Gowran Park report: Dun Doire took full advantage of a late opening to deliver an even later winning thrust and land a dramatic Ellen Construction Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park yesterday. The long-time ante-post favourite for the €100,000 feature was left in "first reserve" limbo at declaration time on Wednesday but the defection of Killeaney allowed Dun Doire into the race and the bookmakers were made to pay.
A general morning price of 4 to 1 was knocked right down to a 9 to 4 SP which only looked precarious at the very last fence when the winner made a bad mistake.
Paul Carberry only took up the running at the second last and there was more than enough in reserve after the error to hold the long-time leader Coljon by a length and a half.
Dun Doire returned to a tumultuous reception from his owners, the Dunderry Syndicate which includes the former Meath Gaelic footballer Barry Callaghan, and a satisfied trainer in Tony Martin.
"I think I'm going to have to buy John Carr (Killeaney's trainer) a drink. He rang at 5.30 yesterday evening to say his horse had got a rap and was sore. Then he rang again this morning to say he was out," said Martin before outlining future plans for the winner.
"The four-mile at Cheltenham has been the main plan all season but he is eligible for a lot more races now. There's the Kim Muir and the three-mile handicap. But I can use Johnny Farrelly in the four mile and he is great value for his 7lb claim," he said.
"Paul was great today though. He's out on his own, exceptional," Martin added. "I know it didn't look it at the last but the horse has always been a great jumper and he has been giving us the right vibes all year."
Carberry revealed that he was under orders to take his time and said: "Tony felt I got there too soon last time so he told me to wait and wait. He is a big horse but he has plenty of gears for the size of him."
It was confirmed last night that a Turf Club veterinary officer visited the John Carr stable near Maynooth after racing and verified that the reported injury to Killeaney was correct.
Wednesday evening was a busy time all round as it was also around 5.30 that Sher Beau gave his trainer Philip Fenton a scare.
"He got a stone bruise and we were poulticing the problem through the night," said Fenton whose promising seven-year-old is now a general 25 to 1 shot for the SunAlliance Chase after an easy 10-length success in the novice event.
"I would like to run him in the PJ Moriarty at Leopardstown to find out where we stand but this horse does like a little time between races," Fenton added. "We have had a few mishaps with him this season but he's a grand horse."
Emotional Moment is a general 25 to 1 shot for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle on the back of an impressive eight-length defeat of Strangely Brown in the Galmoy Hurdle. It was a second successive win in the Grade Three for Tom Taaffe's horse and the trainer now faces a teaser as to where Emotional Moment runs next. "I've always felt he is maybe just short of being a Grade One horse and that may still apply. But the way horses are falling away we may let him take his chance in the World Hurdle," said Taaffe.
First Row's claim to fame when trained by Brian Meehan was being pulled out of last year's Epsom Derby after injurying himself in the stalls. There were no such dramatics yesterday as he comfortably took the maiden hurdle.
As well as the big race, Paul Carberry also scored on the 12 to 1 No Sound who easily held the fast-finishing 33 to 1 outsider Rathkenny in the handicap hurdle.
No Sound's trainer, Noel Meade, doubled up in the last with Leading Run but an original plan for the winner to go to Cheltenham for the bumper has had to be shelved because as a seven-year-old, he is not eligible to run.
Yesterday's Thyestes fixture produced a modern-day record crowd of over 8,500 at Gowran Park and the large attendance also produced record betting figures. An all-time record bookmaker figure of €1,468,093 was generated, almost half a million up on last year. There was also a record Tote total of €307,655 which beat the previous record of €229,713 from 2004.
