Tag Archive for: Spillane’s Tower

Spillane’s Tower digs deep to complete Grade One double

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Spillane’s Tower made it back-to-back Grade One victories for trainer Jimmy Mangan with a determined display in the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown.

Best known as the trainer of 2003 Grand National hero Monty’s Pass, Mangan was claiming his first top-level success in 16 years when this JP McManus-owned gelding landed the WillowWarm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse on Easter Sunday, with Conna Castle his only previous Grade One winner in the same race in 2008.

Stepping up to three miles for the first time, Spillane’s Tower was a 5-2 joint-favourite for his latest big-race assignment and came out on top after a titanic tussle with market rival Monty’s Star.

Three Card Brag took the field along for much of the way before the big two settled down to fight it out in the straight.

While Spillane’s Tower travelled the better of the pair, Monty’s Star, who found only the much-heralded Fact To File too strong in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, dug deep to stay in the fight, but Mangan’s charge proved three-quarters of a length too strong.

Paddy Power reacted by cutting Spillane’s Tower’s odds for next year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup to 16-1 from 33-1. McManus has several contenders for the blue riband, with 4-1 shot Fact To File, 10-1 chance Inothewayurthinkin and 20-1 hope Corbetts Cross also in the mix at this early stage.

Mangan paid tribute to the successful owner, stating: “JP, what a man for racing. Without the ammunition, you can’t fire the gun.

“There’s nothing like this, it’s a wonderful game. For the McManus’ to breed the horse and everything is the icing on the cake. I’m delighted to be delivering the goods for them.

“He looked the real deal (when I got him) and I said ‘if there’s an engine inside that body, we’re away’. Thankfully, there is. What an engine he’s got, he’s got class to burn.

Spillane's Tower
Spillane’s Tower and the winning connections (Gary Carson/PA)

“I was confident, we’ve never lost confidence in this horse. He’s only six and hopefully his future is well ahead of him.

“He dealt with that (ground) fine but I wouldn’t like to run him on tight ground, as he’s a big horse. It was my worry all week and I was delighted to see it rain.

“He had won here during the winter on heavy ground and I wouldn’t like to chance him on firm ground. When the rain came, I had no excuses.

“We had tried him at two miles but he was telling us all the time that he wanted further. He won at two-and-a-half and he was always going away at the finish.

“We can dream during the summer now, hopefully all goes well and we’ll be looking forward to the autumn.

“I was coming near to the end of the road but this really puts me back on the motorway again! All the big days are special, but Punchestown is special.”

McManus added: “Jimmy and his team have done a great job with him. It’s wonderful to be here today and sharing it with them and their family.

“They are great for racing and you can see when they win a race how enthusiastic the crowd are.”



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Tower-ing success puts Jimmy Mangan in Grade One spotlight

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Spillane’s Tower put Grand National-winning trainer Jimmy Mangan back in the big-race winner’s enclosure after claiming the WillowWarm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse.

The County Cork handler saddled Monty’s Pass to win the world’s most famous steeplechase in 2003, while his only previous Grade One success came in this race five years later with Conna Castle.

The JP McManus-owned Spillane’s Tower had won two of his five previous outings over fences, including a Grade Three at Punchestown, before finding the reopposing Bloody Destiny too strong in the Flyingbolt Novice Chase at Navan four weeks ago.

Bloody Destiny was the marginal favourite to confirm his superiority at 6-4, but 7-4 shot Spillane’s Tower took his revenge in the hands of Mark Walsh, travelling strongly for much of the two-and-half-mile contest before knuckling down to score by a length and three-quarters.

Tactical Move beat his Willie Mullins-trained stablemate Blood Destiny to the runner-up spot.

Mangan said: “From day one we’ve liked this horse and he’s taken to fences really well. I’m so delighted for the lads at home in the yard, Pat Murphy rides him every day, and the McManus family for sending him to me.

“We only have about a dozen horses and most of them are pointers. This horse is only a six-year-old and his future is ahead of him. When the ground dries he’ll go home to Martinstown and next year will be the plan.

Mark Walsh and connections after winning the WillowWarm Gold Cup with Spillane’s Tower
Mark Walsh and connections after winning the WillowWarm Gold Cup with Spillane’s Tower (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

“I couldn’t see why he wouldn’t stay three miles, but that will be for next year. He’s by a great sire in Walk In The Park.

“I spoke to Jody Townend and she said the ground is a bit tacky, more so on the hurdle course than the chase, so I was happy enough.

“Willie is an incredible trainer and a gentleman into the bargain. He even wished me well before the race today and vice versa, I wished him well.”



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Tower-ing performance floors Blood Destiny

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Spillane’s Tower inflicted a shock defeat on red-hot favourite Blood Destiny in the Betting Better With SkyBet Novice Chase at Punchestown.

The Grade Three contest has an illustrious roll of honour in recent years, with Carefully Selected, Envoi Allen, Bob Olinger and Impervious the last four winners, and the Willie Mullins-trained Blood Destiny was a 2-5 shot to add his name to the list following an impressive fencing debut at Naas.

Just as he did a month ago, Blood Destiny set out to make every yard of the running in the hands of Paul Townend, and for much of the two-and-a-half-mile contest he appeared in complete control.

However, it became clear on the run to the final fence he had a real race on his hands as Mark Walsh conjured a late charge from Spillane’s Tower (7-1), who was bidding for back-to-back course wins for trainer Jimmy Mangan and owner JP McManus.

Blood Destiny was still in the lead jumping the final fence, but he was unable to resist Spillane’s Tower’s finishing kick, with two lengths separating the pair at the line.

The winning owner’s racing manager, Frank Berry, said: “He jumped well, they went a good gallop and he stayed well. You could only be pleased with him.

“I’d say the step up in trip was a big help to him. Mark said he was a bit flat out early on but he got home well.

“We’ve no plans, we’ll see where he goes and where he slots in. It’s nice to see Jimmy with a nice horse, all his runs have been good and he’s improving all the time. It was a nice performance.”



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