Wilmott-owned Jumbo Rio wins hurdle

AN all National Hunt card at Limerick on Sunday attracted a good crowd to the Greenmount Park facility with jockey Andrew McNamara and trainer Edward O’Grady combining to land the featured Adare Festival Weekend Hurdle, courtesy of hot favourite Jumbo Rio.
Owned by professional punter Paddy Wilmott, the layers were taking no chances with the Captain Rio six-year-old, who went off at the very short odds of 1/4.
McNamara rode a confident race throughout in the €20,000 two-miler, producing his mount after the final flight to overtake Jessica Harrington’s Takeyourcapoff on the run-in for a snug two and a half-length victory.
Winning trainer, Edward O’Grady remarked, “He was entitled to win this race as he looked to have superior form. We’ll probably aim him at the Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary in two weeks time.”
It proved a profitable afternoon for Wilmott at what is his local track, as his familiar red colours were also in the winner’s enclosure following the two-mile, one-furlong Beginners’ Chase, where his Eric McNamara-trained Air Chief (7/1) was successful.
This son of Dr Fong has indicated he was running into form when second at Ballinrobe recently and he made no mistake when bursting clear after the third last under promising claimer Robert Jones to register a clear cut seven-length verdict over runner-up Hazeymm.
“He did that well,” said McNamara. “His jumping won it for him and Robert gave him a terrific ride. He has had some leg trouble in the past and we were thrilled with the way he ran at Ballinrobe and thought he would come on from that, which he did,” added the Rathkeale handler.
With the big Galway Festival just over a fortnight away, there was huge interest in the Galway Plate trial, which attracted a good field of 15 runners, all of whom were hoping to stake a claim for the big Ballybrit showpiece.
At the business end, however, the spoils went to Wexford trainer Colin Bowe, who sent out 7/1 shot, Lets Go Sunshine, to claim the prize.
Bowe has made quite a name for himself on the point-to-point circuit over the past few years – he was crowned leading handler for the 2010-11 season – but he is also adept at hitting the target inside the rails as he proved on this occasion.
Sean Flanagan did the steering aboard Let’s Go Sunshine, who pulled clear before two out to beat Eoin Doyle’s King High by a length.
The winner may go to Galway but the Midlands National at Kilbeggan is the more likely target. Quite a few of the also-rans are likely to feature at Ballybrit on July 27 and fifth-placed Skip Two ran a nice race with Galway in mind.
Burdened with a top weight of 12 stone, Skip Two’s effort must have pleased his Cooraclare owner, Thomas O’Doherty and his Askeaton trainer, Davy Fitzgerald and the 10-year-old may prove a lively outsider for the big Galway contest.
Kilkenny trainer, Eoin Griffin also harbours Galway Plate ambitions for his Lucky Wish, who made a long overdue return to the winner’s berth when carrying Barry Geraghty to victory in the Limerick.ie chase.
The winner looked to have a major fight on his hands when tackled by Conor O’Dwyer’s Hangover on the run-in but, to his credit, the 3/1 co-favourite stuck to his task in good fashion when staying on stoutly to beat his rival by three-parts of a length. Lucky Wish was running a big race when coming down at the final fence in last year’s plate and will now bid to make amends in this year’s renewal.
Sparkling Tara is another who is Galway-bound, following his 10/1 success for trainer Shark Hanlon and jockey Ken Whelan in the two-mile, five-furlong handicap hurdle.
Remarkably, this son of Kayf Tara, who was second in the 2009 running of the Goffs Land Rover Bumper, was putting his head in front for the first time when running on best in the closing stages to deny well-backed runner-up, Suffern by a neck.
The winner, who races in the silks of Dublin owner Annette Mee, will more than likely be aimed at a handicap hurdle over the week at Ballybrit.

So You Think eclipses Workforce

SATURDAY’S Coral Eclipse at Sandown was a thriller with So You Think continuing the recent rich vein of form of Aidan O’Brien’s runners when snatching a dramatic victory.
This was flat racing at its best as two of the highest rated horses in training went head-to-head for the 125th running of this prestigious Group One.
Those expecting a titanic battle weren’t disappointed. All last week the event had been billed as a two-horse contest with Workforce seen as a worthy opponent to Ballydoyle’s teak-tough Australian import.
After all, Workforce is an Epsom Derby winner, who went on to underline his class by taking the Prix De L’Arc at Longchamp. So You Think had suffered a blip when beaten at long odds-on at Royal Ascot, where his trainer Aidan O’Brien blamed himself for under-cooking his charge.
The fact that the vibes from Ballydoyle were so positive prior to Saturday’s race meant that So You Think was the punters’ choice, with the 11/10 offered by sponsors Coral quickly snapped up as Seamie Heffernan’s mount hardened into the well-backed 4/6 favourite when post time arrived.
Rank outsider, Confront (80/1), made the early running until his better-fancied stable companion Workforce (7/4) took over with four furlongs to race. Ryan Moore was determined to make this 10-furlong event a true test and he galvanised Workforce for a further effort once they hit the furlong pole. Seamie Heffernan refused to panic in behind, however, and, just when it appeared as if Workforce had stolen a march, he coolly pushed So You Think up to score by half a length.
This was a great victory for Heffernan, who has been a huge servant to O’Brien and Ballydoyle over the years and is definitely the ultimate ‘team player’.
He was understandably over the moon, having lowered the colours of Workforce and Moore, who would be riding So You Think but for the fact that he was claimed to ride Sir Michael Stoute’s runner-up.
“I was always confident he (So You Think) would get by,” said Heffernan. “I know this horse’s ability and I was never worried at any stage. He’s a real star and there is plenty more to come.”