Pat Flynn© Photo Healy Racing
County Waterford trainer Pat Flynn is set to be well-represented on Gowran’s eight-race pre-Galway Flat card this afternoon.
Ballybrit has been a happy hunting ground down the years for Flynn — with names like Salmon Eile, Onomatopoeia and Bahrain Storm readily coming to mind.
Flynn has Jake Peter engaged in this year’s first-day highlight, the Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap on Monday — but before then, there is business to be taken care of at Gowran on Saturday.
The action at the County Kilkenny venue begins early, and patrons will be well ready in time for the All-Ireland Hurling semi-final — which starts at 6pm when the Cats take on champions Limerick.
Flynn is a hurling fan himself — but with his beloved Deise boys out of contention for 2019, all his focus will be on the five horses he has declared at Gowran.
They are all set to do battle in the colours of his wife Catherine, and Ben Coen and Conor Hoban have been employed to ride the Ballingara Stables runners. Travelwise is surely the big hope as he bids to quickly supplement Wednesday’s Naas success, in division one of the Kilkenny Vehicle Centre Apprentice Handicap.
Coen won on him three days ago and is on board again as the Duke Of Marmalade gelding competes under a mandatory 6lb penalty.
Travelwise was actually put up 11lb for that four-length Naas victory, so his claims are crystal clear from a rail-side draw in stall one — despite being back a furlong in trip.
The five-year-old returned from a 750-day break to finish second at Limerick on July 7, and can continue to make up for lost time now. Lizard Point Jessamine (who is a first reserve), Transformed and Regal Beau are the other Flynn contenders through the card.
Elsewhere, in-form local handler Tony Mullins starts off German import Aera in the Byrne Marquees Handicap.
The Soldier Hollow filly knows how to get the job done, having won three already, and it will be interesting to see how she fares on Irish debut.
