Wednesday, January 15, 2025
KING ARTHOR
Arthor delivers ahigh-class performance for trainer Jimmy Mangan at Ballindenisk Reports, pages 4-5
DEREK O’CONNOR
‘It will be fascinating to see how Da maps out the rest of thecampaign f Winged Leader– in asense, he has on his side’ Page 2
vid for time
NFO AY
OCUS NICHOLAS
‘I don’t want to jinx myself talking about Cheltenham but it might be on Big Interest’s agenda’
The highly successful owner has another top prospect on the team Page 3
CarryOnHeidi took a step forward from her 5th place run at Boulta to win the mares maiden at Ballindenisk on Saturday Owned,bred and trained by the Baragryfamily Congratulations to all!
GROUP 1 PERFORMER AT2, 3, 4 & 5YEARS
DerekO’Connor Straight to thePoint
Doyle’sachievement with talented trio should notbeoverlooked
BEFORE Iget to the first point-to-pointaction of 2025 Iwanttomention the achievementof Wexfordhandler Ellen Doyle, who recordedatrebleatthe final meetingof2024 at Dromahane on December30.
This wasone of the mostnotable trainingperformancesofthe firsthalf of the season. Ellen sent three horses to the meeting, winningall three four-year-old maidens on the card Twoofthe BrianDunleavy-ridden winnersscored by abig margin.
TheBaltimore Stables team kicked off with newcomer AfancyGetaway who jumped well and made mostof the runninginthe mares’ maiden. She’sout of aBrian Boru mare, Nora’s Fancy, who wonfiveracesfor JimmyMangan, includinga Listed mares’ novice hurdle at Limerickand aGrade 2mares’novice chaseat Thurles Modern Man, winner of the first division of the geldings’maiden, is a half-brother to Gwennie MayBoy who wonthree stayinghandicap hurdles in arow for DanSkelton towards the end of lastseason includingthe valuable William Hill Handicap Hurdle at Aintree.
Ason of Mahler,ModernMan was the only other finisher behind two promisinghorsesonhis debutat Umma HouseinOctober.The JonathanFogarty-trainedrunner-up RecklessSpendingchanged hands for £200,000 at Cheltenham in November and is nowwithNicky Henderson. TheColin Bowe-trained winner Skylight Hustlehas joined Gordon Elliottand wasnot beaten far in fourth in what looked likean above-average bumper at Punchestown on Sunday.
Starzand completedthe treble in greatstyle,beating aSam Curlingtrainednewcomer Wildhorserider.I wasanother 20 lengths backonthe thirdhorse.Itwas my second time seeingthe winner,a Harzand gelding who finishedsecond to Goraibhmaithagat, whoItrainedfor JP McManus, at Knockanard last February. Therewereonlyfour runners that day, butIalwaysliked Goraibbhmaithagat who wasgood enough to winamaiden hurdle at Navanlastmonth on his first startfor Colm Murphy.
Ellen’sDromahane treble wasthe icingonthe cake of agreat Christmas for the stable after her graduate The
Jukebox Manmadeittwo from two over fences when winningthe Ladbrokes KautoStar Novices’Chase at Kemptonfor owner Harry Redknappand trainer BenPauling. He wononhis debutatTurtulla in November 2022 beforeselling for £70,000 at the Goffs UK Tingle Creeksale.
WingedLeader can take springinhis stride
‘Thiswas oneofthe most notable training performances of thefirsthalfof theseason’
Winning brothers turbocharge Getaway
TheTinahelycardfeaturedadouble for Gordon Elliottand owner Anne Marie McManus. It was unusual since it involved twobrothers, Welcome Back andLastRound, by Getawayout of Fantastic Fleur.The pair arealsobrotherstotwo track winners for the stable, Banks Boy and ArabianDiamond, and were bred by Kieran McManusout of a half-sister to Foremanwho wonthe Irish Champion Hurdle for Thierry Doumen in the green and gold colours
First up wasWelcome Back who took the five-year-old geldings maiden under HarrySwan, doing enough to hold off the challenge of the Donnchadh Doyle-trained newcomer Fortune Timmy. Welcome Back ranonce lastseason, finishing thirdinatwo-mile maiden hurdle at Navanonthe same daythat his yearolder brother Last Round achieved the same placinginamaidenover three-quarters of a mile further. LastRound confirmedheismore of astayingtype by winningthe sixyear-old-and-upwardsmaiden easily forBarry O’Neill. Beinginthe older age group, it might not have been as competitiveasWelcome Back’s race, buthe’salate-developingsortwho could hold his ownunder rules with this experience behind him
Fortunately, the lossofthe firsttwo meetings of 2025 to the weather was only temporary, with Ballindenisk and Tinahely movingtoslots last Saturday. TheopenatTinahelyprovided the championpoint-topointer Winged Leader with his sixth success of the season, stretchinghis winningsequence to 15. Hissupporters gota scarewhen Jamie Scallan took the lead on the Sean Doyle-trainedBetween Waters approachingtwo outbut Winged Leader was backinfront on the run-in after BetweenWaters blundered Howmuch longercan the David Christie-trained11-year-old keep up
this amazingrun of form? As I’ve probably mentionedbefore– I’ve lost countofthe number of times he’s cropped up over the past12months –he’shavinga campaign that contrasts with lastseason when he wasbeaten in twostarts before Christmas and again at Kirkistown on the second weekend in February. It wasnot until the final weekend of FebruaryatFarmacaffleythat he got offthe mark for the season. He wonthree times in March, twicein Apriland threetimes in May.
In theory, he could face asimilar schedule in the closingmonths of this season. It will be fascinatingto see howDavid maps outthe rest of the campaign.Inasense, he hastime on his side compared to last year, and it’s worthrememberingthat when he ranregularly in hunter chases earlier in his career his best formwas on decentground in the spring.
These two wins brought Getaway into aclear second place on the point-to-pointsires’table forthe season. He is nowonthe nine-winner mark,fivebehind Walk In ThePark, and twoahead of Malinas and Milan. It wasa superweekend for Malinas who wasresponsiblefor four winners,Loaded And Locked(Garry Murphy) at Ballindenisk,Bob The Builder (Richie Rath) at Tinahely, wherehealsowon earlier in the season, and My Best Valentine (Daniel O’Brien) and TheMoonlight Man(Brian Hassett)atAghabullogue. Walk In ThePark’sonlywinnerof the weekend wasSome Joyina three-runner maiden at Ballindenisk Still, this wasa causefor celebration for her owner-trainer JoeO’Keeffe, since the seven-year-old mare is a half-sister to Ballycasey who won11 races for Willie Mullins,includinga Grade 1noviceevent at Leopardstown.Her 1998-foaleddam Pink Mist (byMontelimar) is from the familyofGrand National winner Royal Athlete
HEALYRACING
Newcomer Afancy Getawayinitiated Doyle’s treble with a23-length victoryinthe four-year-old mares’ maiden
RayNicholas (below)onthe sportthatisdeep in hisheart
IWASinCheltenham for the races,flicking through the RacingPost sales results from the Tattersalls Cheltenham sale,when Isaw my name listedasthe purchaserofa horsecalled BigInterest. That wasthe first Iknew of him!
David Christie hadchosen him and boughthim for me.I wasdelighted.David haddone his homeworkand thoughthe wasagoodbuy for me
David electedtobypass runningBig Interestin winners’ contests in the pointingsphereand hadthe confidence to go straighttothe Down Royalhunterchase on Stephen’sDay.Iwasn’t so sure. BigInteresthad beenoff the trackfor 291 days and it washis stable debut, butmy faith in David paidoff
It wasthe firsttime in 20 years that afive-year-old had wonthat particular race.Itwas quite unbelievable
Iwas expectinga bigrun, butnot expectinghim to win. I’moverthe moon and hopefullytherewill be more improvementinhim
Next,wehaveanoptionof running in hunter chases at Naas or Thurles.I’lllet David decide.Big Interest is only asixyear-old and I’ll keep my fingers crossed for anotherwin.
Idon’t want to jinx myself talkingabout Cheltenham; it mightbeonthe agenda, butI’d liketosee howheperforms in his nextrace.Itrust David’s
NEWS AND VIEWS
AFTER the openingweekend of the year resultedinarareblank on thepointingcalendar,when heavy snowfall coveredmuch of the southern half of Ireland, both fixturesimpactedwere rescheduled and were able to takeplace last Saturday.
Both venues at Ballindenisk and Tu rtulla di dhaveto surviveprecautionaryinspectionsonthe morningofracing buttemperatureshad thankfully increased sufficiently to ensurebothcourses became raceable
Unfortunately, that wasnot the case at Turtulla,withthe Tipperaryvenue still undera blanket of snowwhenthe 48-hour course inspection took place lastFriday. That Clonmel Harriers fixtures will nowtake place this Saturday, January18, with the or ig inal entr ies standing.
Thefirst domestic hunter ch as eo f2 025 wa sa ls o impactedbythe recentcold snap.The Clonmel card that hadbeendue to featurethe Rathronan maiden hunter chaselastThursdayhas been rescheduledfor this afternoon.
Afield of 14 runnershas beenassembled, headedby Lonesome Boatmanwho will
‘Ifyou
can’thandlethe lows of racehorseownership, forget about it.You might be better offplaying bridge’
decisions and he haswise counsel from BarryO’Neill and RobJames,two of the best jockeys about.
Imet David through my good friend RodneyWatson, who owns the Killyhevlin Hotel in Enniskillen.
Rodneyhas agreat passion for point-to-pointracing and he invitedmeto starta partnership with him to run some point-topointhorses I’mfroma farming background in Plumbridge, County Tyrone
My firstjob wasin the civil serviceasa laboratorytechnician and Igraduated to research on food poison organisms and infectious bronchitis in poultry.
entertainmentindustryfor 19 years
Iowned Jungle Jim’s, which wasEurope’s largest indoor adventure playground, for 12 years beforeunfortunately I wasput outofbusiness after an arson attack.
In the early 1970s I developed an entrepreneurial streak and gotinvolved in property and the
Ithen boughtthe York Hotel on Botanic Avenue in Belfast. It wasavery well-known hotel at the time Isolditand developed my present business, which is a healthcare business in the greaterBelfast area.Iwas alsoa boardmember of Down RoyalCorporation of Horse Breeders for 25 years and I’m an on-coursebookmaker.That is more of ahobbyfor me It wasduringmyworkinthe entertainmentindustrythat I firstgot involved with horses. I wasproviding the
entertainmentinthe Beechlawn HouseHotel in Dunmurray,which wasowned by the Metcalfe family. Aaron and Gareth Metcalfe and their father were really intoracingand they gotme involved with Anvil Magic, who wasmyfirst winner at Tallanstown in April1987. He wastrainedbythe late Willie Rock and ridden by Robert Steele and I’ve been hooked ever since Thenexthorse Ihad was calledNoEscort, who wona few races.Wehad Gargamel with Ruby Walshsnr tooand I alsohad wins with Fair Island, Eddies Miracle,Some Manand Ferns Lock, to name afew. My most memorable dayin racingwas my firsttrack winner,GargamelatWexford. He was8-1.
Another race Igot great satisfaction from waswhen ValmyBaie wonatKirkistown in November 2016. He wasa very quirky horsebut hadgreat ability.
He wasleftatthe startthat dayand theother horses were well over the firstfence by the time he decidedtoparticipate, buthewentontoscorebytwo lengths.That wasjustan outstandingperformance.Igot such akickout of that win.
Iabsolutelylovepoint-topointing. It takes me all over Ireland. Points have changed quite abit since Istarted attending them.Itused to be farmers racingtheir own horses.Now four-year-oldsare ahugepartofthe industry.
Ithink we still need the opens for the ordinary customer likemyself, who enjoys the competition and canhavea bit of funweekafter week, butpoint-to-pointingis much more professional and competitivethesedays.
Thepresent format seemsto work,although therecould be alot moredone by wayof advertising. It would be good to getmorepeople involved and make it moreenjoyable and attractivefor families
Clonmelreprievegives Allen achanceofmaidenwin
seek to become trainer Sean Allen’sfirstwinner under rules
Thehighlyprogressive and still unexposed nine-year-old finishedthirdinlastseason’s champion hunter chaseatthe Punchestown festivalwhen runningfor Daniel Murphy.
Allen, his Araglen-based pointto-pointhandler,has since taken outafull trainer’s licence and saddledhis first runner under rules at Corklastmonth He will be joinedinthe line-up by Fountain Houseand MilanForth,who have already wonthree times this season in the pointingsphere.
Cotterbackinaction at Tinahely
Shane Cotter made awelcome return to competitiveaction at Tinahely on Saturday. The 18-year-old enjoyeda breakthrough initial season in the saddle last year,claiming the Under-21 title in the same
campaign that he rode his first winner
That remarkable introduction alsoearnedhim anomination within the point-to-point category at the HRI Awards last month butthe Corknativehas been absent from the pointing fields sincewrapping up that title-winningcampaign
He wa su nfor tu na te to receivealeg injury on the eve of the season commencing, wi th al en gt hy re co ve ry keepinghim on thesidelines for the durationofthe autumn term.
Cotter hadbeenridingout when he waskickedinthe leg by ahorse on thegallops which left him wi th ab ro ke n shinb one,a ni njur yt hat required an operation to have it pinned.
Hisreturnsaw him take the mountonthe DenisMurphytrainedfavourite IrikoD’Airyin the no vic er id ers ’
winner-of-one contestatthe Wicklowvenue
It did notprove to be the winningreturn Cotter had hopedfor,withthe pair falling
at the third-lastfence, but havingtickedoff his return ride,hewillnodoubt be hopingtomakeupfor losttime over the comingmonths
Perhapsthe courses might look at rentingout alarge screen for the bookies’ringat the tracks wherevisibilityis poor.
Point-to-pointinggives the ordinarypersonachanceto enjoythe sportofkings, although I’dwarnanyone wantingtoget involved:you have to be prepared for the highs and the lows of racing. If you can’thandle the lows of racehorse ownership,forget aboutit. Youmight be better off playingbridge. Nothingcompares,though, to the thrill of watching my horsewin.It’swonderful, so good for bodyand soul. People in the horseworld areunbelievable.I’vemade so many good friendsthrough racing. If my horsewins, everyone congratulatesyou; people Idon’t knowcome up to shakemyhand. It really is a fabulous sporttobeinvolved in
RAYNICHOLASWAS TALKING TO DEBBIE McCRELLIS
Brothers stay upsides on the course
It would seemthat Welcome Back andLastRound are brotherswho do everything together.The pair achieved the novel featofwinningtheir maidens on the samecardat Tinahely on Saturday,having alsomadetheir respective racingdebuts on the same fixture under rules at Navanten months earlier
Bred by champion owner JP McManus’sson Kieran and runninginthe colours of Kieran’swife Ann Marie, it was their Welcome Back who was the firstintoaction in the fiveyear-old geldings’maiden. He came through the test nicely under HarrySwanbeforehis year-olderbrother LastRound repeated the featinthe older geldings’maiden. Thepairhaveremarkably similarprofiles:both finished thirdwhen making their racing debuts in maiden hurdles on the same card at NavanonMarch 2 last year.Onthat occasion, Welcome Back finishedhalf a length behind the recentListed handicap hurdle winner Balko D’Ange over twomiles,with Last Round outrunninghis 40-1 startingprice over 2m 6f
Last Roundsecured acomfortablemaiden victoryon the same cardasbrotherWelcome Back’s first success
HEALYRACING
Doyle’s Dancer makes all the right moves
THE Do nnc ha dh Do yletrained Er Dancer has been a standing dish on the hunt racing circuit since his fiveyear-old days and he recorded his ninth points success by coming from off the pace to oblige in the Kepak novice riders’ open.
Last season’s dual hunter chase scorer Boss Robin, who made a victorious return to action at this venue last month, set off in front and was closely attended by Keep Me Posted as the victorious 11-year-old was restrained by regular partner Alan Harney at the rear of the five-runner field.
Er Dancer edged closer three out and, having moved through to challenge Boss Robin two out, he took off in front at the final fence where he crucially secured the faster jump. The triumphant French-bred, who won a Fairyhouse hunter chase in November 2020, then maintained the adv an ta ge to contain Boss Robin by threequarters of a length, with a
Star performance
Arthor looks a class above a typical adjacent hunt maiden winner
two-length break to the thirdplaced Keep Me Posted.
“He did it well and will stay pointing or he could go for a hunter chase later in the season,” Harney said.
Shannon pharmacist Laura Costello, whose younger sister Emily finished third on Keep Me Posted, recorded a fifth points success aboard her mother Claire’s Burren View in the Hurley’s SuperValu sixye ar -old- and-up wa rd s geldings’ maiden.
Traine d by his ow ner’s brother-in-law Tom Costello, Burren View stepped up from finishing third on his return on faster ground at Quakerstown in November by edging into a narrow advantage between horses on the flat and he then ground it out to beat I Am Rocco by a length in a race in
which just four lengths covered the first four home
Proceedings opened with the Jerry Baragry-trained Carry On Heidi springing a surprise under Rob James in the John Gray Auto Services four-yearold mares’ maiden.
Carry On Heidi, who posted an effort rich in promise when fifth to Ma ri be th on her previous start at Boulta, made smooth progress to pick up the running on the outer two out.
Carry On Heidi was travelling best approaching the final fence but a blunder gave her supporters brief cause for alarm. However, the winning daughter of Idaho was in no mood to be denied and she fo ug ht off the fa vou ri te Grandala by one and a half lengths
“She’s a mare with plenty of toe and, if not sold, she’ll go for a maiden hurdle,” Baragry said of his wife Patricia’s homebred
The Gary Murphy-trained Loaded And Locked landed the Tattersalls Ireland Winter
Sale five-year-old geldings’ maiden. He had run somewhat better than the 48-length margin of defeat would suggest when second to the hugely impressive Sine Qua Non on his pr evio us ou tin g at Lingstown in November
Here he hit the front with Ross Sugrue two out and with
DUHALLOW AT DROMAHANE MONDAY, DECEMBER 30
the challenging House Of Habsburg unseating after this penultimate obstacle, the son of Malinas dismissed Mymilkman by a length in the colours of the Turbine Syndicate.
“He met a good horse in Lingstown and I was disappointed he got beaten there. He’ll now go to a sale,” Murphy
said of Loaded And Locked, a €12,500 acquisition at the 2023 Tattersalls Ireland July sale and who traces to Dewhurst Stakes winner Alhaarth. There were just three runners in the Gain Equine Nutrition and Mi dleton Ve ter inar y Hospital six-year-old-andupwards mares’ maiden and
Angels Dawn to bid for more Cheltenham glory
CHELTENHAM Fe st iv al winner Angels Dawn booked her passage back to Prestbury Park in March by landing a cracking Fergus and Irene O’Connor open, restricted to non-Gr ade d ra ce co urs e winners.
The Sam Curling-trained mare, who landed the most prestigious of her three track wins in the 2023 Kim Muir Chase in addition to finishing third in last season’s Thyestes Chase, made a winning points de bu t at Bo ulta in la te November
Th e daughter of Ye at s, owned and bred by Alfred Sweetman, followed up at Dromahane by surging to the front before the second-last under regular partner Pa King to beat seasonal debutant Ryehill by six lengths, with Vado Forte a further two lengths back in third.
“She might run in the hunter
Star performance
Afancy Getaway started a memorable day for Ellen Doyle and Brian Dunleavy in the best possible way
chase at Naas in February, but it’s great that she’s secured her qualification for the Cheltenham Hunters’ Chase and I’d like to keep her fresh for the spring,” Curling said.
Ellen Doyle has her string in cracking order and the Monageer-based handler combined with Brian Dunleavy to land the first three races
Their hat-trick opened with newcomer Afancy Getaway in the Dairygold and Pegus Horse Feeds four-year-old mares’ maiden, the race that attracted the biggest field of the day with 15 runners.
Afancy Getaway, whose dam Noras Fancy won at Grade 2 level over fences, was bounced
out in front and her jumping was faultless.
The winning daughter of Getaway, who also traces to Th e Bo ss es Os ca r an d Alaphilippe, stormed clear from two out to beat deadheaters Miss Doyenne and Getaways Charm by 23 lengths James Doyle, the trainer’s
brother, indicated Afancy Getaway, a €37,000 Derby sale graduate, would be sold.
Mo dern Ma n pr ov ide d Doyle and Dunleavy with their second winner in division one of the Tattersalls Ireland Winter Sale four-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Having finished third at Umma House on his debut, the half-brother to Grade 3 hurdle winner Gwennie May Boy is from the same family as Bl ac k Ja ck Ke tc hu m an d picked up the running three out. With the challenging Ubatuba departing when mounting a challenge at the third-last, the winning son of Milan stayed on stoutly to beat long-time leader Western Explorer by three lengths
James Doyle said: “He’s a lovely horse who jumps and gallops He improved a lot from his run at Umma House and that was a hot maiden.”
Starzand, runner-up to recent Navan maiden hurdle winner Goraibhmaithagat on his only start last term at Knockanard, brought up the Doyle-Dunleavy hat-trick by sa un ter in g hom e on his seasonal return in the second divis ion of the geldings’ maiden.
He was another to benefit from front-running tactics and coasted clear from the penultimate fence to beat newcomer Wildhorserider by 25 lengths.
The Harzand-sired Starzand - a €21,000 Derby sale graduate whose maternal grandam Kylebeg Dancer was placed at Listed level over hurdles in Britain - is likely to be seen in new colours when running again.
Josh Ahern brought his career tally to four in the Singleton’s SuperValu adjacent hunts maiden on Louis Archdeacon’s grey Initiateur
Returning from a 20-month sabbatical, Initiateur assumed command from before two out to beat dead-heaters Song For My Father and Southern Point by 20 lengths in the silks of Archdeacon’s near-neighbour Ge ra rd Mu rph y fr om Gortmore.
Trixie Barry’s Fairye Forth fulfilled the promise of his de bu t sec ond her e in November by leading from the last under Darragh Allen to beat Potters Voyage by six lengths in the Green Valley Tr an sp or t fi v e- ye ar-o ld geldings’ maiden.
Potters Voyage’s handler Michael Mangan kept his supporters happy by sending out the consistent A Pleasant Suprise, placed on all three au tu mn ou tin gs, to bea t newcomer Lily Milan in the five- and six-year-old mares’ maiden, giving Ross Sugrue his first winner of the season.
Laura Costello scores on Burren View (yellow) in the older geldings’ maiden
Angels Dawn will bid for the Cheltenham Hunters’ Chase
owner/trainer Joe O’Keeffe’s Some Joy, a half-sister to the former Willie Mullins-trained 162-rated chaser Ballycasey, gained reward for the consistency that enabled her to finish third on three occasions in points last season by making a winning return to action under Johnny Barry.
Jimmy Mangan’s ex-hurdler Arthor, representing the Castle Conna Syndicate, fulfilled the promise of his points debut third here in December by leading two out under Johnny Hurley to beat Mags Nelson easily in the East Cork Oil fiveye ar -old -an d-up wa rd s adjacent hunts maiden.
SHILLELAGH & DISTRICT AT TINAHELY SATURDAY
Winged Leader forced to work for 15th win
WINGED LEADER required a final-fence blunder from his chief rival Between Waters in order to stretch his winning streak to 15 in the Shillelagh and District Hunt open.
Making his first appearance at the Wicklow venue, the 11-year-old tracked Sean Doyle’s mare throughout the contest as Jamie Scallan had the five runners nicely strung out on his mount’s first venture into open company.
A winner at the venue in November, Between Waters had the short-priced favourite under pressure entering the home straight as Scallan remained confidently motionless in the saddle The pair still held the advantage until getting the last wrong, handing the advantage to Barry O’Neill’s mount who went on to score by three lengths
“I was worried today because we had missed a lot of work I’d been giving him an easy time after his last run just to give him a break,” Christie said “I was really concerned today that he’d be short, but I knew I had to get him out because otherwise he gets a wee bit silly at home.”
Barry O’Neill went on to complete a double when he combined with Gordon Elliott
MUSKERRY AT AGHABULLOGUE SUNDAY
ANO THER pr od ucti ve campaign looks on the cards for My Best Valentine as she recorded a typically battling success in the Brookfield Leisure Centre novice riders’ open.
Own ed and tr aine d by Daniel O’Brien, last season’s three-time winner atoned for pulling up on her comeback at Ballindenisk last month by leading from the sixth-fence
While closely pressed by King Alex from two out, she was travelling best in front approaching the last.
However, the winning sevenyear-old was a shade deliberate here with regular partner Stefan Tobin but runner-up Ciel De Neige was not able to capitalise and was still a length adrift at the line, with King Alex a further three lengths adrift in third.
“She’s a mighty mare and the hunters chase in Clonmel this Wednesday will come too soon for her,” Tallow-based O’Brien said of My Best Valentine, one of just two horses he has in his care. “She will run again in
Star performance
Chanonry Point looked to have plenty in reserve as she made a winning debut
to land the Central House older geldings’ maiden on Last Round
Absent since finishing third in a Navan maiden hurdle on his debut last March, the Ann Marie McManus-owned sixyear-old had just one challenger within striking distance entering the home straight.
When that rival, the recent Tattersalls faller Maganey, could offer no more after jumping the penultimate fence, he was able to return eight lengths clear of Kings Cowboy, who was filling that position at this venue for the second time this season.
That completed a double for the Elliott-McManus partnership as Last Round’s yearyounger brother Welcome Back had earlier landed the Winner’s Enclosure Bookmakers five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
All six starters were still tightly grouped inside the final ha lf mile an d altho ugh
We lcome Ba ck sh ow ed a potent turn of foot to assert in the ho me str ai gh t th e newcomer Fortune Timmy ate into his advantage in the closing stages to get within threequarters of a length of Harry Swan’s mount at the line
Bob The Builder again proved his liking for the Fair wood Park course as, having opened his account at the Shillelagh’s late October fixture, he made much of the running under Frankie Murphy to win the Michael Doyle Auctions winner-of-one for novice riders
Richie Rath’s charge was able to assert his superiority over his seven rivals between the final two fences as he had six lengths to spare over Darragh Berry’s Lingstown winner Get Off Your Phone
“He’s a right horse and hasn’t been out of the money for a while no w, ” ow ner Ni all Heffernan said.
“I had him in Goresbridge at the sales there and no-one wanted to buy him I’ll hang on to him now unless someone comes to me.”
Berry did go one place better in the following Appreciation for Landowners older mares’ maiden with Richieandsams Lady
The Lauro mare had posted a career-best performance on her latest outing when a close third in Ballycrystal a month earlier and she swiftly backed that up by defeating Coppola That eight-length victory was a first of the season for 20-yearold Josh Berry, a nephew of the winning Tacumshane-based handler
“She’s named after my two boys, Richie and Sam, and it was Sam’s birthday yesterday,” Richie Cleary, one of the Run for Fun Partnership said.
“Darragh and I have been friends for years and we live down the road from each other Richieandsams Lady will keep going in point-to-points and now that we know she goes on this type of ground it opens up more opportunities.”
Fellow Wexford handler Robert Tector opened the card with a victory when Chanonry Point made a successful debut in the Weatherbys Ireland fiveyear-old mares’ maiden.
Bought for just €8,000 at the Tattersalls July Store sale in 2023, the Affinisea mare came through to lead at the penultimate fence, and from there she had only to be kept up to her wo rk to acco un t for an improved Cool Native by six lengths
Valentine’s day brings joy to O’Brien
Star performance
Tommy Pickles was in a different league to his seven rivals and was hard held crossing the line to open his account
another open in a few weeks’ time.”
Matthew Flynn O’Connor, away on honeymoon with wife Eimear in Dubai, missed the easy success of his charge To mm y Pick le s in the Dairygold and Pegus Horse Feeds five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
The Shirocco gelding, a soundly beaten fifth on his sole start last year in Ballycahane, made smooth progress on the inner with Brian Lawless descending the hill two out and he picked up the running off the home turn.
It was all plain sailing thereafter as the €75,000 Derby sale
graduate returned with 10 and a half lengths to spare over Jukebox Johnny.
“He’s grown a lot since he ran in the spring He’s done really well from his summer break and will now be for sale,”
Abbie O’Connor, sister of the wi nning ha ndler, sa id of Tommy Pickles, whose blacktype winning dam Carrig Millie is a half-sister to Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup winner Strong Flow
The Alan Ahern-trained newcomer Spring Serenade
created a favourable impression when coming home as she pleased in the D Dennehy and Family five- and six-year-old mares’ maiden.
The grey, the only six-yearold in the field, made smooth progress for Johnny Barry from thr ee ou t and as su me d command before the final fence to account for Arctic Beag by ten lengths
“She’s a grand mare but I thought she might not be fit enough coming here,” Ahern said of the Kingston Hill-sired
Spring Serenade, the first horse he has trained for owner/ breeder Michael Moloney.
The Marie Harding-trained Hunt Away returned to a rapturous reception following his clearcut success under Mikey O’Connor in the All Plast Engineering Ltd winners-oftwo.
Hunt Away, who won a 14-runner Dromahane fouryear-old geldings’ maiden on his previous start in November, travelled well and led from two out to dismiss Trooper Carton by four lengths
“He didn’t really like that ground and he’s better on nicer ground,” Harding said. “He’s a class horse and will probably stay pointing for now but he’ll be a lovely horse for the track,”
The Sans Frontieres-sired Hunt Away is owned by the three-member Open The Boot Partnership which comprises Tony Wilson and Brendan
Healy, who are from Aghabullogue, plus Maurice O’Brien from Dromahane
The closest finish of the day came in the Dan Donovan Co Ltd six-year-old-and-upwards geldings’ maiden as Brian Hassett’s long-time leader The Moonlight Man bravely rallied for Eoin Mahon to lead on the flat and deny Cold Old Fire by a head.
The Moonlight Man represents Gary Kelly, who owned Noble Yeats when the 2022 Grand National winner finished second on his only start for Hassett’s father Donie in a Ballindenisk four-year-old geldings’ maiden in December 2019. Padraig Butler’s newcomer Nolans Rocco travelled well for Darragh Allen and led from be for e the las t to be at Paddyskatie in the colours of David Brennan in the W&M Kiely Ltd six-year-old-andupwards mares’ maiden.
My Best Valentine survived a scare to beat Ciel De Neige by a length
JDG Jumping Star KK
SAINTCRYSTALwas identified as a star ofthefuture byFrance’s leading racing publicationwhen running out an impressivewinner ofthe Prix du Cercle Anglais (4YO Hurdle) at Pau on 4th January fortrainer Dominique Bressou and owner/breeders Ecurie Patrick Joubert & Ecurie Couderc. Previous JDG Jumping Stars includethe likes ofGALOPIN DESCHAMPS and FASTORSLOW!
First crop (justturned 4YOs) also includethe 8½-length Junior Bumper winner WATAMUfor PatMurphy & owner/breeder Paul Jacobs