18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Dreal Deal delivers on first start for Rothwell
Dreal Deal has garnered many a headline during his career but, after a spell in the wilderness, he made a return to winning ways in the BoyleSports Handicap Chase in front of a bumper crowd to end another successful festival in Killarney.
On his first run for Philip Rothwell, having been with John McConnell and Ronan McNally, he was given a fine ride by Simon Torrens to collar longtime leader Gaelic Arc in the final stride.
'That's a massive surprise,' admitted the winning trainer. 'I saw he was in a claimer in Sligo last month for €15,000 and I bought into him myself privately after the race. I knew some of the lads involved and they asked me would I like to buy a share in him and to train him.
'We've changed things around. He is living in a paddock on his own and we've done a lot of different little things with him. I was hoping for a confidence-building run so it was far from expected, but I think we can build on it.'
Nurburgring limbered up for a tilt at the Galway Plate with a spin over an inadequate two miles and a furlong in the Lee Strand Novice Chase but it provided a good spin for the classy dual-purpose performer. His jumping wasn't without an error or two, but JJ Slevin knew what he had under him, and simply pushed him out hands and heels to see off Special Cadeau, who had travelled well to mount a challenge.
Victory gave trainer Joseph O'Brien his sixth winner of this meeting to add to one in Nottingham earlier in the afternoon, and one on Thursday evening in Leopardstown.
'It's been a great week,' said stable representative Michael Halford. 'He's a smashing horse. On his form, he was entitled to do that, and he did it well. He missed the second-last but they were just going on a bit at it, and he never lost any momentum.
'He hadn't jumped for a while, so that will have done him the world of good, and he'll probably go to Galway now, for the Plate.'
The day opened with a 50-1 winner, Something Noble, who made a winning debut over timber in the Killarbney Park Hotel 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle.
'Thrilled with the horses,' said winning trainer Ciarán Murphy. 'They're in great form, and coming right at the right time, so I'm happy out.
'We think this is this horse's future. We were thrilled with him at home, and if he ran a nice race today, we were happy. Very impressed with Eoin (Walsh) today, he gave him a super ride. The horse has loads of scope and was bought with this in mind, but he will do the Flat job too.'
Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy got amongst the winners when Neon Diamond ran out an easy winner of the Killarney Grand Mares' Maiden Hurdle. A bumper winner in April of last year, she was disappointing in early forays over hurdles, but this was much better and it will be no surprise if she adds another couple to her tally in the coming weeks.
Greatness Awaits, having just his second run for Cian Collins, took the Lee Strand Handicap Hurdle in the hands of Jordan Gainford. Brought from last to first to lead between the last two obstacles, he had to be ridden out to hold the late rally of market leader Winning Smut, who was a little caught for toe before flying home to snatch second place.
Killarney is a track which Enda Bolger targets with great success and recent Limerick winner Tippin And Tappin gave the Limerick trainer another success at the venue when landing the first division of the Europe Hotel And Resort Handicap Chase under a positive ride by Darragh O'Keeffe.
The second division went to the John Ryan-trained Smallcraftwarning, who was given a smart ride by Daniel King to creep into contention and then forge clear approaching the last for a comfortable success.
John Murphy, who had two impressive winners in the Flat phase of the festival, went close to winning a bumper on Thursday night but made no mistake in this finale. Lemon Zest, building on a promising debut, needed plenty of assistance from Harry Swan but eventually got there with a little to spare.
