Maureen Danagher, who worked with Michael Hourigan for 21 years, upstaged her former boss in the Garryrichard Stud Hunters Chase at Wexford on Saturday, in the process gaining her initial success under Rules. Just Cassandra, the only horse the Patrickswell woman has under her care, looked to have plenty to do at the penultimate fence as Hourigan's Victorian Lady struck for home.
However the four-times 'points' scorer showed huge reserves of stamina to lead on the run-in under Michael O'Connor (his first track win), to triumph by a length and a half. A delighted Danagher said, 'We bought her when she was four months old and it is a real family success as she is named after my daughter. She'll go to Gowran next.'
Liz Doyle, scored a popular local win in the beginners chase, as the trainer and rider of Greywell. This fellow was an easy-to-back 5/2 chance as Sheer Frustration went off a strong favourite. A highly experienced rider 'between the flags', Doyle was gaining her first victory over fences on the track and exclaimed a relieved 'at last' as she dismounted.
Tom Taaffe heads into an important week with his string demonstrating their current well being, the Straffan-handler's Tumbling Dice landing the two and a half mile handicap hurdle. Under a determined David Casey drive, the 6/1 shot hit the front before the final flight and kept going to defeat An Culainn Beag, who had looked a likely winner away from two out.
Feature of the day, the Micheal O'Murchadha Handicap Chase went to the Thomond O'Mara-trained, Captain Moonlight in facile fashion. Willie Slattery's mount was in control some way from home and was eased near the finish for a six length win. O'Mara said, 'he could go to Limerick next Wednesday for a similar event.'
There could hardly have been a more appropriate victor of the Novice Handicap Hurdle. Caimin's Caper, a son of Norwich, who stands at Knockhouse Stud, took the two-miler sponsored by the Co. Kilkenny farm. Even more fittingly, the dam of this fellow, DJ Rose is a daughter of the now deceased Roselier, who also stood in Kilmacow, with huge success over many years.
Making all under Paul Carberry, Jim Dreaper's grey stayed on well to triumph by a length, thus completing a hat-trick, after back-to-back wins accomplished at Tramore back in January.
Dolmur was a strongly supported 11/10 favourite to take the opening maiden hurdle, but again demonstrated that he is not nearly as an effective hurdler as flat performer. With a rating on 106 on the level, Tony Mullins' charge could only finish a length runner-up to a 66-rated animal, the Robbie Osborne-trained, Big Bojangles.
David Maher, achieving his fourth win in the saddle, had to work hard to keep the 10/1 shot up to his task. The winning handler now plans to run his four-year-old again on the flat in the summer and will also run him in a winners' of one at some stage.
A confident Niall Madden brought through 9/4 favourite, Kings Apple with a smooth challenge off the home turn but needed to drive Noel Meade's runner right out to take the first divide of the bumper by two lengths.
An excellent day for the ladies was completed when Caroline Hutchinson trained and rode outsider, Aqua Breezer to record a length win in the concluding event.
