Point-to-Point Weekly 07-11-22

DerekO’Connor

Straight to thePoint High standardsvital to keep owners lookinginthisdirection

IT’Sbeena hectic weekinthe point-to-pointworld. We’ve seenasuccessful sales session at Sandown, goodaction at three meetings at the weekend, and some greatexamples of point-to-pointinfluence on the track.

It’s also the time of the year when some majorawardsare being handedout

Thesales action continues at CheltenhamonFridaywith a Tattersalls catalogue that features some excitingyoung prospects LastSaturday’strade at the first Goffs Tingle Creeksaleshowed the quality of the horsescomingthrough from the point-to-pointfield, and the demand for them

It mayseemlikeanobvious thing to say, butit’snot much good if you have one without the other It’s notsomething we cantakefor granted. Thereisagreat appetite amongexisting ownersfor Irish point-to-pointers,but we have to keep the standardashighaspossible tomakesurethey, as well as potential new owners, keep looking inthisdirection.

From that pointofview, it was greattosee Jonbon in action in the HenryVIII Novices’Chase only an hour or twobefore the startof Saturday’ssale.

It wasa thrill to see him in the flesh again. I’ve knownhim since his early days,afterPaulHolden and MichaelShefflin boughthim for €140,000 at the DerbySale in June 2019. He felt likeaGrade 1horse from dayone with alovelynatural wayofjumping and an abilityto quicken.

We alwaysthoughthewas exceptional, and not many horses have excitedmesomuchfirsttime outaswhen Irodehim to wina maiden by 15 lengths at Dromahane just over twoyearsago

Only afew days later he made the headlines when JP McManushad to goto£570,000 to securehim at the Goffs UK sale at Yorton Farm.

Hiscareerisprogressinginthe way everyone associatedwithhim would have hoped,but nothingtodowith young jumpersisever straightforward

While he wasalwaysout of the ordinary, his temperamentinhis very earlydayscould have beenan issue. EllemarieHolden did a

brilliantjob in making surethat didn’t become aproblem

Howeverrarethe talent, horses

canonly progresstoexploit their full potential with careful nurturing, and you’reseeingthe benefits of that now with Jonbon.

We’realsoseeing it with Nicky Henderson’sother potential superstar, Constitution Hill, who startedoff with Warren Ewing and wasstill araw talentwhen narrowly beaten by ahorse of Donnchadh Doyle’s at Tipperarynear the end of the season beforelast.

MentionofDonnchadh brings us backtolast Saturday’ssaleatwhichheprovided the twotop lots,Lingstown winner BrookBay,agelding by Affinisea, and Knockmullen Housewinner Flash In ThePark, by Jonbon’ssire Walk In ThePark.

They made £380,000 (€443,000) and £350,000 (€408,000), so you can see whyIpickedthem outinlast week’sedition as potentialstar turns

Theother one Isingled outwas the Gearoid O’Loughlin-trainedfilly Annie K, afive-year-old mare who impressed me when Irodeher to win firsttime outatTurtulla lastmonth Shechanged hands for €170,000, making herthe thirdtop lot at asale that wasanall-around success.

All 16 lots were sold, includingmy ownhorseSouthoftheborder,a winner on his debutatNecarne.He wasboughtbyAnthonyBromley, who wasunderbidder for BrookBay Iboughthim as an unbroken three-year-old, and he provideda dream starttomytrainingcareer, so I hopehe’ll go on to make aname for himself.He’sfound agreat home with NickyHenderson, so fingers crossed

An averageprice of almost £125,000 confirms the strength of the market,and that is surely agood omen ahead of Friday’sTattersalls sale

BubblesatQuakerstown and celebrations in Dublin

IT’S gettingnearthe time of year for celebration, and County Clareowner AengusKingmade averygenerous gesture at the Quakerstown meeting lastSunday.

Aengus,who continues to keep the 14-year-old,ten-time track winner CaptureThe Dramain fightingformnineyears after his firstpoint-to-pointappearance, providedabottle of champagne for everyrider in the ten-runner ladies’ open.

Theevent made agood spectacle and wasawell-contested race,won by Georgie Benson on the Gordon Elliott-trainedThe Storyteller,who is nowunbeaten in three startsthis season.

Theformer Grade 1winner asserted well between thelasttwo fences to go clear of Toni Quail’s mountSome AreLucky,who putina brave, front-runningeffort.

Away from the track, themost successfulwoman point-to-point rider of all timewas honoured with the 2022point-to-point awardatthe HRI ceremonyinDublinon Monday

LizLalor brokeHelen BryceSmith’s longstandingrecordwhen ridingher 110th pointingwin at Comea last season. Shewas aworthy winner in astrongfield of nominees, made up of ridersBarry O’Neilland James Hannon, and handlers Colin Bowe andDavid Christie.

Congratulations to Lizand to all the other awardwinners on avery enjoyable eveningwhen JP McManuswas afittingwinnerofthe specialachievementaward

NobodyneedsremindingofJP’s fabulous supportofjumpracing, and he hashad amassiveinfluence in the point-to-pointworld too,purchasing so many graduatesand doingmore than anyone else, alongwith Enda Bolger,tomakethe cross-country races at Cheltenham and Punchestown such abrilliant addition.

I’mveryprivileged to have had some of the best moments of my career in his colours.

‘Nobody needs reminding of JP’s fabulous supportof jump racing, andhehas had a massiveinfluence in thepoint-to-point worldtoo’

Jonbon jumpsthe first fenceonthe waytowinning theHenry VIII Novices’ ChaseatSandown

EDWARD WHITAKER (RACINGPOST.COM/PHOTOS)

John Walsh revealshow he developed hislove

of banksracing

ITWAS greattosee Loggan Ladywin her second race over the banksatLingstownthis year,asher mother Loggan Lasswas agreat horse for us

Ihad boughtLogganLass fromher breeder TomBurbage and she turnedintoabrilliant open mare. Shewon her maiden in Stradballywith Shane Jacksonaboard. His father wasamaster of the Shillelagh hunt when Iwas the chairman, so I’ve known Shane alongtime

Then my ownson Aaron went on to wineight races on her and she wasareal star at Tinahely in particular,she won six races there.

Sheran over everything, from bankstofences,Ihunted with her and it wasthe making of her Iusedtolovethe banks races when Iwas ridingin point-to-points.Ihad thelikes of Ballyday Dawn and Ballyday Dazy, who were twogreat bankshorses.

Ihavebanks,dykes and fly fences of my ownhereatthe yard,thereisevery sort of jump possible, anythingI think

‘I have banks, dykesand flyfencesatthe yard –there’severy sort of jump’

theycan getoverI would jump them over.Ievenhaveafew small banksfor startingyoung horses off Colman Sweeney[IHRB official and former rider] came herewhen Iwas gettingthe hunter-chase permit and when we went alongthe gallops he said he wouldn’t have minded ridingone for me in apoint-to pointafter he sawit.

We have twogreat banks horses with Loggan Lady (right, with Walsh)and Singing Banjo– theyboth took to the banksathome likenaturals Banjoran in the Ladies Cup in 2019; it washis firsttime to race over abank and he finishedthirdthat daytotwo of Enda Bolger’s horses Isaid to my sonBarry afterwardsthat we would have aright horsefor nextyear after he hadthat experience Therewas no Punchestown festival in 2020 buthemadeup

for it in 2021 when Banjo won the Ladies Cup on the Tuesday of the festival and the La Touche twodayslater Unfortunately, with the Covid restrictions it was behind closed doors and Iwasn’table to go because Philip Rothwell trainedthe horses for me when they went to the trackasIonly hada handler’s permit Ihaveknown the Rothwell family along time and Philip hasbeenvery good. It wasgreat to sharethat with him

It wasonlyPhilip and Barry thereinPunchestown,the rest of us were at home lookingat it on the TV,but it wasstill an unbelievable week.

Enda Bolger rang to congratulate me after each of the wins,and on theThursday he said he hoped wewould be able to celebrateit, butsure you couldn’t getanywhereat the time In fairnessto Punchestown,I asked them earlier this year if there wasany chance we could getto takeaphoto with ourfamily and the two trophies.

When we went up to school the horses over the banksonthe Saturdaybefore the festival, theyorganised it, so we have alovely pictureof all the family in the parade ring with Banjo and the two trophies

GoingtoLingstown last

month with Loggan Lady I thought it might have been on the soft side for her,but she just stayed at it and is asuper jumper over the banks.

Shestruggles in normal point-to-points,but the banks giveher anew leaseoflife.It wasthe same with Banjo –the bankscan be arealleveller

Delta Work really hadto work to beat Banjointhe Risk Of Thunder lastmonth.Delta Work is aGrade 1winner rated inthe mid-150s,whereas Banjoisrated only 88 over fences,and they were racing off level weights

It’s tough with the Grade 1 winners comingbacktothe open lightweights off the same weight.

Loggan Lady hadtorun againstSamcroatTinahely in Octoberasshe hadwon three point-to-points,sothere wasn’treally anyother race for her

He’satop-classhorse and it wasgreat to see him winningagain, butseveral other ownershavesaid to me that there’snoproblem with themcomingbacktoopens, buttheyshouldhaveweights that areatleast twostone heavier than the point-topointers

Either that or theIHRB should look into having differentopenraces for the ordinaryhorses so theydon’t have to takeonthoseGrade 1 horses

All beingwell, we’llbeback in CheltenhamonFriday with Banjofor the crosscountryrace.Hewas beaten only anecktherelastyear on his firstvisit.Barry hastaken outhis trainer’slicence,so Banjowill be his firstrunner too, so we’rehopingfor a goodday

JOHN WALSH WASTALKING TO EOGHAIN WARD

LalorrecognisedatHRI awards ceremony

AFTER creatinghistory at Comea this year whenthe successofRead To Return, trainedbyher partner Tom Keating, sawher rewritethe historybooks,Liz Lalor won the point-to-pointcategoryat the 2022 HRI awards

Lalorset arecord110 pointto-pointwins for afemale rider with the success, surpassing Helen Bryce-Smith’slongstandingrecordof109, and it wasatotal she addedtobythe season’send with her tally standingat114 winners.

Thefirst HRI awardfor the Tipperaryrider sawher fend off stiffcompetition from fellow nominees Colin Bowe,David Christie,James Hannon and BarryO’Neillatthe award ceremonyinDublin’sRound Room at the Mansion House on Mondayevening

Doyle duo fetch €852,000 EVIDENCE of the vast sums beingpaidfor Irish point-topointexports wastobefound in the inauguralGoffs UK Tingle CreeksaleatSandown after racingonSaturday.

Sevenofthe 13 lots from Irish vendorsfetchedsix-figure priceswith Donnchadh Doyle the chief beneficiary.

TheMonbeg stablestrainer wasresponsible for the sale’s toptwo horses,which changed

hands for acombinedtotal of £730,000 (€852,000)withthe Lingstown winner BrookBay toppingthe day’strade at for £380,000 (€443,000). He was one of four horses boughtby Jonjo O’Neill.

Doyle’s wide-margin Knockmullen Housewinner Flash In

TheParkistoremain in Britain, with BenPaulingsigningfor the Walk In TheParkgelding for £350,000 (€408,000).

Hunter chasedates APROGRAMME of 15 hunter chases for the spring, up to and includingthe Punchestown

festival,has beenconfirmed with the publicationofthe trackprovisional summaryfor the firstfourmonths of 2023.

Thereare few changestothe programme of races,which begins in the new year at Clonmel with amaiden hunter chaseonJanuary12.

hunter chase, which wasrun on March20this year,moves to April2 in 2023,which will see three maiden hunter chases takingplacewithin anine-day period

Th at co uld be de em ed excessivewhenthereare only twomaiden hunter chases in the firstthree months of the year

Elliottand Queally the dominant forces

COLIN BOWE hasdominated the handler division in recent years,having beencrowned champion ten times,including the lasteight years.

This season the topofthe trainers’ leader boardhas a different looktoitasGordon Elliottand Declan Queally are already on the cusp of taking their winnerstallyfor the season into double figures.

It is the latter who sitstop of the pile courtesyofhis superior strikerate, which standsata phenomenal 82 percent.

Hisflyingstart to the season wasmaintained at that eyewateringfigurewith his second doubleinamonth at BallindeniskonSunday through Lord Schnitzeland Desert Heather

That leaves the Waterford handler with atotal of nine winners from 11 runners.

Theprincipal races in the division takeplaceatNaason February11, the Tetretema CupatGowranParkonMarch 11, the Joseph O’ReillyatFairyho us eo nA pr il 8a nd

ChampionHunter Chaseat Punchestown on April28.

TheDownpatrickmaiden

Liz Lalor: winner of thepoint-to-pointcategoryatthe 2022 HRIawards after herrecord-breakingseason

‘He went great and liked the ground’ –Murphy lands double

ENJOY D’ALLEN has flown the flag fo r Ci aran Murphy’s Westmeath yard this year, providing him with his first runner in the Grand National in April, and it was his half brother Iron Allen who started a double for the Mullingar handler by landing the Paul Fay Bookmaker and J Grennan & Sons four-year-old auction maiden.

Picked up for €20,000 by Murphy, himself a former point-to-point rider, the Kitkou gelding stepped up from his return to action at Castletown Geoghegan in October by getting the better of his three rivals from the home bend to beat the newcomer Twentyto nine by six lengths

“He went great and liked the ground,” Jack Kearney from the Go For Porter Syndicate said.

“He ran twice in CastletownGeoghegan and the ground was hard on both occasions. This was his first day out on soft ground and he seemed to finish well and jump well.”

“We are going to have to see

Star performance

La

where we go from here. If we got an offer, we could consider it.”

Simon Cavanagh was forced to work harder in the saddle to complete Murphy’s double on Lavinia Fontana in the Paul Belton Agri Consultant & Connollys Red Mills mares’ maiden.

The Milan mare had finished fourth in her previous outing this season at Tattersalls and that experience helped her get the better of Dancetilldawn

She was forced to battle, however, after an untidy jump at the penultimate fence allowed Tom Geoghegan’s mount the opportunity to come back at her with only a ne ck se parat ing the pair crossing the line

La Feline preserved her 100 per cent strike-rate for the

season as she became one of just four horses to move on to the three-winner mark with victory in the Rawles Pub & Butchers mares’ open.

Last season’s champion point-to-point mare has shown no sign of surrendering her crown as she followed up an asy victory seven days earlier against geldings at Boulta by proving to be a class above her opponents

Her first-time partner Brian Lawless remained motionless in the saddle as she left her four rivals trailing on the climb to the line, passing the post 12 lengths clear of Rose Of Coolbally.

“Brian gave her a lovely ride,” Sam Curling said. “She’s not the easiest to ride and she’s a lot better going left-handed.

“That’s her third run this year and she’s won the three of them We’ll find something for her after Christmas but she’ll stay point-to-pointing.”

La Feline has now run 14 times in points, won six , finished second six times and third twice.

The Blind Piper matched the achievement of La Feline by winning on successive Sundays as he backed up his own 60-length victory at Moig South with another widema rg in vict or y in the Currygrane Lodge winners-of three

When his chief market rival in the three-runner field, Marronstown, began to falter and was pulled up before two out, Eddie Power’s nine-year old needed only to fend off the challenge of Mizuma to land a fourth success, which he did comfortably by 24 lengths under Adam Ryan.

“He won by 60 lengths last week and he normally doesn’t come out of his races that quick, but we had no choice as there are no other winners-of three before Christmas,” Power said.

“He wouldn’t have been 100 per cent right, he’s a better horse fresh, but he did it very easy. The plan now is to go to the maiden hunter chase at Christmas in Limerick.”

Joey Dunne made a worth while flying visit to Corbeagh House as he teamed up with Gavin Cromwell’s Mint Boy to win the Lely & Tattersalls NH four-year-old maiden before travelling to Fairyhouse to ride in the concluding bumper, finishing third on Gillian Calla ghan’s Run For Harry.

The Mount Nelson-sired

Mint Boy, a €50,000 purchase last year, overcame a slight error at the last to collar Rainbow Trail close home Th e victor y pr ov id ed Cromwell with a second four year-old maiden winner in as many weekends after the impressive success of Biolumi nescence at Boulta.

Noel McParlan became the

Shanagh Bob stars in O’Donovan treble

NORTH CORK jockey Chris O’Donovan rode a treble on a day to remember at his local track.

It began on his father John’s well-supported newcomer Shanagh Bob in the Tattersalls NH four-year-old maiden.

Shanagh Bob led or disputed the running of the 15-strong field virtually throughout with In Limbo and Indian Louis as his closest pursuers

The winning son of Mahler, a €10,000 graduate of last year’s Tattersalls Ireland August sale, set sail for home from before tw o ou t and wa s cle arl y containing closest pursuer In Limbo when none too clever at the final fence

The latter wasn’t able to capitalise and Gorgeous Tom ca me thr ou gh for the runner-up berth, but Garret Ahern’s charge was still some

Star performance

Shanagh

three and a half lengths adrift of Shanagh Bob at the line

“He’s a lovely horse who has always shown a nice bit, and we were hoping he would run well,” the winning rider said.

Shanagh Bob was quickly added to this Friday’s Tatter salls sale after racing at Chelt enham

Both of Chris O’Donovan’s re ma inin g wi nne rs we re supplied by Declan Queally, the pair opening their account with Lord Schnitzel, a Grade 1-placed chaser who won four po ints las t se as on and a Limerick hunter chase.

Lo rd Sc hnit ze l, havin g made a respectable return to action by finishing third to Cloudy Tuesday at Kinsale in October, was held up in the six-runner Chanceit.ie open before moving into second be hind lo ng -t ime le ad er Dashing Perk approaching two out.

The nine-year-old Lord Schnitzel took the measure of Dashing Perk before the last to beat Eugene O’Sullivan’s charge by four lengths with a further half length back to Castlebrook in third.

The 2020 Caspian Caviar Go ld Cu p ch as e wi nner

Chatham Street Lad, still under the care of Michael Winters, faded before two out to return a further four lengths adrift in fourth

“He’s a horse who is better off stalking other horses,” Queally said of the Klaus Koen topp-owned winner

“He’ll now run in another open next month and the plan then will be to keep him fresh for the Aintree Foxhunters’ Chase. I really think the big fences in Aintree will suit him.”

The Queally-O’Donovan team signed off by collecting the Sha ne and Mi ch ael O’Riordan Livestock Haulier mares’ winners-of-two with Desert Heather, her third success of the season.

Desert Heather led until overtaken by Westie Rose with four fences remaining. The victorious six-year-old, owned

Shanagh Bob clocked the fastest time of the day at Ballindenisk in the four-year-old maiden

Bob triumphed in a big-field four-year-old maiden, clocking the quickest time on the card

Feline again showed herself to be the standout performer in the mares’ open division

most successful rider at the undulating track when he partnered his fourth winner at the Longford venue, which was introduced to the calendar only in 2014.

He rode his father Sean’s Fathom Two in the Quinns of Edgeworthstown five-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

Donal Boyle’s homebred hit

and bred by Rathcormac-based Harry Gettings, was back in front before two out and she stayed on determinedly in the closing stages to account for Tender Heart by a length

Jimmy Mangan’s homebred grey Breeze Of Wind attained due reward for the consistency that saw him finish in the frame three times last season by wi nnin g a com pe titi ve

Commercial Vehicle Compo nents adjacent hunts maiden on his seasonal return.

The five-year-old assumed command before the last to beat Johngus by two and a half lengths under Eoin O’Brien.

“Many a good horse won a confined hunt maiden to start with and this fellow should end up as a nice hunter chaser in England,” Mangan said of his wife Mary’s Breeze Of Wind.

Handler Paul O’Flynn sent out his first winner of the season courtesy of Quarry Tiepy in the Heineken Ireland five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

the front approaching the climb to the straight and proved three lengths too good for the Knockmullen House runner-up The Butler Yates.

‘He’s been a gorgeous horse since we first saw him’ – Doyle unveils star

DO NNCHA DH DO YL E is proving the man to follow in four-year-old maidens this season.

Fresh from supplying the top two lots at the Goffs UK Tingle Creek sale at Sandown in Brook Bay and Flash In The Park, who fetched a total of €852,000, Doyle sent out his fifth four year-old winner of the season.

And Ideal Des Bordes could be another big earner for Doyle after landing the opening Tattersalls NH & Pat Doyle trainer four-year-old maiden.

The Coastal Path gelding made his debut with a notable price tag from the store sales ha vin g bee n bo ugh t for €115,000, and he had to get the measure of another six-figure purchase to make a winning debut with Hurricane Fly’s half-brother, the €200,000 Scandisk Park proving to be his biggest rival.

It was, however, a challenge he was able to overcome and his a three-and-a-half-length success was the first leg of a double for Rob James

“He’s been a gorgeous horse since the day we first saw him at the sales,” Doyle said. “We gave plenty of money for him He picked up well after two out and had a good look at the last He’ll be sold now.”

Star performance

Donnchadh Doyle has no shortage of talent in his autumn team of four-year olds and Ideal Des Bordes could be one of his real stars

Barry Plant & Civil Engineering winners-of-two.

James had been on the Fame And Glory gelding when they beat the now double track winner Mac Suibhne in a Stowlin maiden when he was under the care of Donnchadh Doyle.

He dep utis ed fo r the suspended Barry O’Neill who had guided the six-year-old to what was a winning stable debut for his new trainer David Christie at Loughanmore last month

The locally trained Ballyca hane maiden winner Keep Me Posted kept him honest on his way to winning by a one and a half lengths

“This is a very nice horse,” Christie said. “Himself and our recent Fairyhouse winner Ferns Lock would be two of our nicer younger horses at home. We might look at the maiden hunter chase in Limerick over Christmas now.”

third race of the season with a comfortable victory in the Connollys Red Mills ladies open.

Th e 2020 Ladb or ke s Champion Chase winner had bee n wo rk ma nlik e when winning a similar race on his debut in the sphere at Bally crystal in October, but he proved a more dominant force at the Clare track by preventing Some Are Lucky from achieving a hat-trick of his own by seven and a half lengths

Wi nnin g ri der Ge or gie Benson was presented with a Bo tanic a ha mp er in the winner’s enclosure after the race, with each of the ten partic ipating riders also receiving a bottle of champagne gifted by local handler Aengus King

The Costello family fared better in the Burren Inn fiveyear-old geldings’ maiden when John Costello sent out What’s Up Darling to return an easy winner in the hands of his son Conor

The Shirocco gelding was in contention when exiting in the closing stages of his debut at Dromahane in the spring, and he more than made amends by swiftly brushing aside the challenge of the now five-time placed From The Clouds by 13 lengths

carry the colours of the winning handler’s wife Grainne

“He’s a very nice horse,” John Costello said. “I’m delighted he won for Grainne as she picked this horse out herself I’m also thrilled for my two lads, Conor and Ronan, who do everything with the horses at home. But for the two of them, I wouldn’t have any horses in training.”

Dixies Girl was a beaten favourite when finishing 60 lengths adrift of the runaway Dul Ar Aghaidh at Boulta seven days earlier but her supporters received swift compensation when she landed the ITBA mares’ maiden.

The change in tactics to make much of the running were rewarded as Ray Barron guided her to a two-and-a-half len gth vict or y ov er t he returning Miss Drussell.

Like Barron, David O’Brien also made his first visit of the se as on to the wi nner ’s enclosure when Love The West proved too good for his five rivals in the Aengus King Racing & Kilnacrandy Farm & PreTraining Facility older geldings’ maiden for novice riders

Qu ar ry Ti ep y, ha vin g finished third on her return behind Meet My Lorely at Li sr on ag h last mon th , benefited from front-running tactics under a well-judged Darragh Allen ride to beat My Reprieve by a length

“She had a good run in Lisronagh and we were hoping she would run a nice race here,” O’Flynn said of Quarry Tiepy, whom his father Tom shares with breeder John White from Ballygarvan.

The Mark Scallan-trained The Doyen Chief, having fallen at the first fence on his debut at Li ng st ow n the pr evio us Sunday, made his way to the front before two out with Jack Hendrick to beat Con’s Roc in the Gallagher’s Gastro Pub McCurtain Streeet Cork fiveyear-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

The Doyen Chief, owned by Billy and Micheal Bates, is a close relative of Paddy Power Chase winner Castlebawn West and is also now due to be sold at Cheltenham on Friday.

Wexford rider James later re unit ed wi th Ul tim ate Optimist as the pair landed the

Former Grade 1 winner The Storyteller matched his stable mate Samcro by winning his

He was also the first horse since the subsequent nine-time Grade 1 winner Florida Pearl to

Harry Kelly’s six-year-old was also a beaten favourite on the previous weekend, and he went one place better than his second at Moig South by returning six and a half lengths clear of s ta bl e de bu ta nt Boselli.

The lake at Corbeagh House provides a stunning backdrop as the field for the four-year-old maiden won by Mint Boy and Joey Dunne gallop past

A pack in full flight during the charity hound race at Quakerstown in aid of Milford Hospice

5/4favouritefortheSupreme

Unbeaten Cheltenham Champion Bumper (Grade 1) and Punchestown Champion Bumper (Grade 1) winner FACILE VEGA strolled to a 14-length length success on his hurdling debut at Fairyhouse on Saturday for Willie Mullins and owner/breeders the Hammer & Trowel Syndicate

Willie Mullins,

7/4favouritefor theArkle

Top Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) winner JONBON remained unbeaten over fences with an 8-length success in the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) at Sandown on Saturday for Nicky Henderson and JP McManus

Timeform

Also on Saturday at the Goffs UK Tingle Creek Sale Monbeg Stables’ FLASH IN THE PARK, an impressive 4YO Maiden winner at Knockmullen House, sold to Ben Pauling for £350,000

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

Foals at Goffs yesterday sold for up to a record €155,000!

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.

“hurdled like a handicapper… He was very slick”

“the best performance in the novice chase division so far this season”