Point-To-Point Weekly 15-3-2023

STAR-CAST ROMEO

Romeo Coolio looks destined for the big stage after a dazzling debut at Belclare Reports, pages 2-3

DEREK O’CONNOR

‘Billaway won his usual prep race for the fourth time in arow and I’m sure he’ll be at the top of his game but he’s possibly vulnerable at this stage’ The multiple champion assesses Cheltenham’s Festival Hunters’ Chase Page 4

2022/23LeadingActiveNHSiresinGB&Ire

1 Yeats €2,295,328

2 Getaway €1,799,245

3 Shirocco €1,722,067

4 WalkInThePark €1,484,755

5 Mahler €1,307,987

6 Westerner €1,214,740

Following Cottage, Even Money, Fortina, Wrekin Rambler, Deep Run, Buckskin, Be MyNative, Supreme Leader, Oscar, Flemensfirth and Milan in a great NH tradition dating backtothe 1850’s Cottage Rake (by Cottage), winner of three Cheltenham Gold Cups (1948-50) for Vincent O’Brien

KILLINICK AT LINGSTOWN SUNDAY

VITAL ISLAND has made the banks course at Lingstown his own in recent years and he served up another exhibition of cross-country fencing to thrill a big crowd.

They had flocked to the Wexford venue in spite of the inclement weather to see him in the Rostoonstown Stud open – and he didn’t disappoint.

Re unit ed wi th Ti ern an Power for the first time in more than a year, the 11-year-old was five lengths too good for his 12 rivals as he picked up his fourth success over the Lingstown banks.

It was a victory that provided some compensation for local handler Richard O’Keeffe, who ha d ha rb ou re d hop es of saddling the Trans Island gelding in the Glenfarclas Cross Country race at the Cheltenham Festival.

“He’s not going to get into

Star performance

be for e she wa s so ld for £320,000.

Cheltenham as he’s number four on the ballot, so there was no point in travelling,” O’Keeffe said.

“He loves it here and all roads lead back to Punchestown now.

The Ladies Cup and the La Touche is where we will aim.”

Not for the first time at this fixture Richard Black looks to have struck gold after he unleashed Banprionsa to produce a mightily impressive debut performance in the Pa dg e Be rr y Me mor ial & Moortown Stud five-year-old mares’ maiden.

Six years ago Black saddled

Maire Banrigh to win the corresponding race by five lengths

The margin of victory for Banprionsa was even more impressive as she beat the recent Borris House runner-up Jetaway To Getaway by 22 lengths

She will now follow the same route as Maire Banrigh and be sent to the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival sale

The success formed the middle leg of a treble for Barry O’Neill after he had opened the card by guiding Mayor’s Walk to a game victory in the Tattersalls NH four-year-old mares’ maiden.

The Walk In The Park mare struck the front on the downhill run into home straight but had to prove her toughness when challenged by Jasette D’Irlande and Kilbarry Saint at the last to prevail by three-quarters of a length

NORTH DOWN AT KIRKISTOWN SATURDAY

BOLD ENOUGH began a day to remember for Belfast businessman Ray Nicholas when he landed his second success of the season at Kirkistown

After an easy victory at the County Down ve nu e last month, the Jeremy gelding followed up with a bloodless victory in the INHSC open for novice riders

In-form Dublin rider Alex Harvey was full of confidence on the eight-year-old Bold Enough and once the pair overhauled long-time leader Woodbrook Boy there was only going to be one outcome

“He’s a very straightforward horse who goes to sleep during his races and jumped and travelled like the winner throughout,” Harvey said.

“All credit to David Christie He’s a brilliant trainer and I’m very lucky to get the opportunity on this lad.”

Victory was swiftly followed by Nicholas’s orange and green silks being carried to success by Ferns Lock in the Tetratema

Cu p at Go wr an Pa rk to complete an across-the-card double for the owner

There is no sign of the

Star performance

purple patch Paddy Turley’s stable has been enjoying slowing down, as the victory of Drumlee Spud in the O Prey Developments mares’ maiden was followed 48 hours later by Dento Des Obeaux thrashing his rivals in the maiden hunter chase at Thurles.

As with Dento Des Obeaux, it was Declan Lavery who was in the saddle on the Malinas mare, who proved herself the latest shrewd purchase by the Downpatrick handler after being bought for just €3,000 as a store.

Colin Bowe was the only southern-based handler to break the tight stranglehold the region’s handlers had on the Kirkistown prizes when he supplied Bertie Finn with his first success of the season, courtesy of the two-length victory of Tara Cove in the Old Manor Mill winners-of-one

No mat ch for the allconquering Focus Point at

Ballycrystal last month, the Ballinaboola winner found this level more to his liking when returning two lengths clear of the Caroline McCaldin pair Ballymagee and Dukehill McCaldin had better fortune in the Morrow Tyres older gel din gs ’ ma ide n whe n

“I was in front too soon and when something came to her she pulled out more and did it well,” O’Neill said. “She’s very smart.”

The reigning champion took advantage of the i njur yenforced absence of Rob James by extending his lead in the riders’ title race to 13 when

Lady In The Park proved half a length too good for El Champo in the INHSC & The Merry Elf maiden.

Success for the five-year-old continued a fine run of form for Dublin handler Tom Dreaper, who is now on the five-winner mark for the season.

Do nnc ha dh Do yl e is

Vital Island thrills crowd with yet another banks win Bold Enough sets up memorable day for Nicholas

enjoying a similar fine period with his Monbeg team and saddled a Lingstown double to contribute to an across-thecard treble for his stable, which was also among the winners at Belclare.

It was Jalon D’Oudairies who began Doyle’s winners on home turf at the Wexford venue when

Ballydesmond made amends for his defeat at the venue a month earlier by carrying the colours of the handler’s father, Wi ls on De nnis on, to a 49-length rout of Dunboy Lad in the hands of Brian Dunleavy.

“He ran very well here the last day. He was still in front at

the last and was just headed on the run-in,” the Dromara handler said.

“It’s been a while coming to get his head in front but he has won very impressively He would have a great chance if going to a winners’ race next time but that’s a decision for

Dad to make, whether he heads to the sales or not.”

Ballydesmond’s success com pleted a do uble for Dennison as his colours, which have been prolific on the northern pointing circuit, were also successfully carried by Oran McGill on Jeriko Du Reponet in the opening fouryear-old maiden, a race the owner sponsored through his Dennison Commercials

A €50,000 purchase from the Arqana sales ring, the Choeur Du Nord gelding created a big impression as McGill guided him to an 11-length defeat of The Other Mozzie

“He was very impressive; he’s shown us huge talent all along,” handler Colin McKeever said.

“Jamie Henry, who rides him out, tells me he’s different class. He looks a top-class horse who has excelled out there.”

Ross Crawford sent out his first winner when Annaghbeg put his experience to good use by taking the Tattersalls NH five-year-old geldings’ maiden under Stephen Connor New owners are likely to be found for the bay after his twolength defeat of Solly

Attwell.

Jeriko Du Reponet is sure to have plenty of fans after an impressive debut

Banprionsa clocked the quickest time on the card to beat a proven rival by 22 lengths

Banprionsa (right) made light work of the five-year-old mares’ maiden to supply the second winner in Barry O’Neill’s treble

Jeriko Du Reponet, a €50,000 Arqana purchase, landed an easy win in the four-year-old maiden

the No Risk At All gelding justified market confidence on his debut in the ABP Slaney four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

James Walsh’s mount looked to ha ve the meas ur e of Wendigo when that rival jinked on the run-in and unshipped O’Neill, leaving Hell Hound five lengths adr ift of the

Romeo Coolio could be the next Doyle superstar

NO T for the firs t time

Donnchadh Doyle looks to have used the Tattersalls NH and Canavan’s Bar & Lounge fo ur-y ear-ol d ma id en to introduce a potentially smart youngster and Romeo Coolio is the latest to do so

Mu lti ple Gr ade d-r ace winners Topofthegame and Farouk D’Alene won the 2016 and 2019 races respectively and confidence was high that the British-bred would do likewise in 2023.

Star performance

Romeo Coolio could have a big future after a dominant debut victory

the maidens for youngsters as the €90,000 purchase Hens Tooth kept going best of all in an attritional Jim Derwin Equestrian five- and six-yearold geldings’ maiden.

neck in a thrilling finish to the Wi lli am Do nnellan MFH winners-of-two.

Bellharbour winner Asian Master proved to be a tough nut to crack in the home straight and ultimately held on to su pply ri der Th om as Costello with the second success of his career on his only ride on the card

when he teamed up with regular ally Willie Murphy to land the Leonard Group fiveand six-y ear-old ma re s’ maiden on Followango

odds-on favourite at the line Th e ma rk et als o sp ok e favourably of Incognito Fatal in the Ire-Well Pallets Ltd five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden and his supporters collected as Walsh completed his double when guiding the Network gelding to a onelength defeat of Captain Butler

Brian Lawless never had a moment’s concern on the odds-on favourite, a €92,000 Derby sale graduate, as he breezed to a five-length defeat of fellow newcomer Nowwhatdoyouthink

“His homework was very good and it was lovely for him to come here and do that,” Doyle said. “Brian was mad about him He got a great feel off him and Romeo Coolio will now go off to the sales.”

It proved to be a day for following expensive stores in

Just three of the 11 runners completed the strongly run con te st and He ns To oth stepped up from his Oldtown debut fourth to beat a muchimproved Magic Sadler by two and a half lengths

Tipperar y handler Sam Curling said. “He’s a lovely horse and he is going to develop into a lovely staying chaser.”

Half an hour earlier Hens Tooth’s rider Derek O’Connor came close to winning on Now Is The Hour, a horse he also trains, but was denied by a

KILWORTH & ARAGLEN AT KNOCKANOHILL SUNDAY

THERE’S nothing like winning on home turf and Darragh

Allen sent his local followers home happy from Knockanohill after landing a sparkling three-timer

Allen, who hails from just three miles from the course at Ballinmadock in the parish of Araglen, got the ball rolling on the Pa t Cr ow le y-tr aine d newcomer Fiveafterfour in the Ga in Eq uin e Nu tr itio n, Dairygold & KDC Ltd five-yearold -and-up wa rd s ma re s’ maiden.

Fiveafterfour was bounced out at the head of the field and made virtually all the running. The daughter of Flemensfirth had most of her rivals on the stretch three out before forging clear on the ascent after two out to dismiss Lorna Yeats by eight lengths

“She’s a mare I’ve always been delighted with and the plan had been to jump off in front,” Crowley said.

Fiveafterfour was bought by Austin Curran as a foal and the Du ng ar va n-bas ed hardware merchant shares her with handler Crowley’s wife Hazel.

The 28-year-old jockey then teamed up with his brother Sean Allen to win the Jimmy Linehan, The Swallow Inn & McCarthy Insurance Group

Adam Ryan also left the Galway venue with a 100 per cent record for the day as his trip from Killenaule was richly re wa rd ed whe n s te er in g Ahaknowyerself to success in the Tim Kelly Group older maiden for his uncle Andy Slattery.

The seven-year-old has long been knocking on the door of a breakthrough success and he followed up six placed finishes by getting the better of the less experienced Artic Weather by four lengths, with a winners’ race next on his agenda

Th e re ig ni ng we stern champion Pa King enhanced his claims of retaining the title

A first horse the Carlow handler has trained for ownerbreeder Patrick McCarthy, the Ocovango mare gamely held off the favourite Fine As Wine to make a winning debut by half a length

“She was good there; she did all she had to do and she has pleased us from day one,” Murphy said. “She’s a good mare to gallop and jump and she got a great ride from the front.”

Miss Carli Fay was another to benefit from front-running tactics when, despite being turned out just seven days after chasing home Baby Shally at Ballycahane, she made all to beat her only rival in the Paul Gilligan Racing adjacent maiden.

The one-and-a-half-length victory was a first success of the season for Claregalway handler Gerard Kyne

Allen treble sends locals into raptures

Star performance

Fiveafterfour powered up the hill having made virtually all on her debut

winners-of-three on maiden Prophet’s Corner, the outsider of three runners

Th e re cen t Ne na gh runner-up also benefited from front-running tactics and always held an unassailable lead before beating Inchidaly Robin by an eased down 16 lengths on his third start.

Owner-trainer Allen, who has four horses under his care, said: “The soft ground makes a big difference to him He’ll now run in another winners’ race.”

The rider brought up his treble on Dripsey Moon for local dair y farmer Stevie

O’Donoghue in the Cotters Bar, Butchers Bar & Ahernes Bar adjacent hunts maiden.

Dripsey Moon, who finished second on his previous start at Knockanard, disputed the running throughout and had to dig deep to beat the staying-on newcomer Rushmount by a length in the closest finish of the afternoon.

Just as with Prophet’s Corner, Dripsey Bar returned to a rapturous reception from local racegoers.

O’Donoghue, based just over a mile from the course in

Macroney, said Dripsey Moon, owned by his fiancée Sharon Kelly, would go for a winners’ race unless sold.

Harley Dunne was all smiles after his victory on newcomer

Finn Lough, whom he also owns and trains, in the Goffs UK Aintree Sale four-year-old maiden as the son of Milan is named after the Fermanagh resort where he and fiancée

Aisling Byrne became engaged in June

Finn Lough, having done well to survive a blunder six out, was a close third when the pair in front, Jasmin Bellevue and Long Draw, fell two out. He then accounted for Whatchagotder by six lengths

Johnny Barry limbered up for his brave front-running ride on Mahler Mission in yesterday’s Na tion al Hu nt Ch as e by landing the Tattersalls NH, Radley Engineering & Condons Builders Kilworth five- and sixyear-old geldings’ maiden on the Al an Ah ern -tr ai ned Flemensface

The six-year-old, a close relative of Master Minded, led from three out to see off Dusautior by six lengths

After making the running, then being headed two out in The Village Inn open, Ian Do nogh ue ’s Ol dt ow n runner-up Vis Ta Loi hit back under Alex Harvey to lead from the last to beat Dashing Perk by four lengths Vis Ta Loi will now contest the Fairyhouse hunter chase at Easter, owner Nicholas O’Reilly said.

Fiveafterfour provides the first leg of Daragh Allen’s hat trick in the mares’ maiden

DerekO’Connor Straight to thePoint

Vaucelet outtoavengeChristie’s Cheltenham hunter chasedefeat

IT’Sbeengreat to see as many as 11 Irish-trainedhorses, severalwitha seriouschance, in themix forFriday’sSt James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase.

TheWillieMullins-trained Billawaydefends his title at the ageof 11 after touching off David Christie’s Winged Leader lastyear.Thistime Winged Leader’s stablemateVaucelet looks likelytostartfavourite

Ashas happened in the past, Billawaydidn’tget thenew season off to agreat start, provingnomatch for the Christie-trainedFerns Lock at Thurles in January, buthewon his usual prep race at Naas for the fourth time in arow.I’m sure he’ll be at the top of his game,but he’s possibly vulnerable at this stageofhis career Ferns Lock, who underlinedhis huge potential with ahandsomewin at shortodds in the Tetratemaat Gowran lastSaturday, is stayingat home.He’sonlyasix-year-old and Christie hasbeensayingall along that this year is toosoonfor him With twoolder contendersinthe stable,itmakes sensenot to rush him

Cheltenham hasbeentop of the agenda for Vaucelet since the startof the season. It’s notyet clear whether Winged Leader will takehis chance as well, or wait for Aintreeinstead.

Winged Leader wasonlyjust pegged backbyBillawaylastyear after jumpingthe last in aclear lead. He didn’t return to action until the end of Januarybut wasforward enough to winatCragmoreand should be backinpeak formafter an easywin at Farmacaffleylastmonth

Alovelyproblem

He hasshown he canhandlethe Cheltenham trackand thebig-day atmosphere, so it would make sense to let him have another crackatit, butI alsosee meritinkeeping the twohorses apart.

It’s alovely problem for anytrainer to have,but that doesn’tmakeitany lessofadilemma.

Vaucelet sidesteppedCheltenham lastyear.Hewas beaten by Billaway at Punchestown butreally came good when capturing the Champion Hunters’Chase at Stratford in May. He returnedwitha winatPortrush in Octoberand backedthat up by landingthe hunter chaseatDown RoyalatChristmas.

Theground wasprobablysofter than he wanted then and he didn’t have much to spareoverthe Stuart Crawford-trainedDorkingCockso theremight be some concern if the goingdeteriorateslater in the week.

IfeelChris’s Dream hasabig chance for HenrydeBromhead. Threeseasons agohewon the Troytown andthe RedMills Chase and raninthe Gold Cup. He’s foundhis formagain in calmer waters in points and haswon his twostarts in goodstyle for Maxine O’Sullivan, who knows what it takes here havingwon on It Came To Pass for her father Eugene in 2020.

Gordon Elliott’s TheStoryteller,who once beat Chris’s Dream in aGrade 1atDown Royal, wonall threestarts duringthe autumn points campaign Therehavebeenacouple of bumps on the road since then. He hadan off-dayatDownRoyal and was beaten at odds-on at the Kildare

point-to-pointatPunchestown last month

Anything is possible

DeclanQueally’sRocky’s Howyahas wonfivepoints in arow.He’sa seven-year-old and is transformed since his time as amaiden over hurdles

Iride the six-year-oldIts On The Line for EmmetMullins.Hewas beaten by TheStoryteller at Ballycrystaland Quakerstown and by FernsLockinahunter chaseat Fairyhouse, butI liked him when I rode him for the first time,winning at Turtulla in January. He won again for Maxine at Kildorrery last month

Thelastwinner of his agewas Kingscliff in 2003. Beforethat, it was Attitude Adjuster,ridden by Ted Walsh for MouseMorrisin1986. However, agedidn’t matter when Emmet wonthe Grand National with

Noble Yeats, the firstseven-year-old winner since 1940. Anythingis possible,and there’snodoubt that ItsOnThe Line is apromising youngster

I’mdue to ride MusicalSlave for JP McManus, Johnson White and Philip Hobbs in tomorrow’sKim Muir.It’s funnyhow thesethings work out. I rode him in his very firstrace when he wassixth in aPunchestown festival bumper wonbyGordon Elliott’sRoaringBull in 2017.

Twoyearslater he came backto Punchestown andwon the final of the AdareManor Opportunity Series with Jonjo O’Neill jr riding. He’s had agood career,winningsix racesin Britain. He wassecond to Shark Hanlon’sGold CuprunnerHewickin lastseason’sbet365 Gold Cupand proved he’s in good shapewhen winninga veterans’ chaseatExeter last month

Strong Irish challenge

There’sastrongIrish challenge led by Stumptown, aGavin Cromwelltrainedsix-year-old who startedoff with Sean Doyle, andthe Willie Mullins-trainedMrIncredible, who wasproducedbyColin Bowe.Sean Doyle’snursery is strongly representedinthe race.Gordon Elliott’sThyestessecond Dunboyne is another of his graduates SamCurling’s mare AngelsDawn hasaserious chance.She wasin contention when unseatingatthe second-lastinthe Grand National Trial at Punchestown andshouldbe suited by the trip and ground. Samis one of ourtop handlers,but he startedthis Yeatsmareoff in bumpers rather than points Pa King and Iboth rode her in thoseearlydaysand Pa partners her this week. If Idon’t manage to winit myself,I’d be thrilledtosee her come outontop

Finally, awordabout today’s Champion Bumper.AsI mentioned last weekthereare numerouspointto-pointanglestothe race.However, I’msurealot of people in our community will be cheering for A Dream To Share, the mountofJohn Gleeson for John Kiely, who gave me so many opportunities in bumpers early in my career John is alegend of Irish racing, a complete gentleman and a wonderful trainer.Ihopethe dream comes true for him.

‘Declan Queally’s Rocky’s Howyahas wonfive points in a row. He’s a seven-year-old andistransformed sincehis time as a maiden over hurdles’

Vaucelet will be up againststablemateWingedLeader andlast year’swinner Billawayinthe Hunters’Chase on Friday

PATRICK McCANN (RACINGPOST.COM/PHOTOS)

His first crop are only 3YOs and his progeny have already sold for:

€90,000 (Mags O'Toole/Aiden Murphy)

€68,000 (Timmy Hillman)

€65,000 (Kevin Ross Bloodstock/Ben Case)

€58,000 (Alan Harte Bloodstock)

€58,000 (Glenvale Stud)

€58,000 (Mags O'Toole/Killeen Glebe)

€58,000 (Cottage Bloodstock)

€55,000 (Coolmara Stables)

€52,000 (Henrietta Knight)

€44,000 (Rathmore Stud/Inch B’stock)

€42,000 (Rathmore Stud/Old Rectory Stud)

€40,000 (Ian Ferguson)

€40,000 (Aiden Murphy)

€40,000 (Rathmore Stud)

€38,000 (Belleville)

€38,000 (SB Bloodstock)

€37,000 (Bleahen Brothers)

€36,000 (Kevin Ross/Ben Case)

€36,000 (Mossy Fen Stables)

€35,000 (Bleahen Brothers)

€35,000 (Redbridge Stables)

€35,000 (Brown Island Stables)

“Order of St George is getting lovely stock – scopey, good movers with plenty of size. They’re real National Hunt types.” Gerry Hogan

“I like what I’ve seen from Order of St George’s progeny as they are big, good-looking and racy individuals.” Timmy

“I was very much looking forward to seeing his stock at the sale inspections, as he was such a tremendous racehorse, and I haven’t been disappointed. They really stood out.”

Richard Pugh

“We have continually used him and have done again this year We’ve bought a number of nice foals by him too [for €32,000, €30,000, €28,000, €25,000 etc.].They have great presence, good size and scope and are honest in their work.”

Philip Hore

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

WORKING FOR THE BREEDERS OF THE BLACKWATER VALLEY SINCE THE 1850’s

Hillman

Multiple Gr.1-winning Champion by GALILEO

Won the Ascot Gold Cup-Gr.1 just like Champion NH Sire YEATS and leading NH sires WESTERNER, FAME AND GLORY, KAYF TARA etc.