CURRAGH REPORT:IT IS THE Curragh's annual fate to kick off its year in the midst of National Hunt racing's peak period, but even the most rabid anti-flat racing jumping fan would have warmed to a remarkable 4,003 to 1 four-timer at headquarters for trainer Tommy Stack yesterday.
The man who rode Red Rum to win the 1977 Grand National declined long ago to confine himself to the winter game and has enjoyed classic and Group One success on the level with the likes of Las Meninas and Myboycharlie.
But even those memorable days will have to move over and make some room for yesterday’s activities as the first four races of the new turf season all fell to Stack runners, including the Group Three Park Express Stakes with Pollen. “Miracles never cease. Will Kerry win the All-Ireland this year too?” grinned the Co Tipperary- based trainer who grew up near Listowel.
It is a dozen years since Stack was struck down by meningitis which left him in a coma for three weeks and impacted long-term on his hearing. It has been a brave fight to continue running a successful racing operation since, but yesterday’s beano highlighted yet again the influence of Stack’s son and assistant “Fozzy”. Christened James but universally known by the moniker picked up as child, the younger Stack is in charge of much of the day-to-day operation and judging by yesterday’s hot-streak he has learned the craft of getting them ready first time.
“It’s unbelievable. I just wish we had a few more to run today,” he beamed. “We were quite pally with the late John Mulhern and he must be looking down at us. That’s the only explanation I have.”
High Award, a son of the first season sire Holy Roman Emperor and Stack’s 1998 Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Tarascon, kicked things off in the two-year-old maiden and Blue Dahlia was a 10 to 1 follow up in the six furlong maiden.
Zorija Rose made most of the running in the following handicap and by the Group Three feature there seemed to be almost a sense of inevitability about the Stack team filling out the winners spot.
“I felt the two-year-old was fit enough to run well but I thought Zorija might need the run and she won the easiest of all which just shows what I know,” said Stack after Pollen proved too strong for the Aidan O’Brien-trained favourite Devoted To You in the Park Express.
Johnny Murtagh carried 2lb overweight on the runner-up who failed by just a head but it was a hugely important victory for a mare who won the Lincoln on the same day last year. “This is her Derby day today. That black type win makes Pollen very valuable,” Stack added. “She loves that soft ground and will probably come back here for the Gladness. But this day is right up there now.”
There was a 33 to 1 skinner for the bookmakers in the Irish Lincolnshire as Big Robert proved two lengths too good for Harriers Call in the prestigious handicap under jockey Kieran O’Neill.
“If he hadn’t showed us something today then he would have been getting some jumping entries. But he has saved himself a hurdling career for the moment,” said trainer Paul Deegan.
“We were really starting to lose faith in him the way he was running but his work has been outstanding, absolutely brilliant. He missed the break again today, which is just him, but the cheekpieces helped and Kieran was brilliant, just kept kidding him along,” he added.
Duchess Of Foxland scored at 12 to 1 in the seven furlong handicap under Emmet McNamara for the Co Westmeath-based trainer Mark Fagan and could step up to Group Three class next weekend.
Aidan O’Brien’s 7 to 4 favourite Encompassing finished well back in the mile three-year-old maiden and it was left to Reiteration to score for the Jim Bolger-Kevin Manning team after a prolonged duel with Captainofthefleet.
