Point - To - Point Weekly 15-02-2023

WEEKLY

NH SIRES

C’Est Ta Chance impresses at Comea Reports, pages2-3

‘The Knockanard course is agreat credit to everyone who workedsohard to turn adream into areality’ Page 4

❝commercial breeders thinking of using him this year would be selling a resultant foal or store against the backdrop of loads of his progeny competing on the track❞ Martin Stevens,Good MorningBloodstock

The Jonathan Sweeney trained CHURCHSTONEWARRIOR (bred byThistletown Stud) scored from MAHLER MISSION and both are on target for Cheltenham’s National Hunt Chase-Gr.2 Other Festival contenders include the Dipper Novices’Chase-Gr.2 winner THE REAL WHACKER

O’Neill hails Christie after Bold Enough win

BARRY O’NEILL was full of praise for the training prowess of his long-standing supporter David Chr istie af te r the Fermanagh handler successfully unleashed yet another newcomer when Bold Enough won the CAB Group open by two and a half lengths

The eight-year-old had beaten just one rival on his fin al st ar t for He nr y de Br om head at Ga lw ay in October, but he could be set for a profitable spell in this sphere after comfortably accounting for last year ’s Morebattle Hu rd le ru nner-u p Sa in t

Star performance

Jhentong Enki couldn’t have won any easier on debut

D’Oroux on his stable debut.

“It’s another great find from David [Christie]. He’s rejuvenated from his track form and he’s done it very well,” O’Neill said. “I’d say we will go down the hunter-chase route I’ll ride him and David will pick where he goes. He’s a genius.”

The reigning champion rider had opened the day’s action in impressive fashion when Colin

Bowe’s Jhentong Enki justified ma rk et su pp o rt in the Dennison Commercials fouryear-old maiden.

O’Neill scarcely had to move a muscle on the €48,000 Buck’s Boum gelding to beat Cormac Farrell’s Where’s My Jet by six lengths

“He is a very sharp horse and he has won very impressively,” Bowe said. “He looks the full package and he will make his mark on the track.”

Tom Dreaper was the third different handler to supply O’Neill with a winner on the card when they combined to

AVONDHU AT KNOCKANARD SUNDAY

take the Shortcross mares’ winners-of-two with Lar’s Lass

The seven-year-old had beaten the subsequent double wi nne r Gr ay Ro ck when op enin g her acco un t at Lingstown in November, and the switch to mares’-only company saw her beat Elusive Mae by two and a half lengths

O’Neill’s friend and chief rival Rob James will have gained extra satisfaction from the success of Check The Score in the Tattersalls NH five-year-old geldings’ maiden. Not only did he ride the son

of Mahler to a nine-length defeat of Jamie Sloan’s Kilkee Royal, but he also trained him having bought the bay in partnership with Eamonn Doyle for €45,000 at the 2021 Goffs Land Rover Sale

The bay will now head back to the sales ring as he is set to be offered at next week’s Tattersalls Cheltenham February sale

Time Was bounced back to the form which had seen her beaten narrowly on her debut in Loughrea last year when winning the ITBA mares’ maiden as she pleased.

The Court Cave mare was a disappointing favourite on her sta ble de bu t for Br ia n Hamilton at Borris House in December having joined his Downpatr ick stable from Emmet Mullins

That proved to be just a temporary blip as the six-yearold was confidently produced by Alex Harvey to beat Time For Joy by nine lengths

Vital Island lined up for Ladies’ Cup repeat

RICHARD O’KEEFFE’S crosscountry performer Vital Island was the toast of Knockanard as banks racing returned to the Cork venue for the first time in about 70 years.

The 11-year-old Vital Island picked up the running under Benny Walsh well before the last in the Coolmore & Grange Stud open, which proved to be a big draw for the crowds

Successful in last season’s Ladies’ Cup at the Punchestown festival, he hinted he was

set for another profitable campaign after holding off the veteran Space Cadet by a head in a thrilling finish with little over a length covering the first four home

“He loved the track and Benny knows him like the back of his hand,” Taghmon-based O’Keeffe said.

“He will probably go back for the Lingstown banks race on March 12 and then hopefully try to win the Ladies’ Cup again in April.”

Star performance

No Flies On Him got up in the dying strides to overhaul Jango Baie in a thriller

Derek O’Connor was seen to excellent effect when bringing newcomer No Flies On Him, a son of Westerner he also trains for JP McManus, from well off the pace to win the opening Tattersalls NH & Coolagown Stud four-year-old maiden.

No Flies On Him, an €82,000

KILDARE AT PUNCHESTOWN SUNDAY

acquisition by Mike Hyde at last year’s Tattersalls Ireland Derby sale, was still only a moderate sixth after four out. However, he made smooth progress on the incline from the second-last to overtake leader Jango Baie 50 yards out to win by three-quarters of a length

“I’ve a very educational role with these horses and he seems a high-quality horse that will go to a trainer in the autumn,” O’Connor said of the close

relation to the three-time Melbourne Cup winning mare Makybe Diva.

Th e Jo nat ha n Fo ga rt ytrained Denemethy stepped forwards from finishing second to Native Speaker at Ballindenisk on New Year’s Day by landing the Rathbarry Stud & Shinnicks Spar five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The Eoin O’Brien-ridden Denemethy, having a fourth start, became the only winner on the day to benefit fully from

front-running tactics when beating newcomer Lowry’s Bar by four lengths

“I’ve had him since he was a three-year-old and he stepped up from the last day,” Fogarty said of the Gaynestown Stud Pa rt ne rship -o wn ed De nemet hy He’ ll no w probably be sold.”

Eighteen-year-old Danny Fitzgerald, from Carriganass near Inch, recorded a third su cc es s by la ndin g the Riordan’s SuperValu & AIB

Down The Highway gives Love win on first ride

MATT HE W LO VE co uld

scarcely have enjoyed a better first competitive ride over fences when he partnered Down The Highway to beat odds-on favourite The Storyteller in the Mongey Communications open for novice riders

The fifth-year King’s Hospital student had previously ridden in five bumpers, but he wasted little time in opening his account on his point-to-point debut.

He pr od uce d Ciar an Murphy’s ten-year-old to overhaul the Gordon Elliotttrained former Grade 1 winner The Storyteller after the last before going on to win by a length and a half

“I didn’t know if I was going

Star performance

Undeniable Alibi had far too much speed for his rivals to win impressively

to get there as The Storyteller was travelling very strong in fr on t, bu t thi s lad ju st quickened,” Love said.

Elliott did get on the scoreboard when Happy Victory justified his favourite’s tag in the Quinn’s of Baltinglass farmers race

The renowned trial for the Bi sho ps co ur t Cu p at the Kildare venue’s spring festival had been dominated by Peter Maher and Shark Hanlon in recent years

It was Hanlon’s Speaker Thomas who made all the running, and he held a narrow advantage when falling at the penultimate fence as Happy Victory loomed. His departure allowed the recent Tinahely winner to return three and a half lengths clear of Keenaghan Lass.

That was one of two wins on the card for Rob James as he had earlier teamed up with Colin Bowe to win the Goffs Ar kle Sa le fo ur-y e ar-old maiden in impressive fashion with Undeniable Alibi.

Ha vin g cost his Gr ade

1-w innin g ow ner Br ian Acheson €170,000 when the third most expensive lot at last year’s Land Rover sale, the Sa int De s Sa ints gel ding

produced an electric turn of foot early in the straight to beat fellow French-bred Nouvotic comfortably by four and a half lengths

“He’s a lovely big horse and I was always a winner turning in,” James said. “He even got there too soon and just pricked his ears I’m delighted for Brian. He buys a nice horse and he’s got a good one going forward.”

As Cormac Abernethy was sidelined with a collarbone injury from a fall at Turtulla last month, Oran McGill had the opportunity to ride his first winner in the famous Wilson Dennison colours, as Ballymackie dominated the Cavan Developments five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Jhentong Enki and Barry O’Neill (right) clear the fifth fence on the way to winning the four-year-old maiden

Down The Highway provided Matthew Love with his first victory

Fermoy mares’ winners-of-one on his fatherMartin Fitzgerald’s Carrig Wells.

Bred by the youngerFitzgerald’s grandfather Joe, Carrig Wells pickedupthe running beforethe second-lasttobeat

lon g-time leade rD ul Ar

Aghaidh by adiminishinghalflength

Ca rri gWells,w ho als o provided her rider with his initial winner at Castlelands last season, is nowlikelyto contestanother winners’ race

Therewas yetanother fathersonsuccessinthe Gain Equine Nutrition &GroveStudsixyear-old and upwardsmaiden for no vi ce ri der sw he n

“Things just didn’tgoher wayatBorrisHouse.There were afew nigglingissues found after the race and Brian [Hamilton] hasironedthem out,”Harveysaid. “Itwas only a matterofpushing the button down the backstraightand she hasthen putthe race to bed very quickly.”

Sean McParlancame closeto recordinganacross-the-card double when his Le Malinjust failed to beat the reigning cham pi on hu nt er chas er Bi lla wa ya tNaa s, as his Shantou Show hadearlier won the BarOne Racingolder maiden.

Pitche di nt ow inners ’ companywhen making his de bu ta tC ra gmor el as t month,the seven-year-old did not go unnotice di nt he market as he made the switch to maiden companycount by be at ing the fa vo ur ite Ballydesmond by alength and ahalf in the handsofDara McGill.

‘It’sbeena whilesince we hadone like this lad’

–Gleeson laudshis Boss

JOHN GL EE SO Nw as surrounded by well-wishersas he welcomedhis Boss Robin into the winner’s enclosure after the Mahlergeldinghad turnedthe Hanly Donellan conf ine dm aiden in to a one-horserace

RayBarronsentthe wellbackedseven-year-old to the frontafter the second fence, and from therethe gaptohis four rivals simply grew larger, with runner-up Sliabh Alainn crossingthe line 16 lengths behind him

OwnedbyAidan andSusan

Star performance

C’estTaChancemay have wonbyonlyashort-head, but he couldbegoodvalue forthe narrow margin

Browne of Mocklershill stables, whohad sold the Shantou mare to hercurrent connections in 2021, on hand to congratulatewinning connections

19-year-old Andy BurkeOtt combinedwithhis father Alex to winon Imperial Eddie.The six-year-old ledfromthe fifth fence to beat TheDollarladyby alength and ahalf

TheDesmond Kenneallyowned-and-trained Pray Tell went one better than he did on his previousstartatKinsale in October by sweepingtothe frontb eforefou rout for DarraghAllentobeatDripsey

Moon easily in the Glenview Stud &McCarthyInsurance

Grou pf iv e- ye ar-old and up wa rd sa dj acen th un ts maiden. Theson of Askwill nowbeaimedata winners’ race

over fences

TheCalifet gelding, who was bred by Dennison’s daughter KatrinaMackie, took abig step forward on his thirdstart by beatingNocommentRequired by 19 lengths to the delightof handler Colin McKeever

“Hewas showing us signsfor the lastmonth that wherever we broughthim,ifhedidn’t wi nw ew ou ld be dis appointed,”McKeeversaid. “He’s asmashing bighorse, very sound andeasytotrain. Ican see him goingplaces.”

Guatemala wonthe Dublin Prod ucts olde rg el dings’ maiden by an even wider margin as TomHamilton steeredhim to a21-length defeat of Ballylinchtogive ownerMichele McArdle her firstsuccess.

TheFifty Stars at Sunnyhill Stud mares’ maiden proved to be afamilyaffair as The Midwife,ahalf-sister to former Ga lw ay Hu rd le wi nner ClondawWarrior,was athreelength winner under Luke Murphy.

HisfatherJohn,who owned, bred and trained the five-yearold with his wife Miriam, could not disguisethe high esteem in whichheholds the da ugh ter of So ldi er Of Fortune “She’s aproper mare,”he said. “Wewaited and waited as we just needed to give her that bit of time. We alwaysthought that once asaddlewentonher back, this one would be abit special. Shewilldoa lot,this one.”

Archdeacon, in whosecolours the subsequenttriple Listed winner Posh Trish sported when makingher ownpointing de bu t, the wi de -m ar gin successwas Gleeson’ssecond wi nner of the Sc ar te en confinedrace in three years.

“It’sbeenawhile since we hadone likethis lad,” Gleeson said.“I’mverygrateful for Aidan andSusan for sending him to me; they’reapleasureto train for.We’ll take it one rung on the ladder at atime.”

PatDoyle mayhavevisited Knockanard to watch his daughter,the former champion lady rider SusieDoyle make a return from hershort-lived retirementfromrace-riding, buthis sonJackwas on hand to see the stable land aComea double

C’estTaChance began the dayingoodstyle for them when Pa King,anephew of the winninghandler,steered him to ashort-head victoryover Desert Ianinthe Goffs Arkle Sale four-year-old maiden.

A€35,000 purchase at the sponsor’s Land Roversalelast summer,hewas the firstson of the 2014 RacingPostTrophy winnerElm Park to appear in the pointing fields

“He’saverysharp type of horse who reallyenjoyed that bit of nice ground today,”Doyle junior said.

“Pa[King]felt he wasonly idling in frontand he pickedup again when the other horse came.”

King, the reigningwestern champion,recordedhis tenth success of theseason when completing Doyle’s double on All TheFeels in the Gain Eq uine Nu tr ition ma re s’ maiden.

Oneofthree newcomers in the ten-strong line-up,she was never asked aserious question to beatFortune Dancer by a length and ahalf,withMichael

with his challenge only to be hampered when the eventual winner Ginger Jonny jumped outtohis left.The Mizzou gelding hadmadeall under DanNevin to winbythree lengths

Aine O’Connorwas seenat her best when reunited with StandUpAnd Fighttoclaim the Kirby’sPharmacy4CYTE Equine Gelopen.

winninghandler Enda Bolger said. “Heended lastyear winning thelater-season hunter chases at Killarneyand Listoweland,looking forward, I’dsay theywill be his main objectives again.”

TheKing-Doyle combination mayfeelunluckynot to have alsoadded theRyan Cusack Memorial, Conack Construction &TattersallsNH five-year-old geldings’maiden to their haul.

Their Hammer Danarrived

TheLimerickrider was contenttobide her time on the returning11-year-old in a stronglyrun race,and those patienttactics were rewarded as the pair pouncedonLough Derg Spirit at the last to win snugly by twolengths

“Ainewas very good on him as he’s atricky customer,”

Chris O’Donovanmadea 71-kilometredash from the Avondhumeeting at Knockanard,whereherodeinthe first tworaces,toComea aworthwhileone by winningthe last race of the day, thePegus HorseFeeds older geldings’ ma iden ,o n Je ssmae fo r in-formDeclan Queally. He hadfinishedthirdon Queally’s Williethebuilderin the opener at Knockanardand unplacedonhis other mount beforehis winningdash

Pictures: HEALYRACING

DerekO’Connor Straight to thePoint VitalIslandprovidesthe thrills at Knockanard on banksreturn

ONE of the greatthings aboutIrish point-topointingisthe wayin which it managesto provide asuccessful business modelfor the presentwhile stillkeeping itslinks with the past.

It wasgreat to be present to see the successful launch of the new banks course at Knockanard lastSunday.

Thecourse, on similar linesto Punchestown,providedathrilling spectacle.The race hadafitting winner in Vital Island, the Richard O’Keeffe-trainedgelding who gave a memorable performance to winthe Ladies’Cup at lastseason’s Punchestown festival.

He’s alsoamultiple winner over the bankscourseatLingstown, which hasplayedsuchabig partin keepingthe tradition of banksracing alive.

In abrilliantfinish,the Benny Walsh-ridden 11-year-old wonbya head and shortheadfromSpace Cadet and TheRed Menace

Februaryhas beenaspecial month for Benny, part-owner with Con McSweeneyofButcher Hollow, who wonthe firstfour-year-old maiden winner of the season, and producer of TheGoffer,the Gordon Elliotttrainedwinner of the Leopardstown Chase.

TheKnockanardcourseisagreat credit to everyone who worked so hard to turn adream into areality.

Racingoverthe banks hasalong historyinIreland, and it’s atradition that came very closetodyingout.We should be extremely grateful to Punchestown for stickingwith the banksraces at the festival duringthe 1980s and 1990s at atime when arguments were made that they shouldn’t formpartofa showpiece festival meeting.

I’mtoo young to have personal memories,but Iknowhow much Pat Hogan, the famous “PP”,did to maintain the standardwith his brilliantly schooledjumpers.

Then, in the mid-1990s,along came Risk Of Thunder,produced originally by Nelius and Noreen Hayes, beforejoiningEndaBolger, who hadbeenmentoredby“PP”, to become the greatest bankshorseof all time

He wonthe La Touche Cupseven times and would surely have been eightbut for the foot-and-mouth epidemic in 2001.

Risk Of Thunder’s starquality, and the fact that he raninthe coloursof

Sean Connery, wasa bigfactor in buildingthe popularity of the redeveloped cross-countrycourseat

Punchestown andinmaking

Cheltenhamsit up and takenotice

In 2005the cross-countryrace became partofthe Cheltenham

Festivalexperiencefor thefirsttime.

John Thomas McNamara wonthe firstrunningfor Enda on the amazingSpotThedifference,and therehavebeenonly three years when it hasn’tbeenwon by an Irishtrainedhorse.

Iknowthereare stillpeople who think it doesn’t deserve aplace in the festival programme,but Ithink most true followers of jump racing appreciate it for what it is,a greattestofhorse and rider and alwaysan entertainingspectacle

It played abig part in the amazingstory of TigerRoll andhas seensome wonderful riding performances.In particular,I’llnever forgetthe wayJohn Thomas McNamara and Nina Carberry rode the track, presentingtheir horses perfectly at all the differenttypes of obstacles Pure class

Love conquers all as title chasers keep it tight

Last weekImentioned howRob James waskeeping in touch with champion BarryO’Neill in the race for the riders’title

After another weekend the gap remains at four,withthe pair riding three winners apiece.Barry hada treble at Kirkistown,the highlighton

JhentongEnki, aColin Bowe-trained French-bred who jumped well to takethe four-year-old maiden Robwon at Kirkistown with Check TheScore, who he alsotrains,and then hadadouble at Punchestown on Sunday. This time it washis turn to ride one of Colin Bowe’s promisingyoungsters,four-year-old maiden winner Undeniable Alibi. He alsoteamed up with Gordon Elliott to winthe farmers’race on Tinahely maiden winner HappyVictory

It wasabig dayatPunchestown for one promisingyoung rider, Matthew Love.The grandson of Irish Grand National-winning trainer DotLoverodeawinneron

his first point-to-pointride

He timedhis challenge perfectly on theCiaran Murphy-trainedDown TheHighway to getthe better of odds-on favourite and former Grade 1winnerThe Storyteller in the open race for novice riders.

Matthew is following in the footsteps of his elder brother Timmy, who alsowon on his firstpoint-topointride in the 2017 season and has ridden winners on the track, includingDownThe Highwayina hunter chaseatCorklastseason.

It’s beenagood season so far for many youngriders who have made an initial breakthrough.Races like the Punchestown eventprovide a valuable opportunity for novice riderstopartner experiencedhorses.

Whenyou’retryingtomakea name for yourself you will oftenhave to accept rides on lesserhorses in weak races

While everythinghelps to give experience,when it comes to buildingconfidence,there’sno substitutefor ridingwinners

‘Februaryhas been a special monthfor Benny, part-owner of Butcher Hollow (right), andproducerof TheGoffer’

VitalIslandand BennyWalsh(left, greencap)put up an impressivedisplay on thereturnofbanks racing at Knockanard in theCoolmore &GrangeStudopen

Willie Mullins on GAELIC WARRIOR, winner of his 3 starts this season by a combined total of almost 105 lengths, including Leopardstown’s €150,000 Liffey Hurdle on 5th Feb. RACING POST.com

DUAL GR.1 WINNER BY MONSUN 11 SWs on the flat including German Oaks-Gr.1 winner DIAMANTA

Sired the joint top-priced gelding at the 2022 Derby Sale: €230,000 purchased by Gordon Elliott/Bobby & Mouse O’Ryan

Gr.1 sire under N.H. rules: Already sire of Cheltenham Festival winners QUILIXIOS (Triumph Hurdle-Grade 1) and ARAMAX (Fred Winter Hurdle-Grade 3). Also BURSCHI (won Criterium d’Inverno Hurdle-Grade 2 for 4YOs at Pisa on Sunday), WHYMPER (won Prix Roger de Minvielle Chase-L. at Compiegne on 31st Nov.), ALTOBELLI (unbeaten bumper and maiden hurdle winner for Harry Fry) etc.

*46% winners to runners over jumps to date. His first Irish crop are now 2YOs. *Source RacingPost.com

Contact: David Magnier, Albert Sherwood, David O’Sullivan, Andrew Magnier & Catherine Magnier: 025-33006. Robert McCarthy, Bobby McCarthy & Peter Kenneally: 058-56254. TomGaffney, Joe Hernon, Paddy Fleming, Cathal Murphy & Barry Kennedy: 025-31966.

❝If I had to make a decision today, the Ballymore is where I'd be going❞

❝I've only been training for five years and never had a champion but I hope this one can be good❞

Olly Murphy on CHASING FIRE, winner of his 3 starts this season by a combined 38 lengths including a novice hurdle at Sandown on 4th Feb., RACING POST

GAELIC WARRIOR, Timeform’s top-rated novice hurdler this season