Blissful Moment (Paul Carberry) jumping the last © Photo Healy Racing
Blissful Moment had proved mainly disappointing over fences although a staying on second at Thurles last month did offer some hope and Noel Meade’s charge duly opened his account over the larger obstacles in the opening three-mile handicap chase at Down Royal.
The seven-year-old gelding, twice successful on the Flat for Sir Michael Stoute and also winner of a maiden hurdle for present connections at Navan just over a year ago, was patiently ridden by Paul Carberry.
The conditions proved very testing with just five of the ten runners completing the course - Zekarya (lame) and Hold Em Cowboy (ground) were both non-runners.
However Carberry’s mount coped better than most with the heavy ground, and the 7/1 chance led before two out and kept on well on the run-in to beat well-backed 7/4 favourite Witness Of Fashion by a length and three quarters. More Madness could find no extra in the closing stages a further length adrift in third.
Meade said, “He probably likes the very heavy ground. It slows the rest of them down. He’s been a very disappointing horse. We gave a lot of money for him out of Michael Stoute's.
“It was a pretty ordinary race he won today, and that’s what he is. I’m delighted he won and maybe with a bit of luck he can win another one.
“We had hoped that he would make a top hurdler as he has a great make and shape to him. But he has his own ideas and he’s suffered with some wind problems."
Carberry said, “It’s taken him a while to get used to jumping fences. He’s a little bit careful, and he was a bit slow at one or two today. The ground is heavy but it’s loose.”
