Hackett on the money at Punchestown

Toomevara trainer Ray Hackett saddled the Ballyvara Racing Syndicate-owned Morricone to win the two and a half-mile handicap hurdle at Punchestown on Bank Holiday Monday last.

The seven-year-old was a winner at the course in the middle of last month and he arrived late on the scene to record a follow-up success at odds of 2/1 favourite, despite the inconvenience of a slipped saddle. Ridden by Darragh O'Keeffe, he led close to the finish to deny Gordon Elliott’s front-runner Shannon Royale by half a length.

O'Keeffe was on the mark for another Tipperary trainer as he won the concluding two and a half-mile handicap hurdle on Liam O'Brien’s Mighty Jeremy at Fairyhouse on Wednesday with Mighty Jeremy.

In the familiar colours of owner/breeder Paddy Meany, the ten-year-old became the third winner of the day to make all the running and he went clear under O'Keeffe on the run to the final hurdle to win by ten lengths from the Paul Gilligan-trained Zeeband.

The Andy Slattery-trained Tarsus ran out a very comfortable winner of the four-runner conditions’ race over six furlongs at Dundalk on Friday evening. Ridden by Declan McDonogh, the even money chance led inside the final furlong to score by two lengths from the Ado McGuinness-trained odds-on favourite Harry’s Bar.

An easier winner was the Denis Hogan-trained Tyson Fury which scored a five and a half-length victory in the two-mile handicap. Owned by the trainer’s mother Mary, the favourite went clear under Daniel King from the furlong-pole to beat the Michael Cleary-trained Impero.

Rathvin trainer Harry Kelly landed a winner in the famous Bowe family colours as Glen Kiln took the two-mile three-furlong maiden hurdle at Naas on Saturday. Ridden by Carl Millar, the strong favourite made much of the running and he battled well when joined by the Oliver McKiernan-trained Musta Lovea Lovea early on the run-in to score by one and three-parts of a length.

Owned by Mary Doyle and trained by her husband Pat, Kap De Triomphe made a winning debut under Pa King in the concluding four-year-old bumper. A very well-backed favourite, he was sent off at odds of 8/13 favourite and justified the betting market confidence as he asserted from over a furlong from the finish to win by three and a quarter lengths from Buckaway Freddie which was ridden for Gordon Elliott by Harry Swan.

Denis Hogan and Daniel King added to their winner on the Flat at Dundalk on Friday evening when taking the three-mile handicap chase at Navan on Sunday with the ten-year-old Young Dev. A 12/1 chance, he led at the second-last fence and went clear to win by three and three-parts of a length from the Ciaran Murphy-trained Rolly Bowley Boy.

Upcoming Meetings

Dundalk – Wednesday, February 14 (First Race 1.40pm)

Clonmel – Thursday, February 15 (First Race 1.10pm)

Dundalk – Friday, February 16 (First Race 3.47pm)

Gowran Park – Saturday, February 17 (First Race 1.42pm)

Punchestown – Sunday, February 18 (First Race 1.35pm)