Point-to-Point Weekly 03-04-2024

CAN’T DANCE CAN RUN CAN JUMP WEE

He Can’t Dancewaltzeshome at Monksgrange to kickstart atreble for Rob James Reports,pages 4-5

DEREK OCONNOR

‘The Ballyknock fixture’s survival was agreat example of everyone pu together so racing could go ahead despite the adverse conditions’ Pag ulling

German Derby winner just like his top-class sire Adlerflug

1st German Derby-Gr.1, defeating subsequent ‘Arc’winner Torquator Tasso (also by Adlerflug)

1st Grand Prix de Chantilly-Gr.2

1st Prix d'Hedouville-Gr.3

2nd Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe-Gr.1

One of the best sons of Adlerflug Out of Gr.1 German Oaks winner Iota

Won the German Derby in a faster time than Adlerflug and Shirocco while other winners include Sea The Moon

DerekO’Connor Straight to thePoint Ballyknock fixtureagreat example of volunteerhelpsavingthe day

INLASTweek’scolumn I mentionedhow the recent spell of exceptionally wet weather wasthreateningto disrupt the season at avital stage.

Therehas been aspate of cancellations so allhandlersand riders were hugely appreciative of the efforts of the Killeagh committee who worked so hard to ensurelast Wednesday’sfixture at Ballyknock wassaved Oursport depends heavily on volunteers in localcommunities in everycorner of Ireland. This wasa greatexample of everyone pulling together so that racingcould go ahead despite the adverse conditions

Unfortunately, thereisbad news this week. Adding to the disruption caused by the cancellation of the two-dayEaster fixture at Loughanmore, Saturday’smeetingat Taylorstown hasbeencancelledand Sunday’sRathcannon fixture at Limerickisalsooff.However,thereis better news from Waterford, with the rescheduled Curraghmore fixture set for Saturday.

Thestandardinfour-year-old maidens continues to be high.Irode the runner-up LovingOnYou for SamCurling in the mares’ maiden at Ballyknock. Iwas impressed by the waythat the Donie Murphy-trained winner Supreme Malinas quickened up on heavyground for the handler’s sonJames.

As her name suggests,she is by Malinas,alsothe sireofSerious Operator,who wontwice in points for the Murphyfamily twoseasons ago. He hasnow wonfiveofhis ten races over hurdles for Lucinda Russell, his latest successgainedat Kelsoearly last month after he had finishedacreditable fifth in the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton in January.

TheKelsoformwas given amajor boostwhen the Olly Murphy-trained runner-up Brewin’upastorm defeatedthe Champion Hurdle fourth ZarakThe Braveinavaluable race at FairyhouseonMonday. Brewin’upastormisalsoa point-topointgraduate,aQuakerstown winner for TimmyHydeasafouryear-old.

Following on from the victoryof Supreme Malinas,Donieand James Murphycombinedtowin the first

division of the geldings’maiden at Quakerstown on Sundaywith L’Evangeliste,aFrench-bred whose dam hasproducedseveral winners

Thesecond division waswon by MikeySweeneyridingthe Mick GofftrainedJordans Cross. However, the bigexcitementfor the Goff family wasatMonksgrange whereMickand Caitriona’s18-year-old sonHarry rode his first winner on Justatan in the winner-of-twofor novice riders TheWexfordstables are continuingtohaveabig influence on the four-year-old scene.Sean Doyle, whowon with Parish Quiz at Knockanohill and Banter At

‘Lee Shanahan is ahardworkinglad whohas picked up plenty of experience andis beginningtoget the reward he deserves’

TheBar at Portrush,keptupthe

good work with the Jamie Scallanridden Spinningayarn, aten-length winner at Killeagh.The Order Of St George geldingisout of ahalf-sister to the talentedSam Spinner,winner of aLongWalk Hurdle and second in aStayers’Hurdle

RobJamesintroducedapromising sort at Monskgrange.HeCan’t Dance is by Jukebox Jury outofa half-sister to the brilliantMaster Mindedand provided the firstleg of ariding treble for Rob, completedbyKateOf

TheLodge for Colin Bowe and Kakadu Park for Donnchadh

BossRobin givendouble boost

Therehas been plenty of action on the hunter-chase front, startingoff with the Joseph O’Reilly Cupat FairyhouselastSaturday. Ferns Lock wasexpectedtomakeamends for his failureatCheltenham butheran out of steam andfailedtocopewith Boss Robin, who finishedalongway behind him when theyclashedat Thurles in January.

Doyle. That puts Robon the 22-winner mark for theseason, only four behind BarryO’Neill who is sidelinedwith acrackedvertebrain his lowerback. Amongthe fiveyear-olds,the Cormac Doyle-trainedSoldier In Milanlookedgood in winningeasily at Monksgrange.The Soldier Of Fortune geldingisout of ahalf-sister to the 2011 Grand National runner-up OscarTime, and should attract plenty of interest at the Goffs UK Aintreesale.

John Gleeson hasdone well with Boss Robin. Saturday’swin completeda hat-trickfollowing a pointwin at Comeaand ahunterchasesuccessatThurles. Theformof that Thurles race wasgiven adouble boost at CorkonMonday, with wins for the runner-up Ryehilland fourthplacedCarrigWells.

TheRossO’Sullivan-trained Ryehillscored in greatstyle in a maiden in the John Thomas McNamara series,givingLee Shanahana first racecoursesuccess. LeeisfromTallaghtinDublin and is agraduateofthe traineejockey course at RACE

He’s ahard-workinglad who has pickedupplentyofexperience and is beginningtoget the reward he deserves.

He hasriddenthree winners from his lastseven rides in points, includingRyehill at Bellharbourearly

last month.Iremember that one because Iwas challengingwhen my mountfell at the last CarrigWells, trainedbyMartin Fitzgerald and ridden by his son Danny, wasadeservingwinner of the mares’ maiden hunter chase. She hadbeenplaced in four of her six previous starts on the track, includingwhen second in the correspondingrace twoyears ago, and hastwo wins and tenplaces from 16 starts in points

SusieDoyle enjoyedacomfortable winonLifetime Ambition for her father Patinthe Jack TynerMemorial event. Susie is leadingMaxine O’Sullivan 7-5 in her bid to regain the women’spoint-to-pointtitle she wontwo seasons ago.

Threeofthosewins have beenon Lifetime Ambition, who wasrunning on the racecoursefor the firsttime since his days with Jessica Harrington when he kept very good company.

He beat Fastorslowina novice hurdle,finishedsecond in aGrade 1 novice chaseand in the Troytown, and wasthirdbehind Galopin Des Champs in the John Durkan two seasons ago. He’s ineligible for the Foxhunter at Aintreebut canhead to Punchestown for thehunter chase championship event.

Newcomer Spinningayarn (right) scoresa ten-length victoryatKilleagh to continue handlerSean Doyle’sgoodformwithfour-year-olds

HEALYRACING

Unbeaten at 2. Triple Group 1 winner at 3 by FRANKEL.

1st Irish Derby-Gr.1 like successful Grange sire FAMEANDGLORY

1st St Leger Stakes-Gr.1 like Grange Champion Sire MILAN

1st Grand Prix de Paris-Gr.1 by6 lengths

1st Dante Stakes-Gr.2

1st JockeyClub Stakes-Gr.2, a leading NH sire-making race

3rd Epsom Derby-Gr.1, like PRESENTING, SHANTOU etc.

3rd Prix de l’Arc deTriomphe-Gr.1

❝one ofthe best performances inthis race in recentyears,atotally dominant effort❞

Timeform on the St Leger Stakes

❝HurricaneLaneabsolutely thundershometowinagreat renewaloftheDanteStakes❞

RACING TV

❝HurricaneLaneisavery good-lookingsonofFrankel withplentyofscopeandagood action.Heshowedagreat constitutionthroughouthis careerandwasawonderful racehorsewhogaveus manygreatdays.❞

❝Hurricane Lane triumphs in epic Irish Derby❞

RACING POST

❝an impressive display - the biggest winning margin in the race for over 30 years❞ Timeform

Trainer Charlie Appleby

FRANKEL-GALEFORCE(SHIROCCO)

COUNTY CLARE AT QUAKERSTOWN SUNDAY

WINGED LEADER became the fourth horse this season to record four winners when he followed up an impressive Portrush success with victory in the feature here.

Un it ed wi th Ma xi ne O’Sullivan for the second time this season in the Connolly’s Red Mills ladies open, the pair were odds-on to repeat their Farmacaffley victor y last month

Their supporters had few moments of concern as the ten-year-old struck the front at the tenth fence from where it was all plain sailing en route to a six-and-a-half-length defeat of De Nordener, who is also a four-time winner this season “He’ll continue in opens as long as there’s some cut in the ground,” winning handler David Christie said.

The victorious rider’s cousin Alan O’Sullivan added further glory for the Lombardstown clan when guiding My Kiwi Girl to a winning debut in the ITBA, Turkey Trotters and Gort Co-Op Livestock Mart mares’ maiden.

Ciaran Fennessy’s newcomer

Star performance

The three horses who chased home Star Of Diamonds brought strong recent form to add plenty of depth to his victory

was left clear when Missy Mole departed at the penultimate fence and that allowed her to return 16 lengths clear of Cl ashmor e Ba nt er, wi th Youghalvalley a further 13 lengths adrift.

“This is a lovely big mare who we fancied big time today, and thankfully she did it very nicely,” Fennessy said. “She’s a filly we think will go on and do very well on the track.”

Youghalvalley’s rider, Derek O’Connor, fared better in the Dinny Gould, P&N Casey, O’ Ne ill Bo okm ak ers and Aengus King Racing older geldings’ maiden when guiding Our Story to an easy fourlength defeat of Mister Murphy, much to the relief of his handler Garry Aherne “If you told me last August this horse would only be winning his maiden now I

wouldn’t have believed you,” Aherne said. “He had a lovely run first time out in Ballindenisk and then it was trainer error in Ballyvodock as I never should have run him He was sick after that, but was running very well when taken out of it in Knockanohill.”

L’Evangeliste completed a memorab le we ek for the Murphy family. Four days after the father-and-son team of Daniel and James unleashed the im pres siv e Su preme Malinas to win at Ballyknock, they added division one of the Goffs Aintree Sale four-yearold maiden to their haul.

The French-bred son of Pastorius was always to the fore and had plenty left to beat Paddy Policy in a bunched finish, much to the delight of the 1999 All-Ireland hurlingwinning Cork captain Mark Landers, who had bought him for €34,000 at last year’s Derby sale

“We fancied this lad first time out in Castlelands, but he was unlucky when he slipped and fell,” Landers said. “We thought about running earlier in the

week but came here for slightly better ground. The plan is to sell him now.”

The dual under-21 champion-turned-professional jockey Shane Fitzgerald was riding at Fairyhouse during the afternoon but he will undoubtedly have been pleased to see Jordans Cross, a horse he bought at last year’s Tattersalls

KILLEAGH INCH AT BALLYKNOCK WEDNESDAY

Ireland May Store sale, make a winning debut in division two of the four-year-old maiden. Trained by his former boss Mick Goff, the newcomer kicked on from the third-last under Mikey Sweeney to return unchallenged and defeat Claim The Throne by five lengths

New owners are now likely to be sought for the bay and that

is also the case for Star Of Diamonds after he landed the Tattersalls NH, Dan McInerney and Conor Engineering fiveyear-old geldings’ maiden.

Mark Scallan’s Diamond Boy gelding was always to the fore under Jimmy O’Rourke and he easily beat a decent field.

Ian McCarthy continued his winning run when Fountain

Winged Leader flies to top of pecking order Hunter chase next on agenda for talented

THERE’S no stopping Terence O’Brien. The Carrigtwohillbased handler was the toast of many racegoers at the annual pre-Easter fixture in Ballyknock when he sent out Con’s Roc to oblige in the East Cork Oil winners-of-one

With the fixture having to pass an early morning inspection, ground conditions were quite testing and just four runners faced the starter Con’s Roc, who made a victor io us re tu rn from a 14-month absence by landing the Knockanard adjacent maiden in February, disputed the running with Simply The Bestone until edging ahead from five out.

Therellbguddaysyet went second from three out, but he was fighting a losing battle after

Star performance

Supreme Malinas marked herself out as a potentially very talented mare with a dominant display

the penultimate fence and was 12 lengths adrift of the winning seven-year-old when falling at the last. Con’s Roc, owned by the Near Or Never Syndicate, ca me ho me alone unde r Darragh Allen.

“He’s a very nice horse who is really one to look forward to and, while you co uld go anywhere with him, he’ll probably go for a hunter chase next,” said O’Brien.

Supreme Malinas showed she has a bright track future by running her rivals ragged under her handler Donie

Murphy’s son James in the Tattersalls NH, Mag and Noel Long, and Hickey’s Bar Mount Uniacke four-year-old mares’ maiden, the contest which attracted the biggest field of the afternoon with 12 runners

Supreme Malinas, a fourthlast-fence faller on her debut at Castlelands on March 10, led from the ninth and stormed clear of runner-up Lovin On You on the run-in to win by a widening 24 lengths.

“She was travelling very well when she fell in Castlelands,” Walshtown-based handler Murphy said. “I was hoping she would put up a performance like that in Castlelands James bought her himself at the Goffs Arkle sale last year She will probably be sold now.”

The trainer’s wife, Geraldine,

ow ns the wi nner, whos e unraced dam is a half-sister to Grade 2 novice-hurdle-winning mare Jessber’s Dream from the family of Champ Kiely. Sean Doyle, having saddled Banter At The Bar to win at Po rt ru sh the pr evio us Saturday, maintained his vein of for m by st ri kin g wi th newcomer Spinningayarn in the Goffs UK Aintree Sale fouryear-old geldings’ maiden. Out of a half-sister to Jedd O’Keeffe’s Grade 1-winning staying hurdler Sam Spinner, Spinningayarn was always well positioned under Jamie Scallan and when longtime leader Noticebox fell at the last he forged clear to beat Tree Top Tyson by ten lengths

Acquired for €60,000 at the 2023 Derby sale, the eye-filling

bay will now be offered for sale

Andrew Kinirons saddled a rare points winner with Baby Chou in the Ahern’s Centra and Mark Landers Financial Services five-year-old-andupwards mares’ maiden.

The six-year-old Baby Chou, who finished third in two maiden hurdles last year when trained by Jessica Harrington, benefited from a patient ride from John Barry to pick up the running in the closing stages and beat No Pains No Gains by six lengths

It’s likely the Sean Murphyowned Baby Chou will contest the Bishopscourt Cup at the Punchestown festival next month

David O’Brien’s Mic Drop, an excellent third on his debut at Ballycahane last month,

made virtually all the running under Mikey O’Connor to beat Devilsinthedetail by threequarters of a length in the Hurley’s SuperValu Midleton five-year-old geldings’ maiden in the colour s of ow nerbreeder Peter Tarrant.

The Garry Aherne-trained and-bred Holokea earned reward for the consistency that saw him finish second on his previous two starts at Tallow and Knockanohill, by landing the T&M Fi tz ge ra ld and Greentech Renewable Heating and Plumbing five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts maiden.

He led before the last under his owner Charlie Moore’s nephew Dere k O’Con nor before accounting for the pacesetting Phildante by 16 lengths.

Ho us e dom in at ed the O’Connor Family, Solo Petrol Station

maiden.

The Lucky Speed gelding had taken a step forward since chan gin g s table s and he continued in that vein by progressing from his Punchestown third to return 15 lengths clear of the mare Racing Daisy.

Con’s Roc

BREE

‘It’ll probably be hard to get him to

college now’ –

Goff lands debut victory

MICK GOFF has saddled 76 pointing winners but few will have gi ve n him as mu ch pleasure as Justatan, who was guided to a four-length debut victory by the trainer’s 18-yearold son Harry in the Cooney Furlong winners-of-two for novice riders

The French-bred Estejo gelding, owned by Harry’s mother Catriona, had not been seen since winning a Tinahely fo ur-y ear-ol d ma ide n in October, but he showed a likeable attitude in beating Wallace Olinger.

“That’s brilliant. I can’t believe it It’s great for the young lad,” Mick Goff said. “Harry gave him an absolute peach of a ride He didn’t look novicey in any way and I’m absolutely thrilled for him

“He was going to go to college but said he would give horses one year and see how he ge ts on. No w he is after winning it’ll probably be hard to get him to college!”

Wallace Olinger’s handler, Colin Bowe, had better fortune in the Nitrofert five-year-old mares’ maiden when Kate Of The Lodge made amends for a mishap on her debut.

Star performance

He Can’t Dance hinted at a big future as he cruised to a debut success

Bred by her owner Brian Kenny out of an Ask mare who carried his colours to win a Broughshane maiden in 2017, those same blue and red silks had been on the turf a fortnight earlier when Kate Of The Lodge had unseated Barry O’Neill at Knockanohill in the fall that put him on the sidelines.

It was the reigning champion rider’s chief title rival, Rob James, who deputised on the five-year-old as they beat the Borris House runner-up Florita by an impressive 16 lengths

That was the middle leg of a treble for Killanne-based James after he earlier steered his own He Can’t Dance to a debut victory in division one of the Tattersalls NH and IRE-Wel Pallets four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The Jukebox Jury gelding had failed to find a buyer at the sponsor’s Derby sale last year, but he posted a performance befitting a pedigree which features the eight-time Grade 1

winner Master Minded when beating fellow newcomer Meetmebythesea by two and a half lengths

Donnchadh Doyle was the third handler to supply James with a winner when Kakadu Park completed the 30-yearold rider’s treble in the Aloga Equestrian older geldings’ maiden.

The six-year-old had cost £58,000 as a store three years ago and the patience shown by connections was repaid when the Martina Doran-bred bay stepped up from his debut third at Tyrella to beat Primitic by four lengths

“He got into it in two strides in Tyrella and got there way too early,” said Sean Doyle, brother of the winning handler “Rob put him to sleep today and is different gravy around here. He didn’t know he was racing until he jumped the second-last.”

Doyle’s brother Cormac sent out his fourth winner of the campaign in the Goffs UK Aintree Sale five-year-old geldings’ maiden when Soldier In Milan booked his place at the sponsor’s next boutique sale with a 16-length debut defeat of Je Viens Du Large

“I was going to run him a month ago but I decided to run him here and try to win at the local track. He’s a fine big horse who is 16.3hh,” Doyle said.

All seven prizes on the card were retained in the Wexford county borders, a trend that began when Jackie Hobbs struck in the ITBA four-yearold mares’ maiden.

The daughter of Jack Hobbs was strongly pressed to the final fence by fellow newcomer Holloway Queen, but a quicker jump from Sean Staples’ mount saw her seize the initiative to pull a length clear by the line

Tom Byrne saddle d his second winner of the month when Chef’s Kiss – who had caught the eye before falling two out on his Oldtown debut – made amends for a disappointing effort at Lingstown when he claimed a dramatic second division of the fouryear-old geldings’ maiden.

Josh Berry’s mount was a fortuitous winner however, as Gary Murphy’s Arctic Conditions looked to have victory sewn up until unseating Shane O’Rourke at the last, handing Chef’s Kiss a narrow head win over Hurricane Pat.

Pictures HEALY RACING

(Above) L’Evangeliste makes amends for falling three weeks ago by landing the four-yearold maiden at Quakerstown; (above right) Jackie Hobbs (right) gets the better of fellow newcomer Holloway Queen in the four-year-old mares’ maiden at Monksgrange

Newmarket confined

Supreme Malinas lands a 24-length victory under James Murphy

SPILLANE’S TOWER, bred by Mrs Noreen McManus, won the WillowWarm Gold Cup-Gr.1 on Sunday for Jimmy Mangan and JP McManus

BlacktypechasedoubleatFairyhouse!

JOURNEY WITH ME, bred by Con O’Keeffe, won the McInerney Properties Fairyhouse Chase-Gr.2 on Monday for Henry de Bromhead and Robcour

CAPTAIN’S NEPHEW, bred by Brendan Nolan, won the Boylesports Novice Handicap Chase-L.R. on Sunday for Philip Rothwell and TomDoran

Proven Grade 1 sire by GALILEO Other Graded winners this season: SHANAGH BOB (Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle-Gr.2, Cheltenham), AMERICAN MIKE (TenUpNovice Chase-Gr.2, Navan), ANNUAL INVICTUS (Great YorkshireHandicap Chase-Gr.3, Doncaster)

MoreGrade2winners

BREWIN’UPASTORM, bred by Longrove Stud, won the Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Hurdle-Gr.2 on Monday for Olly Murphy and Mrs Barbara Hester

WALK INTHE PARK MAHLER MILAN WESTERNER

Champion Sire who stood at Grange

MIRAZUR WEST, bred by Ken Parkhill, won the Donohue Marquees Novice Hurdle-Gr.2 on Sunday for Willie Mullins and J.P. McManus

Now3firstcrop4YOpoint-to-pointwinners!

Following BUCKNA for Ger Quinn and FUTURE PROSPECT for Denis Murphy which sold for £350,000 and £150,000 at the Cheltenham Festival Sale, SPINNINGAYARN impressed first time out at Inch last Wednesday for Sean Doyle

“stormed clear to account for fellow debutant Tree Top Tyson by a widening 10 lengths” Neil O’Donnell, EchoLive AnotherGrade1winner!

ORDEROFSTGEORGE

Triple Grade 1-winning Champion by GALILEO

By MONTJEU. The Leading NH Sire with a remarkable 16 Blacktype winners this season – twice as many as any other sire!