FAIRYHOUSE DAY TWO REPORTCONNA CASTLE made up for lost time with a vengeance in yesterday's Powers Gold Cup as Paul Carberry's mount edged out the favourite Big Zeb by half a length in a thrilling finish to the four-runner feature yesterday.
In the process he rewarded the patience shown by his Co Cork trainer Jimmy Mangan, with whom Carberry famously teamed up to land the 1997 Galway Plate on Stroll Home, and confirmed an expedition to Aintree in a couple of weeks time for a two mile race on Grand National day.
Mangan's nine-year-old ended his novice hurdling season rated an outstanding prospect for a steeplechase career but two races in the autumn of 2006 were disappointing and Conna Castle returned to hurdling.
Four races back over fences last summer provoked a Galway Plate gamble which ended with the horse only finishing 10th. Hopes of a resurrection for some more big race ambitions looked to have ended last October with a hairline fracture of a hind-leg.
"I thought that was that for the year. He spent six weeks solid without going outside his stable door. It was amazing. I felt sorry for the horse but I had to follow instructions. But he has made a great recovery and even now, I'd say he is only 90 per cent fit," said Mangan who praised Carberry's ride. "He's an amazing rider, one of the greats of all time," he added. "He rode him the last day at Thurles and Carberry only needs to ride a horse once to know him. There was no need to give him instructions. They'd only confuse him!"
Left to his own devices, Carberry master-minded the defeat of Big Zeb who he had ridden in his previous race, challenging two out and then edging clear on the run in.
"Knowing the other horse helped a bit. I knew we had to try and burn him out a bit," Carberry said.
Conna Castle will go to Liverpool but Punchestown is the next option for the runner-up whose trainer Colm Murphy said: "If the ground turns up good he could run in the three-mile novice but he will have a series of options."
Carberry had earlier landed a 14 to 1 success on another Cork-based horse, Oscar Rebel in the Grade Three mares novice hurdle. The Liam Burke-trained winner had nine lengths in hand of the hurdling newcomer Shirley Casper.
The favourite Brave Betsey unseated Barry Geraghty at the third flight and the former champion jockey needed 40 stitches for a chin injury but is free to ride Forget The Past in the National today.
Ruby Walsh had to be at his strongest to get the favourite Cooldine home in the Grade Two novice hurdle as Willie Mullins's prolific winner was overhauled by a rallying Chasing Cars on the run-in before fighting back again to win by three parts of a length.
"He had a hard race at Thurles and to come back and do that is impressive. I'm really looking forward to him going chasing," said Willie Mullins, who didn't rule out an attempt on the Stayers race at Punchestown. Cooldine is already a 14 to 1 shot for next year's SunAlliance Chase.
Walsh doubled up on Jimmy Ber who carried Lar Byrne's Hardy Eustace colours to a six lengths victory over the favourite Horner Woods in the maiden hurdle. Only a head separated the champion jockey from a treble as Northern Alliance found Enter The Indian just too good in the novice handicap hurdle.
"Maybe we'll be back here on the Monday of this meeting next year!" grinned Colm Murphy after Wickford edged Rory's Pleasure by half a length in the Beginners Chase. "He's a staying chaser who has now won three times around here."
