Physique, ridden by Seamus Heffernan, secured Micky Fenton his third and most significant career win in the £110,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Ahonoora Handicap on the final day of the 2024 Galway festival.
The 9-1 shot set the pace and, when challenged by last year’s winner Dunum, dug deep to win by half a length from the fast-finishing Hurricane Ivor, with Dunum close behind in third.
Fenton said, “We were disappointed when he lost last time, but this more than makes up for it. There’s only one way to ride this horse — he likes to take charge, and Seamie knows him well. He kept going strong up the hill.
“It’s fantastic for his owner, Patsy Sheehan, from the Grand Hotel in Killarney. This is only my third winner since I started training, and honestly, I’m a bit in shock.”
Winning rider Heffernan added, “Micky had planned for this race for a while — we were just hoping for a low draw. If you have a horse that can keep up with the pace around here, you have a great chance.”
Flicker Of Hope gave trainer Mark Fahey his second success of the festival by winning the three-mile Kenny Galway Handicap Hurdle convincingly, taking over from Littlebiggie at the final flight and pulling clear to win by six lengths.
Fahey explained, “We ran him last night because we weren’t sure he’d get into this race, and his owner wanted to have a runner here. The rain came, and he needs that trip. Jack (Kennedy, jockey) gave him a super ride, and he won well. We’re excited about his future, and he’ll stay over hurdles for now.”
Champion jockey Jack Kennedy returned to the winner’s enclosure after Hurricane Georgie’s gutsy win, marking the fourth victory at the meeting for both Gordon Elliott and Kennedy, securing Kennedy the festival’s leading National Hunt rider award for the first time in the Kinlay Hostel Chase.
The seven-year-old mare, owned by Pioneer Racing, overcame top-weight Easy Game on the long run-in to win by four and a quarter lengths, with favorite Janidil in third.
“She’s a great little mare and excels in small field races,” said Kennedy. “She picked them up easily coming up the hill but did just enough when she hit the front.”
JP McManus’s colors were carried to double glory, highlighted by the Willie Mullins-trained Saint Roi, who, unplaced in the Plate on Wednesday, defied a top-weight of 11-12 (less Aidan Kelly’s 5lb claim) with a brave front-running display in the Lord Hemphill Memorial Handicap Chase.
Saint Roi led from the front, jumping boldly, and on the stiff climb from the final fence, held off The Dasher Conway and Dreal Deal by a length and a quarter and the same.
Mullins, crowned the festival’s leading trainer for the ninth time with five winners, six seconds, and three thirds, commented, “This was a very brave performance — Aidan asked him some big questions, and he responded well. I’d say his jumping won it for him, and when they challenged him up the hill, he fought all the way to the line.”
Earlier, Charlie O’Dwyer delivered the Philip Dempsey-trained, McManus-owned Neveradullmoment with a late surge to deny 50-1 Wajaaha in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.
“This was my first festival ride, and we knew the test of stamina on that ground would suit him,” said the winning rider. “He jumped and traveled great, and once I got him out, I knew he’d keep going — he stays very well.”
At a meeting where front-runners often prevailed, the Joseph O’Brien-trained Sigh No More (Declan McDonogh) bucked the trend by producing a remarkable late charge to win the Irish EBF Auction series 2-Y-O Maiden.
Last at the halfway point and only 10th turning for home, the Starspangledbanner colt flew home in the heavy ground to catch Saint Brandon for a comfortable victory.
On a day when Wayne Lordan (four winners) received the Pat Smullen Trophy as the festival’s leading flat rider, Gavin Cromwell provided favorite backers with a late boost when Declan Lavery partnered 11-10 favorite The Passing Wife to an easy win in the Fr Breen Memorial Pro-Am Flat Race.
Leave a Reply