Class act Carberry misses a treble

Racing

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

It was two up and one down for top jockey Paul Carberry at Down Royal. Carberry won the feature race the Daily Mirror Handicap Chase on Newton Bridge after having scored in the opener on Charminamix.

However, it was not all plain sailing for the unflappable Paul for he was unfortunate to fall at the first fence on Shiloh in the Governor's Cup Beginners Chase which was eventually won by Doctor Woodfield.

"You win some and you lose them," said Carberry as he had a quick cigarette on the balcony outside the jockey's room. The fact that the horse fell at the first meant very little for he hadn't a chance to get in to the race. Fortunately I haven't been injured."

The big race of the day The Daily Mirror Handicap Chase was as expected won by Newton Bridge which Carberry rode in a superbly eloquent manner to score for Gordon Elliott the man who will probably never live down the fame he achieved by winning last years Grand National.

Newton Bridge came on the scene two fences from home but at this stage there were others in contention including the leader Some Legend ridden by Barry Geraghty and Mon Oiseau trained by Arthur Moore for Alan Dunlop the Killenchy owner who has given Moore many of his big race winners.

Mon Oiseau eventually finished second followed by Team Allstar.

Carberry said afterwards: "There was never a hiccup. Newton Bridge did everything asked of him and I couldn't have been more pleased."

Meanwhile Elliott who is making a big name for himself as a trainer after having a lucrative career as a jockey said: "The winner will probably go to the Perth Gold Cup or the Galway Plate. He loves summer ground and today was ideally fast. Maureen Callaghan for whom the winner runs in the colours of her son said: "This is our first win at Down Royal. Barry, my, son works along with Gordon at the horses although he is a builder by profession."

The Governor's Cup ended up with a large number of fallers one of which was Shiloh, the favourite. Doctor Woodfield who is trained by Cecil Ross at Mullingar started at 20/1 and won from Rugged Man and Flemensbarr.

The jockey on the winner was Dan Foster who was winning on a racecourse for the first time but his biggest claim to fame before yesterday was probably the fact that he is the grandson of Foster who is a member of the Foster and Allen singing team.

Trainer Jim Lambe is having a tremendously successful spurt of wins. He had 20 successes in Great Britain and Ireland in the last national hunt season which ended at the end of April and he has since then scored two winners in the new season one of which was Andijan who won over hurdles yesterday. Andijan won at 7/1 from another Ulster trained horse Insan Flyer who was a previous winner at Down Royal and is trained by Victor Wilson.

Paul Carberry's first winner Charminamix is trained by Tony Martin who wasn't at the meeting. Neither was Philip Rothwell who won the second race with Dal Cais who was ridden by substitute jockey Sean Flanagan who took over when Shane Jackson was injured in the first race and stood down for the day.