New year’s fairytale for Droim Toll

QUIN trainer Donie Hassett enjoyed the best possible start to 2011 when his improving chaser Droim Toll landed the featured €28,500 Porterstown Handicap (Grade C) Chase at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day.
A dual point-to-point winner, Droim Toll went off at odds of 10/1 in this three-mile, five-furlong test and was given a smashing ride by the talented Paul Townend.
Held up for the most of this marathon trip, Droim Toll began to make eye-catching progress as the 15-runner field turned into the home straight. Jumping two out, Droim Toll was really motoring on the stand side, finally putting his head in front when Edward O’Grady’s 6/1 joint-favourite Rocco’s Hall blundered badly at the last, unseating Andrew McNamara, allowing Droim Toll to freewheel home for a facile seven-length success over runner-up Lios Na Bearnaí.
While the winner’s task was eased by the final fence fall of Rocco’s Hall, it appeared as if Droim Toll was travelling much the better in any case and would surely have won, even if that rival had stayed on his feet.
As trainers go, Hassett is as shrewd as there is. Over the years, he has plundered many a nice prize and has few peers when it comes to getting one ready for a big day. Driom Toll, who disappointed somewhat on his seasonal reappearance at Limerick in November, went into last week’s race with the nice weight of 10-4 on his back and was full value for his impressive victory, bagging a not-to-be sneezed-at winner’s cheque of close on €18,000 in the process.
This was an emotional success as Droim Toll carried the familiar silks of the late Johnny Kilroy, who passed away suddenly last year. Gort native Kilroy was a staunch supporter of the Hassett yard and, indeed, racing in general, passing some good horses through his hands in the past.
“Johnny would have been a proud man if he was here today,” said Hassett. “He loved his racing and was a great owner to have. I’d like to dedicate today’s victory to him.”  
While soft ground is the key to Droim Toll, he will now be aimed at some of the better handicap chases in the spring, with the Irish Grand National back at Fairyhouse in April a possibility, if the going comes up suitable. 
There was further local success on the Fairyhouse card as champion jockey Derek O’Connor took the concluding bumper aboard Tony Martin’s strongly supported newcomer Bog Warrior.
Backed from a morning price of  3/1 into 6/4 favourite at the off, this Gigginstown  House Stud-owned son of Strategic Choice benefited from a typically well-timed O’Connor ride when pouncing inside the final furlong to beat Jessica Harrington’s Burn and Turn by three-parts of a length.
O’Connor was in point-to-point action two days earlier as he brought his tally for the autumn section of the 2010/11 season to 25 when partnering his brother Paurick’s Media Queen to victory in the Mares’ open at the Dromahane, County Cork meeting.
A three-time track winner, Media Queen never came out a hack canter to land this eight-runner contest, sweeping to the front at the second last to win like a 4/7 shot should when passing the post eight lengths clear of runner-up Up The Girls.
Media Queen, who is owned by Shannon-based school teacher Pádraig Duddy, was to give Paurick O’Connor his eighth winner of the season, leaving the in-form Tubber trainer level with Colin Bowe at the head of this season’s Handlers’ championship.
Point-to-point fans in Clare can look forward to the first action of the new year in the county with the County Clare Hunt’s Belharbour fixture set to take place on the first Sunday in February. 
Becasueicouldntsee bypasses Welsh National
NOEL Glynn has opted not to run his recent Paddy Power Chase runner-up Becauseicouldntsee in Saturday’s Coral Welsh National at Chepstow.
The Spancilhill handler has a very decent staying chaser on his hands but feels his charge, who turned in a mighty effort when a close second behind Dermot Weld’s 33/1 winner Majestic Concorde at Leopardstown’s recent Christmas festival, needs more time to recover from his exertions.
“I was very pleased with BecauseIcouldntsee in the Paddy Power and Nina (Carberry) gave him a terrific ride. He jumped like a buck and there is no disgrace in being second to a very good horse – the winner finished third to Finger on the Pulse in the Galway Plate during the summer – not to mention picking up €38,000 in prizemoney. While my horse has come out of the race in great shape, I feel next Saturday will just come too soon for him,” he said.
Looking ahead to possible targets over the next few months, the Durra House-based handler divulged, “We will give him a run over hurdles somewhere towards the end of the month. The Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran (January 20) might suit but his long-term target is definitely the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree in April.”
While the weather proved a spoilsport for some of the Christmas action, most of the major races were run thanks to the combined efforts of all concerned. At Leopardstown, Willie Mullins’ smart sort Hurricane Fly looked the real deal when running out a very comfortable winner of the Paddy Power.com December Festival Hurdle in the hands of Paul Townend.
A high-class hurdler, Hurricane Fly probably produced his best effort yet when swiftly changing gear after the final flight to accelerate away from old rival Solwhit, shooting the head of the Champion Hurdle market in the process.
This duo are likely to clash again in the BHP Insurances Irish Champion Hurdle back at the Foxrock track at the end of the month and a win here may well see Hurricane Fly go off favourite for the opening day showpiece at Prestbury Park in March.
Noel Meade enjoyed a very fruitful festive season and the Navan handler was on good terms himself as his well-backed Pandorama (7/1-7/2 joint-favourite with Cooldine) put his best foot forward to land the Grade 1 Lexus Chase.
Paul Carberry settled Pandorama in behind the pace-setting Cooldine in the early stages of this three-mile contest, only moving the seven-year-old by Flemensfirth up to dispute it approaching the final fence. Early on the run-in, Padorama struck the front, pulling readily clear to beat the staying on Money Trix with Paul Nolan’s Joncol getting going all too late for third.
The winner will return to Leopardstown in February for the Hennessy, with a final decision regarding the Cheltenham Gold Cup likely to hinge on ground conditions come race time.
Big Zeb also turned in a classy display to land the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase for jockey Barry Geraghty and trainer Colm Murphy. Last year’s Queen Mother Champion Chase hero turned in an excellent round of fencing to beat old foe Golden Silver by a length and three-quarters and will defend his crown against the likes of Master Minded at, Cheltenham in two months time.
There were many other notable performances during the busy Christmas racing period, with Mouse Morris’ First Lieutenant impressing when turning over hot-pot Zaidpour in the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle.
A point-to-point winner at Kilfeacle when ridden by Derek O’Connor this time last year, First Lieutenant is a bright prospect with the 16/1 shot claiming a very notable scalp here in Zaidpour, who went off odds-on to add to his recent impressive Fairyhouse success. The winner, who will surely develop into a top-class chaser in time, has been introduced as at 10/1 with most book-making firms for Cheltenham’s Neptune Investment Novices’ Hurdle, while the runner-up, who may have been feeling the effects of his Royal Bond exertions, is still a smart novice well worth keeping the right side of for the remainder of the season.