Austin Leahy ended the three day Killarney May meeting as leading trainer with three victories after recording a 71/1 double yesterday with All First and Class Reunion.
Helen Keohane, who successfully teamed up with Leahy here on Monday evening, recorded her 18th career win when All First ran out a convincing winner of the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Claiming Race. The filly was brought wide in search of better ground, and the tactics worked out as she stretched clear in the closing stages to beat Arwean by eight lengths. Curragh handler Martin Brassil later claimed the winner at a cost of 14,100 euro.
Leahy followed up in the Dunloe Castle Handicap where the Tom Queally-ridden Class Reunion held off Liberty Pal by a length. 'He got injured when falling over hurdles at Listowel last September, and that's a bit of a surprise. He'll come back here in July,' said Leahy.
Mike Futter, the renowned Northern punter and part of the Dee Racing Syndicate which owns Monty's Pass, had his colours carried to success in the Laurels Handicap Chase with Tim French. Barry Geraghty's mount led four out in this incident packed affair, where just four of the 13 runners completed the three miles course, to beat long-time leader Autumn Mist and provide trainer Peter Henley with his first success under rules.
'I backed this horse at 1,000/1 for the 2002 Cheltenham Gold Cup to win me about 1.5 million with several bookmakers including Sean Graham after he won a point-to-point easily at Tallow. However he got injured in his next point-to-point,' said Futter before adding, 'We backed him on the track today, and backed him well off track.'
Get Smart made a successful transition to handicap company when landing the Killarney Racegoers Club Handicap Chase, sweeping to the front at the second last in the hands of Shay Barry to beat Aura About Him by eight lengths. 'Shay gave him a smashing ride picking a nice piece of ground, and we will keep him to two miles,' said trainer John Murphy.
Pilgrims Progress was another to appreciate the testing conditions, drawing right away under Wayne Lordan in the final furlong of the Ross Golf Club Handicap to beat Key To The Kingdom by 13 lengths.
Sally Webster, off the course for 18 months with leg trouble, showed the benefit of two outings this year when taking the EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle. The six-year-old asserted on the run-in for David Casey to beat Mrs Avery by ten lengths.
Alan Magee
