Tipperary Racing Scene

It was a Friday night in Dundalk to remember for Fethard jockey Orla Tynan, which commenced by winning the mile handicap for trainer Andy Slattery on Kitty Bear at odds of 14-1.

The victory was the third of the young rider’s career, meaning her allowance of 10lbs was cut to 7lbs.

Credit to the winning horse who ground out a half-length success from Imperial Fighter despite a wide passage throughout in the colours of Charles and Brendan Kerwin and Liam Kehoe.

Tynan doubled up – combined odds of over 40-1 - with a memorable family success for her grandfather Matty Tynan when Soldier’s Tree bolted up by six lengths in the apprentice maiden at odds of 15-8 favourite.

The winner is a very lightly raced five-year-old. In fact, this was just his second start, his first coming just before Christmas when he ran a promising third.

“Unreal, unbelievable feeling,” Tynan beamed on Racing TV.

“It’s great that my Mum can see it. It’s her first time to watch me have a winner after driving me all around the country!

“This is grandad’s favourite horse, too. He’s not complicated, just get him out in front and he will stay galloping. It’s only his second run and he gives you some feel.”

For his part, Fethard trainer Matty Tynan added of the horse he owns and bred himself: “He works on his own and he can run his own fractions. He’s a big horse, a late developer but he might have a nice future.

“I could see him going well on the turf. Getting into a handicap off a light weight with Orla riding him, something like that.

“And I’m delighted for Orla’s mother [Marguerite]. She’d never seen her daughter ride a winner before and now she’s here and she gets two!

“Orla rode her first winner for us and we are trying to get her going. You do your best for your own family,” he concluded.

The Slattery family also enjoyed a terrific Saturday after Andy’s son Andrew, aboard Elnajmm, was an impressive winner of the Grade 2 Al Fahidi Fort in Meydan, Dubai, for trainer Michael Costa.

Denis Hogan kept up his recent productive streak with another winner at Dundalk, courtesy of Church Mountain ridden by Hollyford jockey Joey Sheridan.

This gelding, now approaching the veteran stage at the age of eight for a Flat galloper, has been a stalwart of the Cloughjordan stable for many years.

It was his 65th run for the yard with nine wins to show for owner Joseph Kelly. This was his fourth win at Dundalk and sixth in all with Sheridan in the irons.

Church Mountain always seems to be a backable price when he gets his head in front and he was again on this occasion, winning at 9-1 by three lengths from Satono Chevalier, the 100-30 second favourite.

There could not have been a more appropriate winner of the Grade 3 Limestone Lad hurdle than Glen Kiln who represented the Bowe family, owners of the prolific horse in whose honour the race was named.

Trained by Harry Kelly in Fethard, Glen Kiln made all the running and jumped very well as the 4-1 second favourite. He was challenged over the last by the even-money favourite Karbau, trained by Willie Mullins, but Glen Kiln was very determined under a strong Brian Hayes drive.

“When I got off him the last day, we all felt this Limestone Lad race would be the right fit for him. He’s not going to Cheltenham and this seemed a good target,” Hayes said.

“He’s a nice horse in front; a good jumper and he had a fitness edge on the rest of them. He will make a nice novice chaser next year and maybe they could look at the Aintree Hurdle before then,” he added.

Owner Michael Bowe was thrilled with the outcome saying: “I couldn’t talk or walk there for a minute! I got very emotional. You breed them and rear them you get this. I am thrilled to bits,” he enthused on the live broadcast.

“This fella is pretty good and he will make some chaser. You’d pick him out at the sales; he’s a model of a horse. I have four with [trainer] Harry at the moment and it’s going well but these days are hard to come by and we will enjoy the moment.”

Rusheen gave trainer Terence O’Brien his second successive win in the novice handicap chase at Naas on Sunday.

A year earlier the Carrigtwohill handler won the same event with his stable star Answer To Kayf, subsequent winner of the valuable Troytown Chase at Navan.

Making his first start for O’Brien, Rusheen was always handy in the run and picked up the lead on the turn for home. He finished out his race strongly, winning by four lengths at odds of 28-1 in the hands of Fethard jockey Philip Enright.

It was Rusheen’s first run for nine months – and his first for the yard - so it is reasonable to expect some improvement, his trainer indicated post-race.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

Dundalk – Wednesday, January 28th, first race 2.32pm

Thurles - Thursday, January 29th, first race 1.25pm

Dundalk - Friday, January 30th, first race 4.15pm

Leopardstown - Saturday, January 31st, first race 1.15pm

Leopardstown - Sunday, February 1st, first race 12.40pm