Cheltenham Greys *

GREY horses are making the headlines lately so here are some of the leading grey contenders for Festival honours next week from both sides of the Irish Sea.

Thousand Stars

image: thescore.ie

An admirably consistent horse, he has spent most of the last two seasons chasing home stablemate Hurricane Fly. A talented horse in his own right, he finally picked up the Grade One he deserved when taking the French Champion hurdle last June. He then added a second, winning the Morgiana hurdle at Punchestown in the absence of the superstar. He seemed to be unlucky behind Unaccompanied at Christmas and was disappointing behind Hurricane Fly in the Irish Champion Hurdle. Entered in the Champion and World Hurdles, dethroning either of the reigning champions seems to be almost impossible. Defending champion Hurricane Fly is an exceptional horse and nothing looks capable of beating him. Big Buck’s is the outstanding staying hurdler but hasn’t really been tested. Oscar Whisky is seen as his main challenger but Thousand Stars ran him to a head in a Grade One at Aintree last season and the step up in trip could help Willie Mullins’ charge. Although Mullins has high quality entries for that race, Thousand Stars looks an each way bet for the World Hurdle.

Champion Hurdle 20/1

World Hurdle 10/1

Champagne Fever

Champagne Fever leading at Fairyhouse image:racingpost.com

Another grey trained by Willie Mullins. Champagne Fever is vying for favouritism in the Champion Bumper and looks to be Mullins’ leading contender for the race. Enough said!

Champion Bumper 7/1

Ipsos du Berlais

 image:irishracing.com

A Gigginstown House Stud owned grey, he earned himself a trip to Cheltenham with an eye catching victory over Western Leader at Punchestown in January. Before that he was third to Boston Bob at Navan which is proving to be good form. Meade was disappointed with how he travelled in Punchestown but said that he was lazy. The better ground, faster gallop and longer trip he will get at Cheltenham will help him concentrate better. Navan conqueror Boston Bob could reoppose here but Ipsos du Berlais should improve and could run into a place.

Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle 16/1

Al Ferof

image: independent.ie

This grey started off his career in Ireland but moved to Paul Nicholls when he was bought by John Hales. The toy manufacturer has owned high class grey chasers One Man and Azertyuiop and his latest grey could follow in their illustrious hoofprints. Al Ferof was second in the Champion Bumper in 2010 and went one better on his return to the festival last year, winning the Supreme Novices Hurdle. He is entered in the Arkle Novices’ Chase next Tuesday. Sprinter Sacre is the hot favourite but Al Ferof is an exciting prospect and jockey Ruby Walsh advised his twitter followers to take advantage of Paddy Power’s money back special in that race and back the grey.

Arkle Chase 5/1

Simonsig

image: irishracing.com

Another grey who started his career in Ireland, Nicky Henderson’s horse is one of England’s leading novice hurdle hopes for the festival. Simonsig was the highly impressive winner of two bumpers here last season before being sold to join Henderson’s team. He has run in three novice hurdles in England this season. His only defeat was to Fingal Bay. Injury means that he will miss out so whichever race Simonsig  goes for he will be leading the home defence.

Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 5/1 – 9/1

Neptune Investments Novices’ Hurdle 5/2 – 7/2

Grand Crus

image: telegraph.co.uk

Last year he tried to give Big Buck’s a race but finished second to him at both Cheltenham and Aintree before rounding up his hurdling career sixth to Thousand Stars in the French Champion Hurdle. Since switching to the larger obstacles he has set the world alight. Unbeaten in his three starts he has been so impressive that connections have entered him in the RSA Novices Chase and the Gold Cup. With Kauto Star’s Gold Cup participation in doubt, they will be seriously tempted to run this precocious chaser in the big one.

RSA Chase 7/4

Gold Cup 6/1

This article first appeared in The Nationalist on 6 March 2012

Curragh set for grey race *

Katie Walsh and Thousand Stars image: racingpost.com

GREY horses capture the imagination of the public in a way that few other horses can. Their silvery tones have a magnetic quality that draws people to them and the Curragh racecourse is hoping that their popularity will draw the crowds to the races on 26 August for the first ever race just for grey horses in Ireland.

The greys only race is one of ten races that the Irish Field will sponsor at the Curragh during the upcoming flat season, starting with the first meeting on 25 March.

Evan Arkwright, commercial manager of the Curragh racecourse, is hopeful that this unusual race will pique the interest of race goers.

“People seem to love grey horses and they are not particularly common. People always seem to support them and grey horses attract people to come to the races. A race for grey horses has been taking place in Newmarket racecourse in England for a few years. It seemed to catch the public’s imagination and we are always looking for initiatives that will catch the public’s interest,” Evan explained.

That Newmarket race which inspired this Irish version was first run in August 2003 and is a six furlong sprint for grey horses. It regularly attracts large fields and big crowds to watch their favourite coloured horses.

The details of the Irish race are still being worked out between the Curragh and Horse Racing Ireland but they hope to frame the race to attract the largest amount of grey horses possible.

The rarity of grey horses means that supersitions surround them. Seeing a grey horse on the way to her wedding is meant to bring good luck to a bride and the luckiest horse shoe of all is one from the hind leg of a grey mare.

Thousand Stars is one of the best grey horses in training. The dual Grade One winning hurdler won the County Hurdle at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival. His jockey that day was Katie Walsh and she says the rarity of grey horses is what draws people to them.

“Everyone always falls for that grey horse. The public looks at them and thinks they look lovely. There are loads of bay, brown and chestnut horses in racing but very few greys. It’s very rare that you’ll be at the start of a race and look around and see four or five greys together. People like grey horses and the race will be a good spectacle.”

*This articel first appeared in The Nationalist on 6 March 2012

Jessica Harrington's Cheltenham Team *

EXCITEMENT is building with the Cheltenham Festival now just two weeks away, thoughts are turning ever more to the biggest meeting on the national hunt calendar.

Moone’s Jessica Harrington is probably Ireland’s leading dual trainer at the moment and she is no stranger to success at the Festival. She has won seven races in Cheltenham and trained the brilliant Moscow Flyer, the dual Champion Chase winner and one of the greatest two mile chasers ever. This year she is travelling over with a small but select team of horses.

Steps to Freedom 

Steps to Freedom image: horse-racing.ie

He is currently vying for favourite with Dermot Weld’s Galileo’s Choice for the opening race of the festival, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, and is probably Mrs Harrington’s best chance of adding to her Cheltenham winners.

He is unbeaten in three starts over hurdles. Steps to Freedom won his maiden hurdle in impressive fashion at Fairyhouse back in September. He was then upped in class and took on second season novices in a Grade Three at Punchestown in October. He took it all in his stride and showed he had star potential, defeating Sailors Warn.

Mrs Harrington then took him to Cheltenham in December to see if he would handle the track and the journey and he passed the test with flying colours, defeating Paul Nicholls’ well regarded Prospect Wells in a Grade Two.

Steps to Freedom was due to run in a bumper on the all-weather at Dundalk last week but Jessica Harrington decided not to run him. He is reported to be in good form and working well. He has a great chance of getting the week off to a flying start for the Irish.

Oscars Well

Oscars Well image: irishracing.com

 

This horse was desperately unlucky at the Festival last year. He looked to be every inch the winner of the Neptune Investments Novices’ Hurdle but he sprawled on landing after the last. He did well to stay on his feet but he lost all chance of winning and ended up in fourth.

This season he has run four times and been placed in each race. Oscars Well will run in the Champion Hurdle and although this race looks to be at the mercy of the imperious Hurricane Fly, Oscars Well will love the fast gallop and quicker ground he should get in that race. At 12/1 he is definite each way value and probably the horse to chase Hurricane Fly up the Cheltenham hill.

Citizenship 

Citizenship winning the Boylesports.com hurdle image:irishracing.com

 

He was an impressive winner of the Boylesports Hurdle at Leopardstown a month ago and holds entries in the County Hurdle and the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle. Although festival handicaps can be tricky to plot a course through, Citizenship’s trainer knows what it takes having won the County Hurdle with Spirit Leader in 2003. She is leaning towards that race with Citizenship and he is currently 14/1 for that race.

Jetson

Jetson (left) irishracing.com

He won a competitive handicap hurdle at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival and holds an entry in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle. He is a best priced 16/1 shot for the listed contest.

Her Cheltenham entries are completed by The Quiet Hawk in the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle, The Bull Hayes in the County Hurdle and Saludos, who was third to Seabass at Naas on Sunday is entered in the Grand Annual Chase.

*This article first appeared in The Nationalist 28 February 2012

A good afternoon for Ruby and Ted *

Zaarito jumps the last ahead of Seabass image: irishtimes.com

IT was Cheltenham Trials Day at Naas on Sunday but Seabass was on trial for Aintree and he passed his test with flying colours. His determined victory in the Grade 2 paddypower.com Chase earned him a tilt at the Aintree Grand National on April.

Seabass continued a remarkable winning sequence on Sunday. His victory was the seventh on the bounce for Ted Walsh since he won at Punchestown in January 2010.

His six previous wins had all been over further and the drop back to the minimum trip on Sunday presented a different test to the one he will be faced with in six weeks. Seabass made most of the running with Saludos but galloping up the home straight the rejuvenated Zaarito posed a major threat to Seabass’s ambitions.

Zaarito went past Seabass between the last two fences and when he jumped the final fence much better than the market leader it looked like the end of the winning streak for Seabass. However he showed class and courage, essential qualities for Aintree, to battle back bravely for Ruby Walsh on the run to the line to win by a length.

Afterwards Ted Walsh was thrilled with Seabass’s battling performance over an inadequate trip. “Seabass got under the last but was gutsy. He was probably out of his comfort zone over two miles and they were probably going a bit faster than he wanted to but he battled well,” he said.

Seabass (left) and Saludos (right) image: independent.ie

The Kill trainer confirmed that Aintree is the next stop for Seabass if he starys fit and healthy but that there are no guarantees when it comes to that race.

“If he stays sound we will go to Aintree for the National. There is no ideal type of horse for that trip and you won’t know until you get there. Nobody knows if he will get the trip, he’s never been beyond three miles. I’d imagine looking at him he is the right type. However the biggest problem is keeping him sound – he’s been on the scrapheap three times already,” he added!

Ruby Walsh will have a choice of rides for the National but Ted has already lined up a replacement. His daughter, Katie, has won on Seabass twice this season, and she will take over the reins at Aintree if Ruby is claimed by either of his two trainers.

“The choice will be Ruby`s and he rides for Willie (Mullins) or Paul (Nicholls) but if for some reason they went by the wayside he might decide to ride this fellow. If he doesn't, I have a very able substitute in Katie,” Ted explained.

Seabass is set to carry 10 – 12 in the National and his brave performance meant that bookmakers slashed his odds for the Aintree marathon. He is just 16/1 with both Boylesports and Paddy Power to give Ted Walsh his second winner in the legendary race, twelve years after Papillion’s famous triumph. Maybe there’s an omen of things to come for Seabass because Papillion finished fourth in this race before going on to Aintree glory.

Felix Yonger gets over the last image: irishracing.com

Ruby Walsh had just two rides at Naas yesterday and he went home with a perfect record. His other winner was in another of the day’s Grade Two contests – the paddypower.com novice hurdle. Felix Yonger is one of the Wylie horses transferred to Willie Mullins after Howard Johnson’s ban and subsequent retirement.

Felix Yonger was sent off the 2/1 favourite but had to work hard for his victory. His hurdling wasn’t very slick throughout the race. He made a mistake at the second last flight but took over the lead on the run to the last.  A far from fluid jump at the last appeared to put him under pressure. However he showed his class to recover well from that mistake and win by three lengths from the staying on Dressedtothenines.

Afterwards Willie Mullins confirmed that Felix Yonger’s performance showed he would be good enough to go to Cheltenham and that better ground would enable him to show his true class.

“He is a super mover and I don’t think he is a winter horse. I think he will be better on better ground in the spring. Ruby always thought he would have no problem staying but he is well able to compete over two miles on better ground. He shows me plenty of gears at home and I think he will improve again,’ he said.

Felix Yonger is entered in all three novice hurdles at the Festival and his trainer will discuss which race he runs in with Graham Wylie

Davy Russell was victorious in the day’s other Grade Two but Ruby’s double means that there is now just 13 between the pair in the race to be crowned champion jockey.

Rathlin comes home alone image: irishracing.com

Rathlin was an impressive winner of the Grade Two Woodlands Park 100 Club Nas na Riogh Chase for Russell and Mouse Morris but he will not be making the trip to Prestbury Park in two weeks. Instead he will probably wait for the Powers’ Gold Cup in Fairyhouse at Easter.

One winner yesterday who did book his Cheltenham ticket was Idarah. The topweight put up a battling performance in the hands of newly wed Nina Carberry to land the handicap hurdle over two miles. Nina had the grey in the vanguard all the way round and he showed courage and determination to fight all the way from the back of the last to the line. He has multiple Cheltenham entries but trainer Paul Cashman is leaning towards the Grand Annual for the grey.

“That was great but a bit unexpected. I thought he’d need the run badly. He did a nice bit of work during the week but it is four months since he ran,” said the happy and surprised trainer.

“He hates that ground and hopefully he will get nicer ground at Cheltenham. He is entered in the County hurdle, the Grand Annual and the conditional jockeys’ hurdle and we are leaning towards the Grand Annual," he added.

* This article first appeared in The Nationalist 28 February 2012 

DCU's Sublime Second Half Destroys NUI Maynooth

DCU 2 -17

NUI Maynooth 0-07

A POWERFUL second half performance from DCU blew Maynooth out of the water in the Sigerson Cup final at Pearse Stadium this afternoon. The Dublin college stepped up to another level after the break and Maynooth had no answer to the questions they posed.

It was the performance DCU had threatened throughout this competition and the warning signs were there right from the beginning. They settled into the game straight away and had three points on the board before Maynooth got their opening score.

The Kildare college were four points down inside twenty minutes but they persevered and rattled off three unanswered scores to get themselves back into the game. David Quinn’s point just before half time was a superb effort and reduced the deficit to a single point but Dean Rock, who again starred in the forwards, had the last say of the half and DCU went into the break 0-6 to 0-4 in front.

DCU had been wayward with their shooting in the opening thirty minutes and it seemed as if complacency had set in. Their over-confidence allowed Maynooth back into the game when DCU were clearly the better side.

Whatever Niall Moyna said to them at half time worked spectacularly. They re-emerged a team transformed and let loose in the second half. The introduction of David Kelly had an immediate impact and he scored within a minute. Paul Flynn’s 45 found its way to the back of the net on 44 minutes and from there DCU never looked back.

The situation went from bad to worse for Maynooth, who managed just three second half points, when Kelly netted in the 47^th minute. Quick, slick interchanging passes put the Sligo star through on goal

DCU have an embarrassment of riches in their side and the strength in depth on the bench was put to good use. Donegal captain Michael Murphy was also brought into the fray in the second half and scored DCU’s final point in injury time to wrap up a comprehensive victory.

DCU’s second half display was outstanding. They were on another level to their opponents. Their movement was clever and purposeful and they passed slickly and with precision. DCU dominated completely after the break but with the footballers they can call on, the performance wasn’t a surprise.

The forwards had a fantastic day and among their ranks were Dublin stars and All-Ireland winners Eoghan O’Gara and Paul Flynn, along with another Dubliner Dean Rock. These three were outstanding for DCU. Flynn was rewarded for his scoring prowess with the man of the match award.

Scorers – DCU: P Flynn (1-3); D Kelly (1-1); D Rock (0-4, 0-1f); E O’Gara (0-4); D Keenan (0-2); C Begley (0-1); M Murphy (0-1); G Sweeney (0-1). NUI Maynooth: M Newman (0-2, 0-1f); D Dalton (0-1); T Moolick (0-1); C Berrigan (0-1); P Cahillane (0-1); D Quinn (0-1).

DCU: M Boyle (R Hennelly 57); P McMahon; K Gavin; E Culligan; N Collins; J Cooper; J McCarthy; F O'Shea; C Begley; P Flynn; D Rock (G Sweeney 48); D Keenan (Murphy 40); J Brady (D Kelly halftime); E O'Gara (F O’Curraoin 57); A McFadden.

NUI Maynooth: S Connolly; K O'Brien; K Lynch (W Ryan 49); D Dalton; T Moolick ; J McDermott; S Denvir (T Johnson 38); C Berrigan (D Quinn 45); C Brophy; P Cahillane; S Hurley; C Mullins (P Óg Ó Gríofa 54); M Newman; J Califf (S Fahey 34); D Quinn.

Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan).

DCU's power packed bench crush UUJ

DCU: 0-17

UUJ: 1-05

A powerful second half performance from DCU’s star studded side ended UUJ’s  chances of reaching the final for the second year running.

The O’Byrne Cup winners have an unrivalled strength in depth and they were able to call on the services of inter county stars David Kelly and Michael Murphy to help them turn around their performance in the second half.

The first half was evenly contested and a well taken shot by UUJ’s Antoin McFadden gave fellow Donegal start Michael Boyle no chance in the DCU net. The northern team went into the break a point ahead, 1-3 to 0-5, with no hint of what was to come.

Jordanstown faded badly in the second half and could only manage to add two more points to that tally. DCU’s ability to spring inter county stars from the bench contributed to that.

A power packed DCU performance helped them to take control in midfield with Fiontán O’Curraoin running the show. All-Ireland winning Dublin star Paul O’Flynn had another good day scoring four points.

His Dublin teammate Eoghan O’Gara was causing problems for the Jordanstown defence, winning frees which the reliable boot of Dean Rock converted with metronomic precision.

UUJ reverted to piling bodies behind the ball but they looked bereft of ideas in attack and the loss of Tyrone forward Matty Donnelly early in the second half was a huge blow to their chances of winning.

DCU are now overwhelming favourites to win today’s final.

Scorers – DCU: D Rock 0-8 (6f); P Flynn 0-4; P McMahon 0-1; N Collins 0-1; C Begley 0-1; D Kelly 0-1; M Murphy 0-1 (f). UUJ: A McArdle 1-0; C McGinley 0-2; P Hughes 0-2; D McNulty 0-1.

DCU: M Boyle; P McMahon; K Gavin; E Culligan; J McCarthy; J Cooper; N Collins; F O Curraoin (F O’Shea 46); C Begley; P Flynn (C Sheridan 52); D Rock (D Kelly 55); D Keenan; J Brady; E O'Gara; A McFadden (M Murphy 43).

UUJ: S McCormack; R McNabb; R Pickering; A McClean; E Wade; G McCartan; C McGinley; N McAdam; A McArdle; M Donnelly (C Donnelly 41); L McLoone; P Hughes; P Devlin; K Hughes; D McNulty.

Referee: Michael Duffy (Sligo).

NUIM Upset the odds

NUIM: 2 -11

UCC: 2-08

NUI MAYNOOTH have suffered heartache at this stage of the Sigerson Cup in recent years but yesterday they finally got a taste of glory as they defeated UCC to qualify for their first final since 1976.

The Kildare side, lining out in their county colours, were the underdogs going into this clash with the defending champions, despite knocking out a strong UCD side in the quarter finals.

An early goal from Mark Collins suggested that the favourites might just run away with the match but Maynooth stuck their heads down an battled back to take a one point lead into the break.

They started the second half in scintillating fashion and goals from Michael Newman and David Quinn helped them race into an eight point lead.

Cork were not going to relinquish their title without a fight and they rallied in the final quarter. A goal from John Buckley brought them right back into the match.

UCC rattled off four unanswered points to reduce the deficit to just two with six minutes remaining but Maynooth were in no mood to be denied. Points from Paul Cahillane and Michael Newman ensured Maynooth gained the victory they deserved.

UCC manager Billy Morgan was fuming after a late point was called wide by the umpires but his side’s second goal appeared to be saved by Maynooth keeper Shane Connolly.

Maynooth coach Seán Cotter expressed his sides’ joy at finally reaching the final after their third attempt. “For two years in a row we have lost in semi finals and there was no way we were going to come down here and be beaten,” he said.

They were expecting UCC to come out fighting in the second half but were determined to hang on for the win. “We knew UCC would throw the kitchen sink at us in the second half and they gave us a bit of a scare but we came back. We threw the bath at them and all,” he added!

NUIM manager John Divilly won an All-Ireland medal with Galway in 1998 and is the only person involved with the team to have a Sigerson medal. He told his side after the game that he wants that to change today. It will be tough against DCU but after all the heartache of recent years, today may just be their day.

Scorers – NUIM: M Newman 1-4 (3f); D Quinn 1-1; P Cahillane 0-2; S Hurley 0-2; S Denvir 0-1; T Moolick 0-1. UCC: S O’Brien 1-1; M Collins 1-1 (1f), B O'Driscoll 0-2 (1 '45'); P Geaney 0-1; M Reen 0-1; J Buckley 0-1; K O'Driscoll 0-1.

NUIM: S Connolly; D Dalton; K O'Brien; K Lynch; T Moolick; J McDermott; S Denvir; C Berrigan; C Brophy; M Newman; S Hurley; C Mullins (S O’Hanlon 47); P Cahillane; J Califf (O’Griofa 40); D Quinn (S Fahey 57).

UCC: D Ferry; S Enright; E O'Mahony; J O'Sullivan; P Crowley; N Daly; B Daly; J Buckley; K O'Driscoll; D Nation (M Reen 38); M Collins; JB Spillane; S O'Brien (B Moran 56); P Geaney; B O'Driscoll.
Referee: S Carroll (Westmeath).