Blue reversed previous Galway placings with The Baltimore Man to take the featured Smithwicks Beer Handicap Hurdle as another large crowd turned out on day four of the Festival meeting.
Paul Carberry maintained his record of a winner-a-day at the north Kerry track this week when giving the Noel Meade-trained gelding a determined ride in this #35,000 event. The Baltimore Man adopted his usual front-running tactics, although Charlie Swan did well to keep the partnership intact following a bad blunder at the first flight and he was never travelling with any real fluency.
Blue was rousted along to take the lead two out, and stayed on gamely under pressure to beat Galway Breeze by a length, with The Baltimore Man just half a length back in third. 'We will keep him on the go unless the ground gets very soft. He benefitted from the experience at Galway, and this flatter track was a help', said Meade afterwards.
The Kevin McManus Beginners Chase proved a real success story for the Moore family. Alexander Fourball, trained by Arthur Moore for his wife Mary and ridden by their son John Daniel, justified good support when leading before two out to beat Jolly Paddy by a comfortable five lengths.
Andrew McNamara is considering a switch to the Flat for Marakiya after the four-year-old filly showed great reserves of stamina to take the three miles Spectra Photo Labs Handicap Hurdle in great style. Jimmy Mansell (18) sent her to the front in the straight, and quickened clear to beat Gomaune Hill by five lengths. 'Aga Khan breds have done well in the Cesarewitch before and, if she gets into the handicap, could well go to the Curragh', said the Limerick trainer.
John Murtagh narrowed the gap to three behind Pat Smullen in the Flat jockeys championship when recording his 68th victory of the season aboard newcomer Thought in the Harvest Festival EBF Maiden. Sheikh Mohammed's home-bred juvenile touched off Smullen's mount Moayed in virtually the final stride of the mile event.
There were 41 non-runners (including reserves) on this seven race card, with the ground given as the excuse for a considerable proportion.
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