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The second day and since the last meeting
Sunderland have somehow survived in the Premiership, a great result for
football fans who enjoy the sort of football that makes torture porn look
like light comedy and Hull have earned the right to challenge Derby's
record for doing a huge fish out of water impersonation in 2009/10.
Although the idea that Burnley will be joining them is still in the realms
of the surreal.
On the racing front, there was a note of
caution about the well received EasiFix hurdles. There were few fallers in
the hurdles over the two days, but three horses in contention took
crashing falls at the final two flights, two fatally and one with a
serious injury. It is rash to judge on such little evidence, but the first
impression was that when the horse is flat out and gets it wrong, the lack
of give in the hurdle itself makes for a crashing fall.

The field for race four
approach the first fence
Going: Soft
Race 1: Connacht Telegraph Median
Auction Maiden [1m 1f]
1: La Tizona
2: Calle Aneto 3: Pittori
Winner owned: Damian Lavelle, trained:
David Marnane, ridden: C O'Donoghue
Three flat races were accidentally
observed at the beginning of the meeting. Favourite Pittori ran a
lacklustre race, as did the well backed Mosstown, to allow the win to fall
in the lap of the exposed La Tizona.
Race 2: Treacys Pharmacies Handicap
[1m 1f]
1: Coral Creek 2:
Rue De Cabestan 3: Imperial Belle
Winner owned: MC Grassick, trained: MJ
Grassick, ridden: DE Mullins
Boasting a good course record, Coral
Creek improved it further with smooth progress from midfield in the last
three furlongs. The first trio were well clear, but Imperial Belle's
strong finish was ended by an inexplicable attempt to dive into a non-existant
gap between Rue De Cabestan and the rails.
Race 3: Eamon Sheridan Groundworks
& Plant Hire Handicap [1m 1f]
1: Bentesina 2:
Hamalka 3: Quench The Flame
Winner owned: Lads Syndicate, trained:
Aidan Howard, ridden: NG McCullagh
With Hamalka looking to have put his nose
in front on the line, it was a bit of a surprise to the crowd when
Bentesina was called the winner, the photo showing that the margin was
about 5 millimetres.
Race 4: Mulholland Bookmakers Handicap
Chase [2m 1f]
1: Rossberry Lad
2: Strylea 3: Rince Donn
Winner owned: Silent Lads Syndicate, trained:
Francis Flood, ridden: MP Walsh
This race appeared to be in the bag for
Rossberry Lad two out, but he made a right old mess of the last, prompting
a good jockey recovery, followed by rapidly getting back on an even keel
and running hard for the line, which was enough to kill off Strylea's
chances. Rince Donn's form had been upheld by Flying Paragan a day
earlier, and he ran quite well, but not good enough. Consistency does not
appear to be one of his strengths.

Rossberry Lad wins
without magnaminity
Race 5: ITBA (Western Region)
mares' Handicap Hurdle [2m 4f]
1: Cara Mara 2:
Canitellyou 3: Princess Nicole
Winner owned: Sherwood Syndicate, trained:
JA Berry, ridden: Richie Moran
A rash of non-runners hardly made this
any easier to predict, and the winner, Cara Mara is herself a little
inclined to a multiple personality disorder - each of her characters being
at opposite ends of the good and evil spectrum. Good Cara was on parade
today, outstaying Canitellyou, Princess Nicole and Seepeeoh, all of which
are little more reliable than Cara Mara.

Cara Mara out-staggers
Canitellyou, with Princess Nicole and long time leader Seepeeoh pay their
respects
Race 6: Ballinrobe Tool & Plant
Hire Maiden Hurdle [2m 4f]
1: Fionnegas
2: Listening 3: West Ship Master
Winner owned: E Duignan, trained: Willie
Mullins,
ridden: David Casey
The race was marred when One To Many fell
fatally two out, leaving Fionnegas well clear in a race that he looked set
to win anyway. The success took his career total to three out of three.
Before the race the third favourite was priced at 25/1 and upwards, which
meant that some runners were worthy of watching for each-way purposes.
Based on his Killarney debut, Listening was not one of them, and although
he was not given a hard time chasing the winner, he did see off the rest
without being bottomed out. Ex-pointer West Ship Master was one of the
intriguing runs, and he was third in a field that ended up quite strung
out.
Race 7: FBD Insurance Flat Race [2m]
1: Baile Ui Cholmain 2:
Primroseandblue 3: Harry Hatman
Winner owned: FT Burke, trained: Gordon
Elliott, ridden: Mr AT Duff
Having been green in the paddock, or
perhaps just objecting to the Marquee Bar band's loud rendition of 'Proud
Mary,' Baile Ui Cholmain seemed a vulnerable contender in his racing
debut, but he coped with a delayed start and came out on top in a race
where the field were strung out like a long distance chase in bottomless
ground. After a promising Punchestown debut, in which he was defeated but
narrowly, Primroseandblue did not appear to progress at all, and only
edged out Harry Hatman for second very narrowly.
Plus Points
Strylea (race 4): Despite limited promise
in her earlier chases, she ended up with top weight in this, but really
ran quite well. The key seems to be to keep her at a low level.
Musical Melody (race 6): Had one or two
fair runs before a flop last time, and did not appear to be off today.
Baile Ui Cholmain (race 7): Overcame an
array of negatives to make a winning debut and ought to be up to better in
future.
Dancing Jack (race 7): Showed glimpses of
promise in points, but this was a waste of time. He was slightly slowly
away, trailed the field until a few in front pulled up and then cantered
in tailed off. Surely capable of better, as he has probably expended more
energy in a single yawn than was seen here.
Down Arrows
Chasers Chance (race 4): A well backed
favourite, he was niggled with six furlongs to run and the only thing to
make a case for his defence is that he was not punished when it was clear
that it was not his day.
Maid Of Malabar (race 5): Stood out in
the paddock, but ran far below her looks.
Lavendar Lily (race 5): Made dangerous
looking progress from the fourth last, but the effort petered out a bit
tamely in the last quarter of a mile.
The Next Hall (race 6): Was noted
travelling well at the rear when the field split into two groups, but when
an effort was asked for, signs of a response were not very apparent.
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