Odds-on punters had plenty to get their teeth into at Thurles yesterday where Jason Titley partnered a short-priced double with John Magical and Aonfocaleile.
John Magical was sent off at 9/2 on for the featured Irish National Hunt Novice Hurdle Series, and Titley made brave backers sweat by waiting until after the last before asking his mount to quicken. The five-year-old did not find as much as expected, and was driven out to beat Tarasi by half a length with Pateley close up in third.
The Clare rider moved onto the 35 winner mark for the season when Aonfocaleile landed a gamble in the Cashel Maiden Hurdle. The Edward O'Grady-trained gelding, supported from 6/4 to 4/6, was far from fluent on his debut over timber to beat Hillcrest Manor by a workmanlike three and a half lengths. O'Grady later completed his own double in the bumper where the heavily-backed Endless Magic gained a cosy success under Philip Fenton.
Native Estates was another short-priced favourite who needed to dig deep before landing the Heineken Phil Sweeney Memorial Chase. Paul Carberry's mount and Janiste were in the air together at the last, with the 1/4 chance getting on top in the final 50 yards to score by a length and a half. 'He is lazy, and it is not his cup of tea making the running,' said Meade, who nominated the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park later this month as a likely target.
A gamble came unstuck in the opening Thurles Handicap Chase where Whim Creek, available at 12/1 in the morning and backed down to 3/1 second favourite, found top-weight Call Me Dara two and a half lengths too good. However his Waterford trainer Paul Lenihan gained compensation later on when Reiska Bannagher went one better in the Holiday Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.
