Naas Sunday review: Telmesomethinggirl wins mares beginners chase

The Henry De Bromhead-trained daughter of Stowaway, winner of the mares' novices' hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2021, hadn't tasted success in any race since that high-profile Grade Two score but had made an encouraging enough start over fences at Thurles last month.

She was 5/4 to go one better and ultimately proved six lengths too good for market rival Instit (6/5 favourite), the pair making several mistakes throughout the two and a half-mile contest.

Rachael Blackmore was content to take a lead off Paul Townend (Instit) and still had some ground to make up on the leader when turning into the home straight for the second time.

Telmesomethinggirl got in too close to the second-last, handing a clear advantage to Willie Mullins' mare out in front, but she went on to lose all momentum at the last when pitching on landing herself. That gave Telmesomethinggirl another chance and she duly went past under a strong drive on the run-in, eventually getting the job done with plenty to spare.

The two other runners - up against it on ratings and never really in the fight with the first pair - failed to finish, Choice Of Words falling and Pont Aval pulling up.

Sponsors Paddy Power left the winner unchanged at 14/1 for the Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase at Cheltenham in March, while she is 16/1 generally for the Mares' Hurdle which is another potential target again this spring.

Peter Molony, racing manager for owner Kenny Alexander, said: "We were initially thinking the Mares' Chase at Cheltenham would be the ultimate plan, but after that we'll have a chat. There's the Mares' Hurdle too for her - she was a bit unlucky in that last year when brought down and Rachael thought she might have had the winning of that race again but it was a long way out."

“She didn’t jump with any kind of fluency at all, so we can definitely work on that,” said Blackmore.

“I thought turning in that I would definitely get there, but then I made a mess of the second-last. It’s a long way (home) after the last here as well and I knew if I got over the last, I’d have a chance.

“She’s got lots of ability, the way she jumped she wasn’t entitled to win. She has a lot of raw ability and hopefully we can improve her jumping."

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Hunters Yarn predictably outclassed his rivals in the I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle under Paul Townend to complete a Willie Mullins treble following victories for Champ Kiely and Appreciate It.

Hunters Yarn won twice in bumpers last season and improved from his third over hurdles at Punchestown on his latest outing to score by 13 lengths at cramped odds of 1/4.

Of Hunters Yarn, Townend said: "He got in underneath one or two (hurdles) but when I wanted him, and I was going on a stride up the straight, he was good and got better at it.

"If I had done that with him the first day he’d probably have won as well. He improved from his first run but I wasn’t happy with myself the first day."

Sky Bet make Hunters Yarn 20/1 from 33/1 for the Supreme and 10/1 from 14s for the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle.

Cut The Rope made a successful debut for Paul Nolan in the concluding Fifty Stars Standing At Sunnyhill Stud (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race, ridden by 5lb claimer Eoin O’Brien.

James Nolan, assistant to his brother, said: “He’s a nice horse. We can’t take a whole lot of praise for this as we haven’t had him very long. We bought him off a gallop after Richard O’Brien recommended him to us.

“We made a mistake last year as Richard told us he’d win the bumper here with Impulsive Dancer and we didn’t act quickly enough. He won and Willie (Mullins) bought him. Thankfully we haven’t made the same mistake twice.

“He’s a lovely, relaxed horse. He showed a great attitude here today and is a real pro. Barry O’Neill would ride all our bumper horses, but part of the deal was that Eoin would keep the ride. He gave him a super ride and dictated everything in front.

“He’s a very likeable horse. We have no plans but he might go to Limerick for that Listed bumper."

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