Darragh O'Keeffe and Humm Baby come to beat Make My Heart Fly and Keith Donoghue© Photo Healy Racing
Darragh O’Keeffe and Michael Hourigan doubled their Kilbeggan scores when Humm Baby (9/2 into 100/30) finished out best to land the Kieran Kelly Memorial Beginners Chase.
Favourite Eamon High fell three out when in front here, and then Make My Heart Fly was shaping like a winner.
However O’Keeffe is the hottest property around at present and there was an inevitability about the result once he took aim on Humm Baby going to the last.
The Mahler mare, on chase debut, stayed on well up the run-in to register a two and three parts of a length verdict.
There was all of twenty one lengths back to Tourboy in third.
Hourigan had taken the 6.35 with Finding Joy (Trevor Ryan), whilst O’Keffee landed the 7.05 on Pat Coyne for John Nicholson.
It’s sixteen years now since Kieran Kelly lost his life following a fall at the County Westmeath venue. He’d triumphed in the RSA Novices’ Hurdle earlier in 2003 on Hardy Eustace at Cheltenham.
"This race meant so much to me and it is wonderful to win this race as I have been trying to win it for many years. Kieran Kelly and my son Paul were the very best of pals along with Jamie Spencer and the three were joined at the hip," reflected Hourigan.
He added "she is a seven year old but is after growing two inches this year. She is now a fine mare and will go back hurdling now. I knew I'd win a novice chase with her but I'd forget about chasing now as I'd hate if anything happened to her.
"She could go to Listowel next.
"I have 15 horses at the moment which is plenty for me and I wouldn't want any more."
(TW & EM)
