Party Central Adds Listed Win To Fine Weekend For Yeats
Party Central (5m Yeats - Itsalark, by Definite Article) dug deep to record her second black-type success in Sunday’s Listed Mares Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.
A Listed winner and Grade 2 placed in bumpers last season, the Gordon Elliott-trained mare made a winning hurdle debut in September and was sent off second favourite at the weekend. Positioned in midfield by Davy Russell, the Bective Stud-owned bay led from the third last and was ridden approaching the final flight. Running on well under pressure, she held on by a head on the line from fast-finishing stablemate Humble Glory (Fame And Glory).
Bred by Frank Motherway and Kevin Curtin, Party Central was purchased privately after making a winning debut for Roger McGrath.
The in-form Gordon Elliott team landed the Grade B Foxrock Handicap Chase at Navan the previous day with the Gigginstown House Stud-owned Conflated (7g Yeats - Saucy Present, by Presenting).
It marked a fifth career win for the Dillon Family-bred son of Yeats, with his previous victories including a Grade 3 chase.
Elliott appears to have a smart prospect on his hands in The Goffer (4g Yeats - Ballylough Lady, by Mister Lord), who ran out an impressive winner of the two and a half mile maiden hurdle on the same card.
Jody McGarvey partnered the Allan Snow-owned bay to an eight length success on his second start over hurdles, building on a promising third on his sole start between the flags for Benny Walsh. The progressive four-year-old was bred by Joseph O’Rahilly.
Yeats also enjoyed a fruitful weekend between the flags, beginning with Young Buster (5g Yeats - Shatani, by Shahrastani) winning his maiden at Ballindenisk on Saturday.
The John Hanlon-trained bay scored by two lengths under Tom Hamilton, who donned the silks of TJ McDonald.
The following day at Corbeagh House, No More Lockdown (6g Yeats - Back Of The Pack, by Anshan) scored at the second attempt for William Murphy and owner/breeder Arthur McDonald. Pa King guided the gelding to score by a length and a half from Mizuma (Milan).