No hands! - Landofhopeandglory, Mark Walsh up, lands without reins at the last© Photo Healy Racing
J.P. McManus and racing manager Frank Berry were present at Kilbeggan today for a fitting winner in the Carmel Fay Memorial Novice Chase with the owner’s extensively travelled Landofhopeandglory for trainer Joseph O’Brien and jockey Mark Walsh.
The race was run in memory of Berry's sister Carmel Fay and having also attended the fixture in 2016 when Gordon Elliott’s Tiger Roll won, both McManus and Berry were successful today with the well backed 6/4 favourite.
This time last year Landofhopeandglory had just finished fourth in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot, when trained by Aidan O’Brien, and has since moved yards and also finished fifth in last March’s Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Today the son of High Chapparal was experiencing Kilbeggan for the first time and while there were anxious moments along the way, including a ‘no hands’ mistake at the final fence, the gelding eventually ran out a comfortable length and three parts winner over Go Forty Go
Afterwards Joseph O'Brien reported “he took a few chances but hopefully will learn from that. The ground was soft enough for him but it's nice that he's won, and he got the trip well.
"It will be interesting to see how he gets along with that four-year-old allowance, and we'll find a winners race now."
Quotes from Alan Magee
