O’Keeffe steels the show as racing resumes at Thurles

Tipperary Racing Scene

Harry Kelly gave jockey Ryan Treacy his first winner since May 2022 when the 17/2 chance Rut Daniels took the opening two and a quarter-mile maiden hurdle at Limerick.

The Gemma O’Mahony-owned five-year-old led before the third-last hurdle and made the best of his way home to score by twelve lengths from the Philip Dempsey-trained 3/1 shot Kaikoura.

Treacy was back in the winners’ enclosure at Tipperary on Friday where he won on the Robert Tyner-trained Irish Impulse.

Darragh O’Keeffe again stole the show when riding three winners at Thurles on Thursday. His treble brought his tally to the 40-winner mark and saw him head the jockeys’ championship for the first time this season.

His first winner of the day came on the Jimmy Finn-trained Turbo in the two-mile handicap chase. In the Nenagh trainer’s own colours, the 16/1 chance led approaching the final fence and raced away to score by three and a half lengths from the Gordon Elliott-trained joint-favourite Someone’s Wish.

O’Keeffe followed up on Henry de Bromhead’s Grooveykindoflove in the near three-mile maiden hurdle and completed his treble on the Brendan Walsh-trained Romella in the two-mile handicap hurdle. Owned and trained by John Ryan, the five-year-old Drumgill caused the upset of the day when winning the two and three-quarter-mile beginners’ chase.

Ridden by Daniel King, the 12/1 chance led after the second-last fence and went clear to beat the Gordon Elliott-trained odds-on favourite Jigoro by a comfortable six and a half lengths.

Nenagh-based Maike Magnussen saddled her first winner as the Sean O’Keeffe-ridden Moylussa took the opening two-mile maiden hurdle at Tipperary on Friday. Owned and bred by Seamus McKeogh, the 2/1 joint-favourite led at the third-last hurdle and battled well to see off his main market rival French Hill, ridden for trainer Gavin Cromwell by Keith Donoghue, by a neck.

The Philip Fenton-trained Shraheen made light of a five and a half-month absence to win the novice handicap hurdle under conditional jockey Niall Moore. An 11/2 shot, he made a winning return when seeing off Carey’s The Nagger Reidy by a neck for owner Thomas Coleman.

Donnacha O’Brien and Joey Sheridan combined to win the seven-furlong rated race with Whispersinthewind at Dundalk on Friday. Owned by the trainer’s mother Annemarie, the 11/1 chance led over a furlong from the finish and had three-parts of a length to spare over the Stephen Thorne-trained favourite Hightimeyouwon at the line.

Mouse Morris and Gavin Brouder landed the three-mile handicap hurdle with the Michael O’Flynn and John O’Flynn-owned Franciscan Rock at Punchestown on Sunday.

The 12/1 chance was never far off the pace and led after the second-last hurdle to beat the Philip Fenton-trained 10/1 shot Karl Des Tourelles by half a length.

Harry Swan rode a most impressive winner for Gordon Elliott when taking the concluding bumper on the Gigginstown House Stud-owned favourite Kalypso’chance. The four-year-old, the winner of a British point-to-point on his only previous start, raced clear of the Willie Mullins-trained Soir De Garde from the two-furlong pole to win by all of fifteen lengths.

Upcoming Meetings

Dundalk – Wednesday, November 27 (First Race 2.18pm)

Thurles – Thursday, November 28 (First Race 12.05pm)

Dundalk – Friday, November 29 (First Race 5.30pm)

Fairyhouse – Saturday, November 30 (First Race 11.35am)

Fairyhouse – Sunday, December 1 (First Race 12 noon)