Davy Russell kept up his pursuit on the jockey's title when partnering a double on his local track at glorious Mallow yesterday afternoon. The Cork native had gone eight clear before closest rival Ruby Walsh also recorded a double at the second meeting in Roscommon to leave his lead at six.
Russell's two timer was completed when landing the feature race, the Corkman Handicap Chase with Dbest who is trained by the in form Joanna Morgan won by an impressive five lengths.
The winner stalked the leaders throughout the contest before taking up proceedings after three out and going on from Anno Jubilo in second. It was an eight winner in two weeks for the absent trainer and a seventh career success for Dbest who has proven a valuable servant.
Thomond O Mara's Scot Love was a facile winner of the opening race when making every yard of the running to instigated Russell's double. The absence of Maucaillou made his task a bit easier but followers of the 4/7 favourite never had anything to worry about as the Dansili colt was never challenged with any conviction.
Fourteen lengths was the winning margin as the field were well strung out at the death but it was a pleasing success for winning owners the Dollwell Syndicate who are all Cork natives.
Tommy Treacy shared the riding honours also recording a brace and completing it in dramatic fashion aboard De Chirico trained by his brother Martin. It was a ding-dong battle from the third last with the eventual winner fighting it out with 5/4 second favourite Wing Of Fire.
The pair were head to head all the way to the line and provided judge Michael O Donoghue with a tough task in splitting them but eventually 14/1 shot De Chirico was called the winner to the delight of the winning trainer who later remarked, 'That was badly needed. He was all wrong at the weights but there is a possibility you enter a handicap and won't get in so we took our chance coming here. He always jumped well and won four point to points last season and a hunter's chase. We have only four horses in training and I will be considering the Galway Plate with this lad.'
Co Louth trainer Lester Winters saddled his third winner since taking out a licence in October 2005 when Dream Catch scored in the Glantane Handicap Hurdle over two miles. Prominent throughout under Tommy Treacy, the 20/1 shot battled well after the second last to hold off the challenge of Chusher Run by a length and three parts.
Winters later revealed how things failed to go according to plan last time out at Punchestown, 'He got hampered after the third last behind Katcharto Lady the last day in what was a very rough run race and that cost him.'
There was also a family connection in the concluding bumper when Giant Eagle ran out a two-length winner for Tom Foley in the hands of his daughter Adrienne who was partnering her 30th winner. The winner cost is a gelding by Giants Causeway and cost ?420,000 as a yearling and will now go to grass for the summer according to the winning trainer.
There were scenes of jubilation as connections led in Square Ball after winning the Corkman Handicap hurdle over two and a half miles. Ridden by Alain Cawley and trained by Paul Nolan the winner overcame a recent bout of seconditis to score for the first time this season at 7/1.
While the versatile Barregarrow won the three-mile hurdle for Seamus Neville with David Casey in the plate.
By Niall Cronin
? www.irish-racing.com
