RACING: LEOPARDSTOWN REPORT:PAT SMULLEN'S hopes of overhauling Johnny Murtagh in the jockey's championship were boosted with a 959 to 1 treble at Leopardstown yesterday that included a hugely impressive November Handicap success for Rite Of Passage.
On the final day of the Irish Flat season on turf, Rite Of Passage left everyone anticipating his first appearance over jumps when he returns to Leopardstown for next month’s Christmas festival.
Certainly a normally ultra-competitive handicap was turned into a procession yesterday as Dermot Weld’s horse sprinted eight lengths clear of his rivals to win eased up by Smullen.
It brought the reigning champion jockey’s tally for the year to 84, just four behind Murtagh whose Breeders’ Cup commitments in California gives Smullen a chance to close the gap even further with racing at Dundalk tomorrow.
Six further meetings on the all-weather will take place before the flat season finally ends.
After yesterday’s action, Murtagh remains a long odds-on favourite with Cashmans (1 to 8) for the title but Smullen has been cut to 7 to 2 from 12 to 1.
Smullen’s focus yesterday though was firmly on Rite Of Passage and he reported: “He is a very good horse and will make a serious jumper.”
The Weld team will aim the five- year-old at Christmas and the trainer’s son, Kris, said: “He is just a good horse with a bit of class. That was all over in two strides. We will start at two miles over hurdles and then see. But he jumps well.”
Earlier the Weld-Smullen team recorded a Listed success in the Knockaire Stakes as the odds-on favourite Rayeni got turned over by the sole-classic winner on the card, Libano, who made all to win at 14 to 1.
Leading from the front worked for Libano last April when he landed the Group Three Italian 2,000 Guineas (Premio Parioli) in Rome and on his third start for Weld similar tactics paid off with a two-length win.
“He handles that ground (heavy) but will handle a better surface too and I think he will do well at Group level for us next year,” Dermot Weld said. “We are still learning about him.”
Casual brought up Smullen’s treble in the concluding handicap, battling well to beat Tarkari, and the Juddmonte-owned filly is now likely to go to Newmarket for the December Sales.
Mick Kinane’s commitments later this month include a trip to South Africa in two weeks’ time for a Jockeys Challenge at the Turffontein track where his team-mates against a local side will include Frankie Dettori and Christophe Soumillon.
However, he wound up a memorable turf campaign in Ireland with a double on board a pair of John Oxx-trained juveniles, including the 9 to 1 Nebula Storm who carried the Sea The Stars colours of Christopher Tsui to victory in the colts maiden.
“He disappointed us a bit at the Curragh but he was 20 kilos lighter today,” said Oxx’s assistant, ‘Slim’ O’Neill. “He’s a horse who will like better ground and will get a mile and a half.”
Karasiyra in contrast started odds-on for the fillies maiden and only got home by a neck from Dylan Thomas’ sister Remember When in a close finish.
The well-backed favourite Mikhail Glinka earned himself Listed honours with a four-length success in the Eyrefield Stakes. Aidan O’Brien’s charge again looked a tricky ride once hitting the front but jockey Seamus Heffernan was willing to forgive the Galileo colt. “He’s raw. I wouldn’t say he is ungenuine, just raw, and he won well at the end,” he said.
Harriers Call landed the one-mile handicap, a race that saw trainer Michael O’Brien saddle his last runner with the third-placed Daring Man.
Voler La Vedette looks the pick
THE CHELTENHAM hero Go Native leads a five-runner field in today’s Grade Three feature at Down Royal but Noel Meade’s Supreme winner could find beating Voler La Vedette too big a task.
Colm Murphy’s mare is already a five timer winner but looked better than ever when winning on her re-introduction at Punchestown last month.
Murphy had other options for her this weekend but hasn’t hesitated to go for the WKD Core Hurdle where she faces Ebadiyan, the bumper star Luska Lad and Go Native who has to concede Voler La Vedette 9lb. Go Native won well on his comeback at Tipperary but if ground conditions turn very soft he will be at a disadvantage.
Today’s other Grade Three, the mares novice hurdle, can go to Golden Sunbird while Western Leader can concede weight all round in a decent looking bumper.
The 2006 Cheltenham winner Nicanor should still be capable of breaking his duck over fences in the two and a half mile Beginners Chase.
