Lonesome Boatman Cruises To Cork Success
Sean Allen's Lonesome Boatman was a popular local winner of the Paddy Power Cork Grand National.
The nine-year-old was an 8-1 chance under Darragh O'Keeffe for the three-and-a-half-mile Listed event and dominated from the front from the beginning, maintaining the gallop to prevail by 6 lengths.
The victory was well gotten by the Cork crowd, with the trainer a little regional attire based only 40 minutes far from the track.
Allen said: "That is astounding! Darragh rode the horse in Punchestown (last May) and put this race to us. We knocked the cobwebs off him at Listowel in September as you would not want to be concerning this race without a run.
"Today was the strategy and the man on his back - what can I state, he was brave as a lion everywhere. Even when he was 5 or 6 lengths ahead, he was still shooting the horse at fences. The plan was to go a gallop and he was really on-song.
"I farm in Araglin, which is 40 minutes away and this is my regional course. I have eight horses and my sibling Darragh, who is friendly with Darragh (O'Keeffe), trips out for me and I have a lot of local assistance too."
Lonesome Boatman at Cork (Thomas Weekes/PA)
Regarding strategies, the fitness instructor quipped: "Pints will be drunk and we'll speak about it then!".
Darragh O'Keeffe delighted in a treble on the card, with his first winner being Mister Pessimistic in division one of the Paddy Power From The Horse's Mouth Podcast Maiden Hurdle.
A point-to-point and bumper winner, the four-year-old was a 4-11 favourite to maintain his unbeaten record and was just under three lengths too good for Grey Jude, leaving fitness instructor Henry de Bromhead eyeing a step up to Grade One level.
De Bromhead said: "He is a charming young horse, did it perfectly in the end and the second horse is a decent horse also. I got anxious after his error at the second-last but he leapt the last well and galloped out well. He is unbeaten and has actually done nothing wrong so hopefully he'll keep progressing.
"There aren't lots of choices throughout Christmas so he might run in Leopardstown's Grade One beginner over 2 miles. I think good ground is very important to him."
De Bromhead and O'Keeffe also collaborated to land the Paddy Power 'Did You Watch The Breeders Cup At All' Mares Maiden Hurdle with 6-5 favourite Echoing Silence.
Declan Queally struck Listed gold as Tackletommywoowoo landed the Paddy Power "How Many Days 'Til Christmas?" Irish EBF Novice Hurdle at 3-1 under Sean O'Keeffe.
The fitness instructor said: "He has begun a lot and while it is a little tricky to settle him, it isn't an enormous task and when I talked to Sean (O'Keeffe) in advance, he exactly what I wanted. You just need to tack on to heels and after that give him the reins, and Sean rode a charming race.
"The horse was purchased for little cash and well done to JD Moore who found him for us. He had been put in bumpers for a smaller sized trainer in England, we paid 12 grand for him and the strategy was just to win a race with him.
"He'll get a few pounds in the handicap now however sometimes with a horse like this, there is nothing wrong with having a high rating as you can box away racing in smaller sized fields and get cash."
Eoin Griffin's Ol Man Dingle was the winner of the the Grade Three Paddy Power Betting Shops Irish EBF Novice Chase, scoring at 11-4 under rider Ricky Doyle.
"I put the tongue-tie back on Ol Man Dingle today - he doesn't require it however I wasn't taking any chances. Ricky provided him a charming ride, the horse has dazzling scope however can be a little brave," said Griffin.
"This horse will get an entry for the Drinmore now and while I know Willie's (Mullins, champion trainer) horses have yet to come back, first of all we'll delight in today and stress over that later on."