Sultan Pierji, Project Two sparkle at Radnor
©Tod Marks
The two-month National Steeplechase Association spring season came to an end on Saturday with a pair of easy wins in the featured events at the 94th Radnor Hunt Races in Malvern, Pa.
In the $35,000 National Hunt Cup, contested at 2 1/8 miles as an allowance hurdle, Irv Naylor’s Sultan Pierji earned his first U.S. trip to the winner’s circle in five tries with a declarative performance over seven foes.
With Evan Dwan riding for trainer Tom Garner, Sultan Pierji stalked the leader, Clarke Ohrstrom’s Lightning Rod (Declan Carroll), in second, drove up on the inside lane on the final turn, was all alone at the final jump, and drew off by 5 3/4 lengths. Maranto Manor’s Auction Kingdom (Graham Watters) rallied for second, a half-length ahead of another Naylor runner, Travesuras (Bernie Dalton).
Dwan had two winners on the card to put him in the lead in the standings with eight victories heading into the summer campaign. Watters, Dan Nevin, and Gerard Galligan are knotted at seven.
In the only timber event on the card, Michael A. Smith’s Project Two, with Jordan Canavan in the irons, upended highly regarded Track and Trace to capture the $25,000 Radnor Hunt Cup by 4 3/4 lengths.
The Irish-bred seven-year-old, trained by Leslie Young, took the lead from Track and Trace (Dan Nevin) at the fourth fence, set a leisurely pace, and was never headed. Imperial Assassin (Freddie Procter) was third. A recent acquisition by Bruton Street-US, Track and Trace had been two for two since coming over from England for the 2025 season.
Before the Radnor Hunt, an allowance contest for runners who had not won a timber stakes in 2025, Project Two hadn’t won a race since breaking his maiden over hurdles at Colonial Downs in the summer of 2022.
In other action:
‘Finally’ a win
Coming off of a flat career at Delaware Park and Penn National where he went 0 for 12, Alison Farwell Jr.’s Final Opportunity took to hurdles with enthusiasm, capturing his first start over jumps by a length over Paul and Molly Willis’ Holey Moley.
With Evan Dwan riding for trainer Cyril Murphy, the four-year-old Maryland-bred by Hopportunity, sat in the middle of the eight-horse field, took a narrow advantage over the final fence, and outdueled Holey Moley to the wire. Will Russell’s Hashtag No Wonder (Graham Watters) was third in the optional claiming maiden open to runners who had previously started for a tag of $16,000 or less or were entered for $16,000 or less on race day.
Irish-bred, Italy-raced Mooney Love breaks maiden in second try after lengthy layoff
The familiar green and pink colors of NSA stalwart Beverly Steinman were back in the winner’s circle with newcomer Mooney Love, who was a length and a half victor over another recent jump racing convert, Green Valley Construction and Paul and Molly Willis’ Bold Look.
With Luke Carberry riding for trainer Leslie Young, the seven-year-old, co-owned by Sharon Sheppard, broke well in the maiden special weights hurdle, quickly moved into second behind pacesetter Metahorse Racing’s Lightup Lightup (Graham Watters), and assumed the lead coming out of the final turn. Mooney Love was all out to stay ahead of late-charging Bold Look, ridden by Mell Boucher. Commonwealth Racing’s British Royalty (Evan Dwan) was third.
Prior to joining the NSA, Mooney Love made 11 starts in Italy at tracks including Milan, Pisa, and Rome. He then came stateside and ran and won at Saratoga on the flat for Team Valor and trainer Bill Mott. After another start, he went on the shelf for two-and-a-half years, re-emerging two weeks ago at Great Meadow in a maiden hurdle.
On June 4, the first day of the Belmont Stakes Festival at Saratoga, the New York Racing Association will host the next NSA Grade 1 steeplechase, the $150,000 Beverly Steinman, named after the longtime horse owner and jump racing supporter.
Third start’s a charm for Scoop the Pot
In the second division of the optional claiming/starter contest for maidens, Joseph Fowler’s Scoop the Pot rated in fourth of 10 for the first mile, advanced to second in the next half mile, then prevailed in a lengthy duel with David Lee Hain’s Tea With Edgar (Evan Dwan) to score by a length and a half for the husband-and-wife jockey-trainer team of Bernie and Kate Dalton.
Morningstar Farm’s Starforce (Conor Tierney) rallied impressively after being severely pinched on the final turn, closing stoutly to be beaten by less than a length for the show spot.
A New York-bred four-year-old by Lemon Drop Kid, Scoop the Pot began his NSA career in March following five outings without a win on the NYRA circuit.
The summer season kicks off early, on the first day of the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Festival (June 4), which features the second running of the Grade 1 $150,000 Beverly R. Steinman handicap. In another early summer preview on June 15 (Father’s Day), Laurel Park in Maryland will host a pair of National Steeplechase Association races for the first time since 2000.
The traditional summer calendar begins at Colonial Downs in Virginia on July 10, and at Saratoga in New York on July 16.