Frankie Dettori enjoyed a convincing victory over Willie Mullins in a storm-reduced Barney Curley Charity Cup at Bellewstown.
Despite free admission being sponsored by the Irish National Bookmakers Association, it was only the hardiest of racegoers who braved treacherous conditions caused by Storm Agnes.
However, they were rewarded with a competitive afternoon of action on a day organised to help raise funds for the Direct Aid for Africa (DAFA) charity championed by the late Curley.
Jamie Spencer was unable to make the journey over due to the weather, and Dettori – also successful 12 months ago – declared: “I can’t believe the boys are still doing it.
“I take my hat off to them and the staff and the guys taking the horses (around) and the horses themselves. It is a good effort.
“We raised money at golf yesterday and today we are racing. This day in the calendar is set in stone.”
Mullins had hoped the wind and rain would suit his squad, declaring: “We are going to win – this is jumping weather!”
But Team Dettori established a 31-10 lead after the opening contest and that proved enough for victory as the second leg fell to deteriorating ground conditions, along with the day’s seventh and final event.
It was apt that Mogwli came with a wet sail to win the first section of the Barney Curley Charity Cup under Wesley Joyce for Willie McCreery.
Rampage, partnered by Robert Whearty instead of Spencer, made it a one-two for Dettori’s team by plugging on for second, with the front-running Sunday Sovereign getting Team Mullins on the scoresheet in third.
Ampeson and Imposing Supreme also contributed to the Mullins tally in fourth and fifth, with Mercurial securing the final point for Dettori in sixth.
“It is tough out there, but I knew he would stay going,” said Joyce. “Thanks to Frankie for picking me.”
Elsewhere on the card, Miss McHenry kept on well to grind out victory in the one-mile claiming maiden for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane.
Assistant trainer Shane Lyons reflected on the prevailing conditions when stating: “Sure is survival of the fittest!
“She ran over a mile and a quarter before, so we knew that would stand her in good stead. That’s the minimum trip that she wants.
“She goes on the ground, she is by Starspangledbanner and would like that ground. She should get another outing over a mile and a quarter. If not, she could be one for summer jumping.”
Manhattan Dandy was given a positive front-running ride by local jockey Whearty when making all in the Seamus Murphy Memorial Handicap over a mile.
Trainer Thomas Coyle said: “He ran well the last day, so we were confident enough as he had form on the ground.
“The last day we landed in front, but it actually may be the right way to ride him around these tighter tracks anyway.
“With Rob claiming 5lb off him, we knew he had a nice light weight on his back. He was in great form at home and I couldn’t believe it on Monday when he got drawn one, I thought all the stars were aligned.
“It is a little family team, but it means a lot. I’m in Batterstown just beside Fairyhouse, so it is literally half an hour up the road. There might be a few celebrations tonight!”
Edward Lynam’s Keke kept on well to wear down Rathbranchurch in the Grimes Maiden over five furlongs and give Keane a double on the day.
“He had a good run the last day and Eddie said once you get him relaxed he is very straightforward,” said the jockey.
“In the first furlong, he was on it a fraction, but he switched off and travelled through it well and was probably only doing enough when he got there.”
Joyce also made it a double when Mickey The Steel travelled strongly throughout the Colm Quinn BMW Handicap before drawing clear of Transcendental in emphatic fashion.
“That’s 26 winners now and my first double – good to get that on the board,” stated the rider. “He loves that ground and he was just keeping going and going. He did it well.”
Derham delighted with Queens Gamble progress
Queens Gamble is set to continue her hurdling education at Newbury over the Christmas period, with Harry Derham keen to run her in handicap company as he builds up her experience over obstacles.
A high-class bumper performer when trained by Oliver Sherwood, she made it two from two over timber on her first run for Derham, winning comfortably in the hands of Johnny Burke at Kempton.
A step up to Listed company at Newbury had been mooted following that triumph, but although connections are still planning to head to the Berkshire track next, they have decided to test the waters in a handicap on the course’s December 30 card.
“She’s fine, everything is well and there are no problems at all,” said Derham.
“As I said on the day at Kempton, Newbury was an option but I wasn’t going to commit to it and we brought her home and all of us thought about it and we’re going to run her in a handicap on Challow Hurdle day.
“It’s a 0-125 and we think some experience in a handicap hurdle will help her. That’s our plan and she’s very well and we’re very happy with her. She won well at Kempton and hopefully she will keep progressing.”
The ultimate aim for Queens Gamble will be a return to the Cheltenham Festival and Derham will test progressive Newbury scorer Young Butler’s suitability for a spot on the teamsheet for March when he lines up at Prestbury Park on New Year’s Day.
Having won a Pertemps qualifier on his stable bow, Young Butler has the series final on his radar for the spring, but one horse set for an easy period is the Andy Mitchell-owned Dargiannini, who suffered a setback following his third win for the Derham operation at Kempton recently.
“Dargiannini had a bit of a setback. He was fine after the race, then about a week after the race he went lame,” said the handler.
“He’s having a bit of time off and hopefully he will come right in a couple of weeks. We’re just going to have to bide our time a little bit with him, which is a shame because he has been an absolute superstar for me and won three races in under a year and been great.
“I wouldn’t think the Pertemps would be an option. Three miles round Cheltenham wouldn’t suit him. We tried three miles in the spring round Haydock, which is a much easier track, and Paul (O’Brien) didn’t think he got home, so round Cheltenham it will be much more difficult.”
Derham went on: “We are hoping Young Butler, who won a Pertemps qualifier at Newbury, could be a Pertemps horse.
“He’s going to run at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day to see if he likes it and can act round there. If he does, then he could be a candidate for the Pertemps and is at the right end of the handicap.
“Poor Dargiannini is 143 now, which will make life really tough, but Young Butler is off 126 and he could still have a bit of improvement in his rating.”
Fahey eyeing Festival handicaps with The Big Doyen
Peter Fahey is targeting the Cheltenham Festival with The Big Doyen following an encouraging performance at the track during the November Meeting.
The six-year-old has banked plenty of experience over hurdles and has been an improver since stepping up in trip in his most recent starts, winning at Galway in the summer before placing at both Limerick in October and when outstayed by two useful prospects in a Grade Two at Prestbury Park last time out.
His handler has taken plenty of positives from that raiding mission and is now eyeing a return to Gloucestershire in the spring for a tilt at one of the Festival handicaps, with a drop back in trip for the County Hurdle a plausible option.
“He ran a very good race (at Cheltenham) and what I really liked was how well he settled,” said Fahey.
“He settled really well and it looked like he was just outstayed in the race.
“He took the travelling over there really well and hopefully we can aim him back at one of the handicaps there during the Festival.”
The trainer went on: “Even the County Hurdle (would be an option) because even though he was very keen in all his races (previously) over two miles, the way he jumped and travelled the last day, at two miles I think he was going best of all.
“He definitely had more pace than his rivals that day and just didn’t get home.
“I think definitely over there when it is a true run race, I think two miles might be as far as he wants.
“He will have plenty of options and he will definitely have an entry in the Martin Pipe as well, and we will see what happens.”
In the immediate future, Fahey is considering a tilt at the Grade One Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 27 and although he could face a stern test, it is a race that could allow The Big Doyen to add to his prize-money haul.
“At the moment, we have done an entry and we’re just looking at how things are between now and then,” continued Fahey.
“There is a good chance he will run there and he has a good bit of experience and it isn’t usually the biggest of fields. So, if he could get himself placed, he could pick up a good lump of prize-money and that would be great.
“But I do think the future for him would be in those good handicaps.”
Cannock Park set to face Aintree test
Cannock Park is set to have his sights raised over the Christmas period when he heads to Aintree for the Formby Novices’ Hurdle.
The exciting prospect, who is the star of Borders handler Paul Robson’s fledgling string, was a convincing bumper winner at Bangor in October before immediately switching his attentions to timber and making a successful hurdling debut at Cheltenham the following month.
He downed some well-regarded opponents when making all at Prestbury Park and Robson is confident that there is more to come following an interrupted build-up to his jumping bow.
The handler is now keen to test the five-year-old’s big-race capabilities in Aintree’s Boxing Day Grade One, the feature of their newly-created Christmas meeting.
“He didn’t have the easiest of run-ups to the race, he had a small infection in his leg and he had a bit of an accident two or three weeks before,” explained Robson.
“He missed two or three weeks’ work going into Cheltenham, so I think there is definitely improvement to come on his fitness and he’s come back from Cheltenham all OK.
“I imagine we will now run him in what was the Tolworth at Aintree, I think a flat track will suit him best.”
In the immediate aftermath of Cannock Park’s Cheltenham victory, Robson was keen to keep things low-key and head to Wetherby for a simple novice event before thinking of bigger things.
However, a second look at the fixture list and an urge to find out just what is lurking under the exciting youngster’s bonnet has seen the lofty festive target enter the picture and a race that could help map out the rest of the gelding’s season.
Robson continued: “Looking at the race at Cheltenham, we think a flat track is going to be a lot better for his attributes and when we started looking at the programme, there wasn’t actually a race at Wetherby, funnily enough.
“When we looked at the calendar and saw the Tolworth had been moved to Aintree, it gives him a good chance to go there.
“I think we are right to say we would be dreaming to think he is a Supreme horse on the back of winning a Class Two maiden hurdle at Cheltenham, I think he certainly has to go and run in a high grade of race now to give us the nod whether he was good or not.
“Even if he was good enough, I think I would sidestep the Supreme and probably take him back to Aintree again in April – I think that would be more likely, but we will see.”
Despite shaping with real promise over the smaller obstacles, it appears the old cliché of ‘anything he achieves over hurdles is a bonus’ applies to Cannock Park and his training team are already looking forward to when their point winner jumps a fence in 12 months’ time.
“Before he ran at Cheltenham, we knew what we had and he was always going to be a better chaser than he was a hurdler – and the way he jumps would suggest that,” said Robson.
“So, we’re just along for the ride this season unless he turns out to be extra special, but we will find out in the Tolworth.
“He’s a very nice horse and we’re lucky to have him, he’s been a real find.”
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