Dermot Weld and Frances Crowley both completed doubles at Listowel on Saturday. However Fethard trainer Thomond O'Mara probably had most reason to remember the final afternoon of the six day meeting as he recorded his biggest win todate with Truscott in the featured Carlsberg Handicap.
Wayne Lordan sent the five-year-old past the front-running Grianan Realta just inside the final furlong, and was driven clear to score by two and a half lengths. The stewards found Lordan (18) guilty of using his whip unnecessarily and with excessive frequency in the closing stages, and gave him a three day suspension (October 4,5,7). A delighted O'Mara said afterwards: 'Truscott has been a consistent sort all year, and deserved that. He has been well schooled, and will go over hurdles soon.'
Dermot Weld was in the United States supervising his Belmont Park runner Grand Finale but his son Mark was on hand to see Pipewell and Air Of Approval take the opening two races. Pipewell relished the testing conditions to cause a 10/1 surprise under Eddie Ahern in the Mermaids Handicap, drawing clear inside the final furlong to beat Westfield Star by four and a half lengths.
Pat Shanahan was aboard the easy-to-back Air Of Approval in the McElligott's Tralee Rover/Landrover Maiden, and the daughter of Diesis quickened up nicely approaching the furlong pole to beat Golden Hind by a comfortable two and a half lengths.
Frances Crowley was also absent from the Kerry venue where Tisrabraq and Roskem took the final two events. Tisrabraq and Tower Project engaged in a titanic battle from the second last hurdle in the Edmond Whelan Memorial Handicap Hurdle, with Barry Geraghty's mount only getting on top in the closing stages to score by three quarters of a length. The Piltown trainer doubled up half-an-hour later in the bumper where Roskem stayed on strongly inn the straight under Philip Fenton.
Copernicus may revert to the Flat next Saturday for the Cesarewitch at the Curragh after readily justifying prohibitive odds in the byerleyturfclub.com Novice Hurdle. The Pat Hughes-trained gelding was sent to the front four out by Philip Carberry for a facile victory. Philip O'Brien picked up a six day ban (October 4-9) for using his whip after his chance of winning or being placed had gone aboard Boss Man Tommy, who finished a remote seventh of the eighth finishers.
David Casey deputised for flu victim Ruby Walsh on Quality First in the Kerry Petroleum Chase, and the combination led two out to beat the staying on Doctor Darling by a diminishing half length.
