Hard work for Minella Melody at Punchestown

De Bromhead’s mare was made to graft.

Minella Melody was made to work hard to land the odds in the Listed Voler La Vedette Mares Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.

Henry de Bromhead’s charge was pressed all the way by Mount Ida with the pair dominating proceedings throughout.

Robbie Power got Minella Melody to knuckle down after the last and the 4-9 favourite asserted close home to get the verdict by three-quarters of a length.

“We won which was great but she was fairly workmanlike.

The lack of hurdles (reduced due to low sun) probably didn’t help,” said De Bromhead.

“We might look at the two-mile two-furlong (Grade Three Solerina Novice Hurdle) in Fairyhouse in January that Honeysuckle won last season.

“She didn’t seem to carry Robbie and he thought she might have been a little bit flat today.

However, winning black type is fantastic and we’ll try the Grade Three.

“We had cotton wool in her ears the last day and again today but I’d say we’ll be pulling that out the next day.

”

Minella Melody was cut to 12-1 from 14-1 for the mares’ novice hurdle at Cheltenham with bookmakers Paddy Power and Betfair.

Anything Will Do (9-4) won for the fourth time in five starts with a cosy success in the W. H.

Scott Lifting Supporting Wicklow GAA Rated Novice Hurdle.

Joseph O’Brien’s charge stuck on well to score by by length and a half in the hands of J J Slevin.

“He’s improving and he’s hardy and J J gave him a lovely simple ride.

He’s a likeable horse and any horse that wins four in a year is a good horse,” said O’Brien.

“He tries hard and he could go for the four-year-old race at Limerick over Christmas.

”

Treacysenniscorthy (11-4 favourite) rallied in game fashion to take the Carmel Colgan Memorial/Blackrock Insurance Supporting Kilmacud Crokes Handicap Hurdle.

Burlesque Queen had gone past Robert Widger’s charge from the second last but 7lb conditional Oakley Brown got a great response from Treacysenniscorthy on the run-in to regain the lead and win by half a length.

Widger said: “He’ll go back over fences now at Leopardstown in a two-mile- five handicap chase.

“Today was as short as he would want to be going.

He’d want that and more.

“Oakley is a very good young lad and is great value for his 7lb claim.”

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