Down Royal Racecourse: Doubles for Danny Mullins and Charlie Byrnes
Friday’s evening’s racing at Down Royal was a punters’ paradise, with four out of seven favourites winning and the remaining three victors priced at 4/1 or shorter. The seven-race meeting hosted doubles for rider Danny Mullins and trainer Charlie Byrnes.
Read on for a full report of the Down Royal card, courtesy of Boyle Sports, who provide all the latest horse racing odds.
Danny Mullins’ evening was off to a great start with a victory in the first race; a three-year-old hurdle over two and a quarter miles (4.50).
Despite not having had the easiest of runs before the last two hurdles, the Munir and Souede-owned favourite Cinammon Coco – trained by Joseph O’Brien – surged forward to win by over nine lengths, even when jumping the final flight awkwardly. 7/2 shot Combs was next, followed by Hopes are High at 11/4.
Next was a mares’ maiden hurdle (5.23), run over two and a quarter miles again. Favourites were still in business here, with the Patrick Foley-trained Arctic Flame (2/1F) keeping close tabs on the leaders before making her way to the fore before the second from home.
Keeping on in good style under Simon Torrens, she won by nearly three lengths to 9/4 shot Astelia with the 5/1 Keilah following in third.
Race three was a handicap hurdle over the same trip (5.53). Our favourite here was Peter Fahey’s Avalo, ridden by Jake Coen.
The gelding ran on well over the last and into the closing stages, but was ultimately no match for the front pair of 4/1 shot Eastmore and 8/1 shot Desert Haven, who went forward together by a length to cross the line with only a neck between them, just ahead of the rest in what was an open and competitive race.
Charlie Byrnes’ Eastmore was the narrow winner, providing the first leg of the trainer’s double.
The fourth race was a two and a half mile maiden hurdle (6.23). In this case there was little contesting the favourite, Gordon Elliott’s Coutach at 5/4; the next closest competitor in the market was Sharing Is Caring at 5/2. Perhaps expectedly, though, the favourite’s winning margin was not as vast as the price disparity may have suggested.
Under Jack Kennedy, the gelding finished just a short head in front of the 9/1 shot, Hobart, who was leading and keeping on well towards the line. The favourite just headed him to win for Elliott.
Following was the three-mile Denny Hurdle (6.53). Four non-runners, due largely to the drying ground, left only five runners in the race, with Charlie Byrnes’ Reverend Hubert heading the betting at 11/8.
Round the final bend, though, it was the top-rated Happy Jacky, trained by Mark Fahey, who was in the lead, challenged by the useful Tullybeg, but managed to hold on for long enough to win by a neck. The favourite finished third, beaten two lengths in total.
The penultimate race was a three-mile handicap hurdle (7.23). Here, we saw Danny Mullins ride his second winner of the meeting aboard Fire Coral, who was the 7/2 favourite in what was a fairly open race.
The Sam Curling-trained mare jumped efficiently to fend off the challengers to her lead, and won by two and a half lengths to the runner-up Schiehallion, with Georgia Celena in third.
Finally, we had a mares’ bumper to round off the evening’s proceedings (7.53). With only four runners, Emmet Mullins’ Good Girl Kathleen was the favourite at 11/8, with Charlie Byrnes’ Run For Mahler the 2/1 second best fancied.
The favourite looked full of running just before the turn for the homestraight, but Charlie Byrnes’ runner managed to stay on a little better – carrying less weight – with Alan O’Sullivan aboard to win by a neck. Clarnagh Maid was third, and Noble Name fourth.
Down Royal results – Friday:
4.50 – Cinnamon Coco (6/5F)
5.23 – Arctic Flame (2/1F)
5.53 – Eastmore (4/1)
6.23 – Coutach (5/4)
6.53 – Happy Jacky (2/1)
7.23 – Fire Coral (7/2F)
7.53 – Run For Mahler (2/1)
