Listowel Report Thursday 17th September

In the UK racing festivals tend to focus around the “big” meetings, whereas in Ireland any course worth its salt will stage an annual festival.

Some are notorious, Galway is said to be a drinking fest with some racing thrown in the mix. Others are more genteel but big locally.

This week the festival bandwagon moves to Listowel in County Kerry. A seven day festival of racing centred around the Kerry National ran on the Wednesday.

This days racing is much quieter but still had a good crowd and a great buzz.

As is very common at the Irish festivals the card was mixed with four flat and four NH races.

The opener was a maiden over seven furlongs. It has to be said a very rum bunch went to post and it says a lot that the favourite Silver Shoon, who has previously done everything possible not to win, was by far the best looking runner in the parade ring. Sent off the 4/5 favourite Dermot Weld’s grey duly obliged although she had to hold off a late challenge from All In Clover.

There was a strong clue in the second contest where Augustusthestrong was the only Aidan O’Brien runner of the afternoon. Punters also latched onto this and he was sent off the 8/11 winner. It has to be said it ended up not being much of a contest.  Augustusthestrong set out to make the pace and was never threatened, coming home a three length winner. Before anyone gets too excited however the favourite did not beat very much.   

Race three was a marathon 2m handicap with 18 going to post, with Tony Martin’s Green Mile sent off the 9/2 favourite, however he could only finish fourth. It turned out to be a strange race with everything changing in the final couple of furlongs, with several running on types battling it out inside the final furlong. Eventually it was Celtic Soprano, an easy winner at Wexford last time out, who prevailed, nailing Monahullan Prince in the final strides. It was even closer for third with Le Leopard and Banna Man dead heating.

There was another close finish to the final flat contest with the top two in the betting, The Pier and Captain Cole, battling out the finish.  The favourite taking up the running three out and the runner-up running-on in the final stages.

The opening national hunt contest and the only chase of the afternoon was certainly incident packed. For the record Faltering Fullback, the favourite recorded a 1¾ length victory. However it was two falls that caused most interest. The second one saw yesterdays Kerry National winning rider Ruby Walsh dumped two. However it was the crashing fall sustained by Paul Carberry that overshadowed the contest. Falling at what was the second jump Carberry was being treated for some time after the contest before being taken away on a spinal board.

Race six was the first of a brace of contest over hurdles and the feature race of the afternoon, The Guinness Handicap Hurdle, over two miles.

Gay Sloan set the early pace, although he was headed by Fingers after three flights and he held the lead until the field turned for home. The Last Hurrah’s race lasted only three flights before he fell, badly hampering Sweet Wake, effectively ending the latter’s race as well.

Turning for home Tramp Stamp came with a well times run, to take up the running but the Michael Hourigan trained Turf War was also making late progress. The pair jumped the last fence together and had a great battle to the line with Turf War recording a half length victory.

The favourite in the contest was Dani California from the Willie Mullins / Ruby Walsh combo. The filly was another doing her best work in the final stages but Walsh appeared to have left the challenge too late, coming home a never nearer fifth.

The final contest was a bumper and it turned out to be the most controversial contest of the afternoon.

The Conor O’Dwyer trained Tripolovitch set the pace under Mr B Connell, however as they turned for home it was clear the horse was injured and the rider began to pull his mount up. This left the favourite Flat Out with a clear lead, which he maintained to record a five length victory.

At this stage Tripolovitch was a well tailed off last and inside the final furlong it was clear the horse was seriously injured.

It was clear the horse should have been immediately dismounted, however to my absolute disgust Connell continued to push the mount towards the line.