Be My Fortune ran out a very lucky winner of the maiden hurdle, the second race of the card at Ballinrobe on Monday, but it proved once again that jumping is the name of the game and if you stay on your feet, you always have a chance.
Approaching the final hurdle, Jack Kennedy was in fifth position on the Gordon Elliott trainee and looking likely to maybe nick a minor placing at best. But the race favourite How’s Ellie, trained by Willie Mullins, fell and brought down her stable companion Boo Radley leaving the spoils up for grabs.
From that point, Kennedy was able to roust the aptly named Be My Fortune, making his hurdling debut, to a winning margin of over three lengths at 14-1.
“I was nearly brought down at the first and he took a while to warm into his jumping,” the Dingle jockey said.
“He was going to run a lovely race before the two came down at the last. His best jump was at the last when he was starting to get into gear. He will appreciate further in time.”
Oisin Murphy made a flying visit back home to partner A Boy Named Susie to success in the Group 3 Newbridge Silverware Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.
The ease of the victory by five lengths was suggested by the level of form he had shown prior: fourth in the Group 1 French Derby and second in the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, both behind the excellent Constitution River, the best three-year-old still in training in Europe.
A Boy Named Susie, in the colours of Ana O’Brien, was priced prohibitively odds-on as the 1-7 favourite.
Trainer Donnacha O’Brien said: “We threw him in the deep end a few times and he came out with credit in all of them, so it was nice to give him an easier day and get his confidence up a bit.
“Oisin was thrilled with him and says he is improving the whole time. I would love to bring him back for the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown next month. Oisin thinks the turn of foot that he has could suit him there. But he has plenty of options between a mile and a mile and half around the world.”
Upcoming Fixtures
Roscommon Tues Aug 17 (first race 5.10pm)
Sligo (NH) Weds Aug 18 (first race 5.07pm)
Leopardstown Thurs Aug 20 (first race 4.56pm)
Killarney (NH) Thurs Aug 20 (first race 4.35pm)
Kilbeggan (NH) Fri Aug 21 (first race 4.56pm)
Killarney Fri Aug 21 (first race 5.12pm)
Curragh Sat Aug 22 (first race 1.05pm)
Killarney (NH) Sat Aug 22 (first race 2.00pm)
Naas Sun Aug 23 (first race 2.30pm)
