Noel Meade's absence from the racecourse in recent weeks has proved a lucky omen, and the Navan trainer was again on the mark when landing the featured Denny Gold Medal Handicap Chase with Fnan.
'That's the 12th winner in a row that Noel has missed,' said his partner Gillian O'Brien after the 2/1 favourite asserted before the straight under Paul Carberry to beat the Jimmy Mangan-trained pair Glacial Sygnet and Monty's Pass by three lengths and nine lengths. 'Noel has been kept very busy lately, and I think he believes it may be a jinx to come racing now. Fnan will probably go for the Kerry National providing the ground is good,' added Ms O'Brien.
Carberry was completing a double having earlier partnered Berkeley Bay to justify odds-on support in the Tom McGiff Plumbing Maiden Hurdle. The front-running mare stayed on well to beat Fast And Furious by six lengths, and trainer Mick Halford commented, 'That's the first time she has worn blinkers over hurdles, and it helped to keep her focused. She will continue to mix it between the Flat and hurdles.'
Quality Team proved an expensive failure in the Denny Havasnack Q R Race, with the 8/11 chance dropping away tamely at the furlong into fourth as Vatirisk stayed on best to beat outsider Shannon Ranger by a length and a half. 'He will be kept hurdling for a while, and will go chasing later this season,' said trainer Edward O'Grady.
Local trainer Tom Cooper recorded a popular success when Westfield Star took the Kerryman Ltd Australian Jockey Club Handicap in fine style. The five-year-old pulled his way to the front, and galloped on strongly inside the final quarter mile for Tadhg O'Shea to beat the strong-finishing Lake Millstatt by three lengths. 'That was the plan to win here, and he will go to Listowel next month,' said a delighted Cooper.
Declan Queally saddled his first winner on the Flat when Wacky Sport, ridden by his son Tom, took the Lee Strand Handicap. The four-year-old gelding traveled sweetly in the hands of the former champion apprentice, and just found enough in the closing stages to beat Exile by a neck.
Niall McCullagh ignored riding instructions from trainer Irene Oakes on Royal Fortune, but it proved a good decision as the pair made virtually all in the Tattersalls Ireland EBF Median Auction Maiden. 'I told Niall not to let him see the light of day but it's all worked out well. Niall feels he is best going left-handed, and we may go for a nursery next,' said 'thirty-something' Ms Oakes, who was celebrating her birthday in the best possible way.
Frances Crowley, whose Piltown yard has been laid low by a coughing bug for the past month, enjoyed a welcome change of fortune when Hidden Genius was driven to the front close home by Davy Condon to beat Just Wondering by half a length in the Billy Naughton/Citroen Handicap.
Alan Magee
