RACING: The Gold Cup and Grand National-winning jockey Jim Culloty had his very first winner at Listowel when Al Eile upset the odds-on More Rainbows on the opening day of the festival.
Killarney-born Culloty is not a frequent performer in his home county and favourite backers will have no doubt wished he had stayed away this time too. More Rainbows was a warm 8 to 11 favourite to follow up a Tralee success but Culloty managed to get an inspired tune out of the unconsidered Al Eile who won by a length despite a mistake at the second last flight.
"I've ridden twice before in the Kerry National here but that's my first winner," said a happy Culloty. "The mistake at the second last was my fault. I was too ambitious." Significantly, Culloty's impression of the ground conditions yesterday was very favourable and he said: "It's lovely going with a good covering of grass. I'm not sure if I will have a ride in the Kerry National this time but it's always nice to ride a winner."
The jockey might have been happy but Al Eile's owner Michael Ryan was ecstatic at having achieved a lifelong ambition. "He has Patsy Veale with me too but his dream has always been to have a winner at Listowel - and now he has!" said trainer John Queally.
"He is the first three-year-old hurdler I've trained in my life and I've only had him a few weeks. He would have been an unlucky loser as he completely missed out the second last," he added.
Pat Flynn also praised the state of the going on the flat track following Delphie Queen's success in the fillies maiden. "The ground is beautiful. I walked it before racing and they've done a great job. It's gorgeous," he said. "She has been knocking on the door and hasn't helped herself by racing with her head up in the sky."
Al Eile's 12 to 1 success ensured that the jackpot wasn't won but the pool didn't even last to the final leg after Pharrihy took the handicap hurdle under Ruby Walsh. The mare got the better of Cooldine Prince by a length and trainer Paul Nolan said: "She is as tough as nails and if she's well enough I could run her again at the weekend. Two and a half miles would suit her a lot better. Ruby said he was always having to squeeze and the extra distance would allow him sit."
Willie Mullins celebrated his 47th birthday with Bacchus Prince running out a length winner from Lorikeet in the bumper.
The day's richest pot, the €50,000 Premier Nursery, fell to the Kevin Prendergast-trained Faasel who held off Alexander Goldrun by half a length. "That's it for this year with him but I did think he would win," Prendergast said.
Another odds-on favourite to bite the dust was Colca Canyon who overcame Glenhaven Nugget in comfortable fashion in the Beginners Chase. "The run he had at Cork helped him with experience and he was clever enough at the last when he got close to it. Barry (Geraghty) said the fences are stiff enough. We'll keep going because he likes this good ground," said trainer Jessica Harrington.
Racing ended with MV Magnier, the 18-year-old son of the Coolmore Stud supremo John Magnier, winning the charity race on the high-class flat horse Sahara Desert. Those who bet the 1 to 2 had little to worry about in the race but probably were thankful they hadn't met Aidan O'Brien beforehand.
"I told MV going out that I didn't think there was a hope of the horse getting two miles! I thought he did real well to settle him. He rides him out at home which helped, and the ground here is beautiful," said O'Brien.
The opening day bookmaker turnover at Listowel was down marginally on last year with a figure of €721,402 yesterday compared to €729,538. The Tote was up however to €151,638 from last year's €147,638.
