyle (5) in the 13 runner, Leveret Apprentice H’cap (C6), over 7f at Leicester on October 6th last, and Sinakar (13/2), who took the 9 runner, Whyte & Mackay H’cap (C6) over 13f, under Danny Tudhope at Ayr on October 8th.
MILAN BOUND FOR BETTER THINGS
Castletownroche native and trainer Jonjo O’Neill, took his seasonal total onto the 39 winner mark with three more winners added in week 41. His most notable success came with the Richard Johnson ridden, Milan Bound (11/4f), who took the 7 runner, SIS H’cap Hurdle (C2), over 26.5f at Newton Abbot on October 9th last.
Coming into this race off the back of a five month break and having previously won off an eight month break in the past, this seven year old gelded son Milan, was well supported into favouritism for this competitive looking contest. Jumping off handy in third off a pedestrian gallop set by On The Bridge, Milan Bound skipped easily over hurdles, always holding his position and never relenting any ground to his rivals.
With the runners having to complete three circuits, little if anything changed on the first two circuits until the pace lifted going down to the fourth last where Milan Bound and Johnson pressured On The Bridge in front with some slick jumping. Coming alongside the leader over three out and pushed along to maintain that position, Milan Bound entered the top of the home straight with another challenger looming large in his wing mirrors.
Rydon Pynes, patiently ridden off the pace, came sweeping up around the outside of Milan Bound who looked one paced approaching the second last. A slow jump from Rydon Pynes gave others a chance, none more so than the persistent Johnson whose never say die attitude was again in evidence here.
Still a length down going over the last, Milan Bound was given a huge chance with another bad jump from Rydon Pynes who landed on all fours and took an age to get going again. All out and wanting the winning post, Rydon Pynes was headed where it mattered most, close home, by Milan Bound and champion jockey elect Johnson. A thrilling finish saw only a head separate the first two home.
Recording his 5th win from 17 starts, this John P McManus-owned gelding, looks an out an out stayer from the top drawer. He was winning here off a handicap mark of 130 and shouldn’t go up too much for this effort. Formerly trained in Ireland by his trainer/breeder, TJ Nagle, Milan Bound cost a staggering 145,000 guineas after winning a Fairyhouse bumper back in 2013.
Richard Johnson, winning rider, said: “Milan Bound stays really well and that has helped when the chips were really down. The runner-up had a good look at the last hurdle and that has let me back in.”
O’Neill went on to record another two winners and they were in date order, Church Field (4/5f) who won the 5 runner, Worcester Racecourse Selling Hurdle (C5) over 20f, under Barry Geraghty at Worcester on October 8th last. This became Geraghty’s first winner in Britain for JP McManus since he was given the job as his retained rider this year.
O’Neill’s final winner came again with a Richard Johnson-ridden horse, this time in the shape of racecourse debutant, Above Board (5/1) who scored in the 8 runner, Pickwick Bookmakers National Hunt Flat Race (C6) over 16f at Chepstow on October 11th last. Johnson now takes his winning rides total for O’Neill this season on to 10 from just 27 starts.
MARDALE FULFILS BUMPER PROMISE ON HURDLING BOW
Castletownroche native and jump jockey Brian Harding, took his seasonal tally on to the 11 winner mark, aboard the Nicky Richards trained, Mardale (7/1) who went on to take the 13 runner, INTU Eldon Square Mares Novices’ Hurdle (C4) over 16f at Hexham on October 10th last.
Making her jumping debut and hoping to translate some promising bumper form to hurdles, this five year old Robin Des Champs mare, was bidding to but her disappointing seasonal reappearance run at Kelso, well behind her. Jumping off in about 8th position off what looked a solid enough contested early lead, set firstly by Flower Power and then Smart Talk, Mardale was a bit sloppy and green over the first few hurdles, until settling into somewhat of a good jumping rhythm going out on the final circuit.
With Smart Talk now in the outright lead and pouring on the pressure, Mardale was again clumsy, diving at the 5th flight of hurdles. With the race now at a crucial point, Harding got lower in the saddle, all the while nursing his mount onto the back of the leading group into 6th place.
With the field bunching up going downhill, passing their original starting point, it was still Smart Talk in front and looking as if his jockey was just getting a breather into him before pouring it on in front again. Slow again over two out, Mardale was ridden to close right up on the leaders and sneaking up the inside entering the top of the home straight, she found herself in second with only Smart Talk to aim at.
Approaching the last and Mardale jumped well only a length down and on settling down to fight out a finish, she found loads under Harding, staying on strongly to put this race to bed well over one furlong out. Driven out to the line, this East To West Racing Club-owned mare, had four lengths to spare over Smart Talk back in second come the winning post.
It was a further three and three quarter lengths back to Lady Yeats in third. Recording her first win, Mardale looks a strong travelling type who would benefit even more from a longer trip.
On and off the bit here, she looks a typical improver from this yard. Nicky Richards, winning trainer, went onto say: “Mardale didn’t manage to win a bumper, she kept bumping into one or two and Tony McCoy was beating himself up after he’d been beaten on her at Doncaster. She jumps well and we should have some fun with her.”
TANCRED DOUBLES BRIGHTON TALLY UNDER KENIRY
Killeagh native and flat jockey Liam Keniry, registered one winner from the saddle last week, taking his 2015 total on to the 45 winner mark. His winner came aboard the Conor Dore trained, Tancred (10/1) who went onto take the 11 runner, James Ross Jewellers H’cap (C6) over 6f at Brighton on October 6th last.
Coming into this race off the back of a desperate run when last of 13 at Chelmsford last time out, this four year old gelded son of Oratorio, had cheekpieces reapplied, back on a track where he recorded his one and only win under similar conditions, back in August. Slow to stride and rousted along early to keep tabs on the field, Tancred soon slotted in behind a line of five horses who contested the lead early, off what looked a break neck gallop.
Always working from the saddle, Keniry rounded the home turn holding his position in sixth as Zebs Lad took a definite advantage two and half furlongs from home. Centred to challenge, Tancred began his charge from the two furlong marker, ticking off rivals one by one and eating his way into Zebs Lad’s lead come the furlong marker.
Hanging or drifting across the track inside the final furlong, Tancred hit the front fully half a furlong from home, relishing these conditions, to win, going away by a good looking length at the line.
Zebs Lad held out well for second place with the staying on Spirit Of Rosanna, a further three quarters of a length, back in third. Recording only his second win from 20 starts in total, this Jennifer Marsh-owned gelding has now won twice over Brighton’s course and distance in soft ground conditions.
A return to the track looks on the cards with a further entry there on October 15th. Tancred, now with his fifth trainer, seems to have responded well to Conor Dore’s handling but he again holds a sales entry, his sixth in total, at the end of this month.
Liam Keniry, winning rider, speaking to The Avondhu, said: “Tancred is a moderate little horse but he tries, and found a bad race. He will have to find another bad race if he’s to win again.”
UK Flat/Jumps 2015 = 380, Ireland = 1, France = 2, Canada = 1.
