LISTOWEL HAS provided something of a mixed bag over the years for Ruby Walsh but today’s €160,000 festival feature, the Guinness Kerry National, can provide the rider with a perfect big-race comeback when he teams up with the Galway Plate heroine Blazing Tempo.
Walsh returned from a couple of months on the sidelines on Sunday but the Kerry National is just one of the many big contests in which the 32-year-old has an exceptional record.
Successful with Northern Alliance two years ago, he also completed a remarkable hat-trick from 2004-2006 with the trio of Banasan, Euro Leader and Bothar Na. The other side of that Listowel experience though came a decade ago when he dislocated a hip at the festival and in 2003 Walsh fractured his other hip at the track.
But Blazing Tempo looks to have a lot going for her despite facing three miles for the first time in her career and a 12lb hike in the ratings for that memorable Plate defeat of Wise Old Owl a month and a half ago.
Significantly though, even with the prospect of testing ground conditions, Willie Mullins is confident of his star mare’s stamina and considering there was almost a dozen lengths back to the third at Galway, a 12lb rise is hardly excessive.
Mullins runs two others in the race, Uncle Junior and the topweight Scotsirish whose presence allows Blazing Tempo run off 11st 6lb in an attempt at a rare big race double.
Ranged against the Mullins team are 15 others including a single British raider in Minella Boys and a pair of former winners in Alfa Beat (2010) and Ponmeoath (2007-08.) But punters appear to have latched on to Bideford Legend as Blazing Tempo’s ante-post danger.
Bideford Legend won at Killarney in May, has run a couple of good races over hurdles since and trainer Charles Byrnes was hopeful yesterday.
“His best form is probably on a bit faster ground, but he’s run well in soft before so I don’t think that will be a problem,” he said. “The big question is whether he will stay the three miles. If he stays he should run well.”
Ground conditions could have gone against a few other fancied ones and while Blazing Tempo’s stamina has to be taken on trust, Mullins admits he purchased her as a potential stayer. With Walsh on her back the mare looks to tick a lot of the necessary boxes.
Listowel hosts a Listed race over a mile and a half in which the in-form John Oxx pitches in a trio of hopefuls including the Cheltenham heroine What A Charm who has returned to Oxx for another flat campaign.
Aidan O’Brien is also well-represented and the Kilternan Stakes third Freedom, a winner on soft ground earlier in the season, could be progressive enough to come out on top.
Ruby Walsh will also fancy his chances in the maiden hurdle on Dermot Weld’s course winner Duc de Savoie whose sole start over hurdles to date at Cork last January was promising enough.
Reduced interval between races to be tested
DUNDALK WILL host a series of race meetings through October and November where 25-minute intervals between races will be trialled, writes Brian O’Connor.
Horse Racing Ireland confirmed the plan yesterday for the period from October 14th to November 25th. The 25-minute intervals will apply to four races on each seven race card.
The move is a result of a Strategic Marketing Review Group Report earlier this year where shorter gaps between races was reported as something that could improve the racecourse experience, particularly for newcomers to the sport.
Dundalk is seen as an appropriate venue by HRI to host this test with the stables, weighroom, parade ring and racetrack all close together.
HRI’s director of racing, Jason Morris, said yesterday: “This initiative has the full support of the HRI Board and the stewards of the Turf Club and we are very grateful for the co-operation received from the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and racing broadcasters SIS and At The Races in agreeing these times.
