22-04-2025
Lord Erskine rolls back the years
Veteran Lord Erskine, ridden for Harry Rogers by Darragh O'Keeffe, turned back the clock when proving a shock winner of the €100,000 RYBO Handicap Hurdle in Fairyhouse.
The remarkable 12-year-old, sent off at 22-1, notched his 12th career success with a gutsy display which saw him get the better of former Group 1 winner Helvic Dream by a half-length.
Rogers said: 'This proves that miracles do happen, but rarely in Fairyhouse. He's an unbelievable horse — he just eats, sleeps, and runs and never needs a vet.
'You'd think he'd be getting slower at his age. But Darragh is clued-in and knows him well and gave him a peach of a ride.'
Rogers suggested that, if he comes out of the race well, Lord Erskine might head to Punchestown next week while a flat race in Killarney might also be on his agenda.
The Declan Queally-trained Custom Taylor, winner of a Limerick maiden last time, again proved his stamina when landing the valuable Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Handicap Hurdle Series Final, denying Irish National heroine Rebecca Curtis further big-rate success with Andy Amo, with just a half-length separating them after a titanic tussle.
'He's a grand horse and has progressed with racing,' commented Queally Jr. 'He ran well at Galway back in October, but had a few small blips since then. He won well in Limerick and proved today that he stays very well. He could win nice three-mile chases down the road — you'd never know where he'll end up.'
Morning gamble Kiltealy Park bagged the fourth and most significant win of her career when, ridden by Philip Donovan, getting up on the line to pip True Testimony in the listed BoyleSports Mares Handicap Chase.
The six-year-old is trained by Paul Nolan whose brother and assistant James explained: 'She was too careful in her jumping the last day in Wexford, so we tried the blinkers today, and they worked. I'm delighted for the owners that she has won her black type.
'We were struggling to find a claimer to ride her and Sean Flanagan (rode runner-up True Testimony) nominated Philip as a good option.'
The Nolans looked set to complete a double when their Secrecies Of Stone, in the lead, blundered and unshipped Georgie Benson at the second last, leaving favourite Vaureal in front in the Fairyhouse Racecourse Ladies National. But Maxine O'Sullivan produced Tony Martin's Read To Return with a well-timed challenge to lead before the last before going away to score by four lengths.
'Maxine gave the horse a great ride,' stated Martin. 'She crept away and he jumped well, except for the second last. He's a horse that's had a few little issues and never got the hop of the ball until today.'
Philip Donovan, successful on Kiltealy Park, went on to complete his first double on the well-backed, Cormac Farrell-trained Locked Box, who made all to land the Tom Quinlan Electrical Maiden Hurdle at the expense of Letos and uneasy favourite Kainsbourg.
David Christie won the prestigious Race Displays Joseph O'Reilly Hunters Chase for the second time when Big Interest (Barry O'Neill) romped to a convincing all-the-way success.
The six-year-old jumped soundly until making a mistake three out (O'Neill lost an iron briefly) but was soon back on an even keel and romped home 18 lengths clear of Hollow Games in a race which saw odds-on favourite Ryehill jump deplorably before being pulled up a mile from home.
'Jumping was the winning of it,' said winning trainer Christie. 'He's a huge horse, with a huge stride. He went through a weak spell and we decided to harden him up. He might go to Punchestown next week and should be a lovely horse next season.'
Willie Mullins ended the day without a winner when 5-2 favourite Hello Jean lost out to Colm Murphy's Zanoosh (Jimmy O'Rourke) in the mares' bumper.
