Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle |
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| Grade 2, Cheltenham 16:50 £105,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus mares, 2m 179y, Class 1  |
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1 Love Envoi 15/2
2
Ahorsewithnoname 50/1
3 Grangee 13/2
4 Nurse Susan 14/1
19 ran NR: Brandy Love, Say Goodbye, Walk In Clover
Time: 4m 8.26s (slow by 11.26s)
Love Envoi remains unbeaten, winning the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle with a fine effort under @JohnnyBurke2 for @HarryFryRacing1 for the @ndfehily & @DavidCrosse Syndicate pic.twitter.com/3KNMIEfbF6 https://t.co/1ezBx3njrO via @RacingBetter
— RacingBetter (@RacingBetter) March 17, 2022
A professional performance from Love Envoi to retain her unbeaten record in fine style - a first winner for Harry Fry at the Festival since Unowhatimeanharry in 2016.
The six-year-old is owned by the Noel Fehily Racing Syndicate. and it was a fitting verdict as the former jumps jockey announced his retirement plans after landing the same race on Eglantine Du Seuil in 2019.
Jonathan Burke, given the task of riding the mare, put the opposition under pressure when he kicked on after jumping the second-last flight.
Love Envoi kept on strongly up the hill to win by a length and a quarter from Ahorsewithnoname for a fifth hurdle triumph plus one in a bumper. Grangee was a length and a half back in third place with Nurse Susan fourth.
Fehily said: “What a performance. It was nerve-racking stuff. She is so tough and wouldn’t know when to give up. She stays two and a half. Johnny (Burke) had the perfect pitch all the way and he produced her perfectly. We’ve had a such a season with her – she’s six from six now.
“Myself and Dave (Crosse, former jockey) went to Newmarket to look at her and we went back the following day and bought her. We were so lucky to get her.”
Crosse, who runs the syndicate with Fehily, said: “We both have to agree on horses. It works well. Two heads are always better than one.”
Fry, too, was delighted with the performance. He said: “She’s a brilliant mare and doesn’t know when she’s beaten.
“She’s won five on the bounce. It’s funny as Unowhatimeanharry came here after an unbeaten campaign as a novice and got his head in front and sometimes these horses don’t know what it is to lose a race.
“Johnny gave her a lovely ride. Turning in I thought we were right where we wanted to be and with a good jump at the last, we knew she’d stay on well up the hill.
“It’s brilliant for Noel and the syndicate. I said to them last week when the ground was good and they were watering, ‘are we losing our heads running here?’. But they said confirm her and we’ll see.
“I was watching the racing on Tuesday and they were breaking the track record and I was thinking ‘we can forget running Love Envoi’, then of course yesterday happened.
“The last day she did everything wrong and still won, so we put a lot of thought into today and getting her to not run her race beforehand.
“I’m absolutely delighted for everybody. I don’t know whether we’ll run again this year. We’ll just enjoy today and see how she is.”
Nico de Boinville, rider of runner-up Ahorsewithnoname, said: “It was a great run that belied her price. I’m delighted with her.”
Jack Cantillon, spokesman for Syndicates Racing who own third-placed Grangee, said: “She ran a great race and had to come from a long way back.
“The mares’ hurdle over two-miles-four is something to maybe consider next season but she could now go to Punchestown or Fairyhouse.”
Dan Skelton, trainer of the fourth home Nurse Susan, said: “It was a very good run and we’re looking forward to putting her over fences next season.”
Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle
(Registered as the Dawn Run Novices' Hurdle)
Grade 2, £105,000 guaranteed, 4yo+ mares, 2m 179y, Class 1
19 ran
Going: Soft
POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 Love Envoi 6 11-7 Harry Fry Jonathan Burke 15/2
2 1¼ Ahorsewithnoname 7 11-2 Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville 50/1
3 1½ Grangee 6 11-2 W P Mullins Paul Townend 13/2
4 1¾ Nurse Susan 5 11-2 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 14/1
5 2½ Braganza 7 11-2 W P Mullins Sean O'Keeffe 125/1
6 nse Impervious 6 11-7 C A Murphy Brian Hayes 22/1
7 2 Party Central 6 11-7 Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy 11/2
8 2¼ Hors Piste 5 11-2 W P Mullins B J Cooper 12/1
9 5½ Dinoblue 5 11-2 W P Mullins Mark Walsh 11/8F
10 ¾ Statuaire 7 11-7 W P Mullins Danny Mullins 28/1
11 hd Hidden Land 5 11-2 Andrew Kinirons Sam Twiston-Davies 200/1
12 nk Mayhem Mya 5 11-2 Chris Honour Bryan Carver 125/1
13 3½ Heia 5 11-2 W P Mullins Rachael Blackmore 33/1
14 nse Nina The Terrier 6 11-5 Alan King Tom Bellamy 50/1
15 2½ Tweed Skirt 5 11-5 Nicky Henderson James Bowen 100/1
16 1½ Choice Of Words 7 11-5 Martin Brassil Darragh O'Keeffe 33/1
17 1¼ Mighty Blue 6 11-2 Joseph O'Brien J J Slevin 16/1
18 15 Monishter Are Mwee 6 11-2 Mrs Jayne Hearne Ian Power 150/1
PU
The Player Queen 6 11-2 Rose Dobbin Craig Nichol
NR 10 Brandy Love 6 11-2 W P Mullins NON RUNNER
NR 20 Say Goodbye 6 11-2 Gordon Elliott NON RUNNER
NR 22 Walk In Clover 5 11-2 Dan Skelton NON RUNNER
Trull House Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Past Results
Year Winner Age/Wt Owner Trainer Jockey SP Ran
2021 Telmesomethinggirl 6 11-02 Kenneth Alexander Henry De Bromhead Rachael Blackmore 5/1 15
2020 Concertista 6-11-02 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede W P Mullins Daryl Jacob 9/2 22
2019 Eglantine du Seuil 5-11-02 Sullivan Bloodstock Limited Willie Mullins IRE Noel Fehily 50/1 22
2019-WINNER- DU SEUIL 5-11-02 Owner-Sullivan Bloodstock Limited; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Noel Fehily; SP-50/1
2ND-Concertista 5-11-02 Owner-Simon Munir & Isaac Souede; Trainer-Willie Mulllins IRE; Jockey-Danny Mullins; SP-66/1
3RD-Tintangle 6-11-05 Owner-Gigginstown House Stud; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Jack Kennedy; SP-40/1
22 ran, Time- 4m 51.09s, Dist-sh, 1¾ 15/8 Fav Epatante (9th)
2018-WINNER-LAURINA 5-11-07 Owner-Sullivan Bloodstock Limited; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Paul Townend; SP-4/7 Fav
2ND-Cap Soleil 5-11-07 Owner-Mrs S A Noott; Trainer-Fergal O’Brien; Jockey-Paddy Brennan; SP-10/1
3RD-Champayne Lady 6-11-02 Owner-Rory Connell; Trainer-Alan Fleming IRE; Jockey-Denis O’Regan; SP-80/1
14 ran, Time-4m 15.40s, Dist-18, sh
2017-WINNER-LET’S DANCE 5-11-07 Owner-Susannah Ricci; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-11/8 Fav
2ND-Barra 6-11-02 Owner-Gigginstown House Stud; Trainer-Gordon Elliott IRE; Jockey-Bryan Cooper; SP-12/1
3RD-Dusky Legend 7-11-05 Owner-Richard & Lizzie Kelvin-Hughes; Trainer-Alan King; Jockey-Wayne Hutchinson; SP-20/1
16 ran, Time-4m 2.00s, Dist-2¾, nk
2016-WINNER-LIMINI 5-11-07 Owner-Susannah Ricci; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-8/11 Fav
2ND-Dusky Legend 6-11-02 Owner-Richard & Lizzie Kelvin-Hughes; Trainer-Alan King; Jockey-Wayne Hutchinson; SP-50/1
3RD-Bloody Mary 5-11-07 Owner-J P McManus; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Barry Geraghty; SP-7/1
16 ran, Time-3m 58.00s, Dist-4½, 2½
