Kilcruit had to settle for second on hurdling debut
Willie Mullins' Kilcruit beaten at 1/14 on hurdling debut at Cork - Victory goes to Largy Debut
By Matt Brocklebank
08:46 · MON December 06, 2021
Top-class bumper performer Kilcruit was beaten into second on his hurdling debut despite being the 1/14 favourite at Cork.
The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old won three of his four starts in National Hunt Flat races last term, the only defeat coming when beaten by half a length by Sir Gerhard in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in March.
However, the writing was on the wall when he made a mistake three flights from the finish and victory went to 6/1 chance Largy Debut for trainer Henry De Bromhead and jockey Keith Donoghue.
Sean O'Keeffe took the ride for the first time on Kilcruit and he was to the fore from the outset, keeping Largy Debut and Sharp Focus company in a trio who raced well ahead of the rest of the field.
Largy Debut and Kilcruit had it between them from halfway down the back straight, but the long odds-on favourite was never quite able to get on terms and after the mistake three-out he found precious little for pressure in the straight.
Largy Debut, also making his hurdling debut and reappearing after 631 days off the track, stayed on well to win by 10 lengths, with Kilcruit a laboured second and Sharp Focus (14/1) a further 24 lengths back in third.
Sky Bet reacted by pushing Kilcruit out to 6/1 from 4/1 for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle, while shortening Jonbon to 9/4 from 3/1. The same firm go 12/1 about Largy Debut for the Festival opener.
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Mullins’ assistant, David Casey, said: “Sean (O’Keeffe, jockey) said he didn’t travel through the race and was beaten early. We have no other excuse than that at the moment anyway.
“He said he jumped well but then was flat at the third-last and that’s why he was missing them. We’ll have a look and see.”
Davey Roche, assistant to De Bromhead, said of the winner: “He had been working really well coming here and we thought he was a nice horse.
“It was probably an ideal race for Kilcruit getting a lead off us, but our fellow jumps and travels. Where we go after this, I don’t know. He is a good horse I’d say – he jumps and travels and once they do that, you’re half way there."
Dynamo keep going to justify short price
There was a brighter outcome to division two of the same event for Mullins and O'Keeffe, whose Dysart Dynamo won in good style as the 8/13 favourite.
Dysart Dynamo was also a promising bumper horse, winning at Clonmel at Punchestown in the spring, and looks a very smart hurdling recruit based on this evidence.
Sky Bet reacted by making him 10/1 (from 16/1) for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle and 12/1 (from 16/1) for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
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All's well that ends Well
Nell’s Well claimed a surprise victory in the Grade Three Singletons Supervalu Stayers Novice Hurdle.
The Sean O’Brien-trained mare was a widely unconsidered 25/1 shot, but proved eight lengths too strong for 6/5 favourite Churchstonewarrior, with Mark McDonagh the winning rider.
O’Brien said: “Nearly every year there’s a small entry for this race and I remember having a nice mare years ago, Outlaw Princess, placed in it.
“Black type is what it’s all about. I said to Mark going out to ride her to get home and try to pick up the pieces. I thought he did that better than I could have envisaged.
“Did I expect that? No. But over three miles on soft ground, you’re just hoping one or two don’t step up to the mark and that’s what happened. The race fell apart and she just kept galloping – and her jumping was unbelievable.”
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