Cork Racing: Pure Steel strikes for Jimmy Mangan at Punchestown
Pure Steel and Mark Walsh won the Concept Colours Noel Byrne Memorial Rated Novice Steeplechase for JP McManus and Jimmy Mangan. Picture: Healy Racing
These are exciting times for Conna trainer Jimmy Mangan.
Last month at Cheltenham Spillane’s Tower gave Mangan a memorable victory in the Grade 2 Betfair Cotswold Chase on Trials day. On Sunday at Punchestown in the Concept Colours Noel Byrne Memorial Rated Novice Chase Pure Steel made amends for a lacklustre run here last month when landing odds of 5/6.
Mangan is still hoping Spillane's Tower will run in the Boodles Gold Cup at Cheltenham for which he is top priced 14/1. A tilt at the Aintree Grand National hasn't been ruled out either; he's 33/1 to replicate Monty's Pass in 2003.
An ease in ground conditions is sacrosanct for Spillanes Tower and will determine what route he takes as he wants soft ground ideally.
Mark Walsh was content to get a lead off Relieved Of Duties for much of the race. He assumed control turning for home and kicked for touch approaching the final fence, as the pair stretched clear on the run-in for a facile 12-length victory.
The winner was relatively easy to back, having opened up at 8/13, many layers were offering evens at the off in the face of support for runner-up Break My Soul 7/2 into 11/4.
Pure Steel burst to prominence with a victory in a point-to-point under Derek O’Connor at Belclare two years ago and landed a maiden hurdle at Cork on his second start when still decidedly green having jumped the path on that occasion. He's always looked like an embryonic chaser and anything he achieved over hurdles was merely a bonus.
The beginners chase in which he finished third at Naas in November looks red hot now. The front two Irish Panther and Jacobs Ladder have certainly validated the form of that Naas contest in the interim.
Pure Steel is unlikely to head to Cheltenham. His primary target could be the Grade One WillowWarm Gold Cup on Easter Sunday at Fairyhouse.
It's a race with a rich history and a race where Mangan has enjoyed notable success. The event was for many years sponsored by Irish Distillers, the producers of Powers Whiskey and was known as the Power Gold Cup.
Jimmy Mangan won it in 2008 with Conna Castle, who edged Big Zeb in a memorable renewal by half a length under the genial Paul Carberry. Jimmy won the Grade One contest again in 2024 when Spillane’s Tower, in the hands of Mark Walsh, took the plaudits.
Pure Steel will hopefully get an opportunity on Easter Sunday to join his illustrious companions. Given his liking for Punchestown, he could be seen at the festival back here in April.
App?
