Point-to-Point Weekly 22-02-23

ALL YOURS

Beneficially Yours gives ascintillating display at Nenagh

Reports

pages 2-3

DEREK O’CONNOR

‘It would be agreat benefit if handlers could be encouraged to give young women achancetobuild their confidence with increased race-riding opportunities’

The record-breaking rider reflects on a landmark day for women at Kildorrery Page 4

25-length novice hurdle winner!

ALTOBELLI impressed again on Monday for Harry Fry to remain unbeaten

❝graded company surely awaits❞ RACING POST

Two other unbeaten novice hurdlers this season: Grade 1 Cheltenham Festival prospects GAELIC WARRIOR and CHASING FIRE

Proven Grade 1 Cheltenham Festival sire by MONSUN

Therecord-breaking rider reflects on alandmarkday forwomen at Kildorrery Page 4

MAXINE O’SULLIVAN has consistently saidKildorreryis one of her favourite tracks and that opinion is likely to have been consolidatedafter she notcheda double on Sunday.

TheLombardstown rider openedupwith successonthe newcomer Beltown Lake for herfatherEugeneinthe Hanley’s ButchersMitchelstown five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Pa tien tly ri dden by O’Sullivan, BeltownLake movedthrough to join Got Your Back from three outand therewas little to separatethe pair untilthe Shirocco-sired winner asserted 75 yardsout to beat SamCurling’srunner by one and ahalf lengths

Thepairwereeight lengths clearofanother whowas experiencingthe trackfor thefirst timer,What AJohnny.

Owner-trainer O’Sullivan, who shares the €15,000Goffs LandRover salegraduatewith

PatTwomey, from Mitchelstown,was winningthe race for the secondsuccessiveyear after the successofCheltenham Festival contender Corbetts Cross.

“He’sverygood and I’m surprised anything got near him.He’ll probably be sold now,”the trainer said of the three-quartersbrother to Jamie Snowden’sprogressive hurdler Colonel Harryfromthe same family as Grade1-winning hurdler Shinrock Paddy.

O’Sullivan wonthe trophyfor the meeting’sleadingriderafter completingher doubleonthe EmmetMullins-trained ItsOn TheLine in theCoolmore NH Stallions &John McSweeney LivestockHaulier open

Thesix-year-old, adual hunter chasewinnerlast season, went for home three outand,although none too certain at the second-last, the runner-up Lord Schnitzelwas not able to capitalise.

TheCarlowraiderbeathim by alength,withthe 2020 Cheltenham FoxhunterChase wi nner It Ca me To Pa ss running well on hisseasonal debutand finishingafurther three lengths adrift in third.

“Heshowedagreat attitude to wi na fter mis sin gt he seco nd -las ta nd, fin ger s crossed,he’ll nowgofor the Cheltenham Hunters’Chase,” Mullins said.

Jody Townend’sdecision to bypass the action at Punchestown reaped dividends as she land ed th eG ain Eq uine Nutrition,Crossmore Tyre Recycling &STR ScrapMetal Dealers fiveand six-year-old

WARD UNION AT OLDTOWN SATURDAY

ROBJAMESand BarryO’Neill

treatedracegoerstoa preview of what is to come over the comingweeks as the twotitle contendersfoughtout atitanic battle to the GoffsArkle Sale four-year-old maiden.

Honoursinthis battlewent to theclaimanttoO’Neill’s title, as James guidedhis ow n Jingko Blue to beat fellow Fr ench-br ed Je rs ey De s Brossesbyalengthinarace which hasbeenwon by the likes of Asterion Forlongeand Very Wood

“Heisaverynice horsewho I think alot of and it’s no surprise to seehim go outand winthere at the firsttime of asking,”James said,havingriddenhis 300th pointingwinner.

“Heisabig galloperwho stays very well, and he kept finding for me.Hewill be a lovely horsefor the future.”

O’Neill gained compensation when WalksLikeThe Man initiateda double for the reigningchampioninThe UnderwritingExchangefiveyear-old geldings’maiden.

Unlucky to be broughtdown at thepenultimate fence on his debutatBallinaboolawhen one of twohorsestohave pulledclear at the time,the James Grace-owned five-yearold wasleftclear at the lastthis time after Redstone departed when upsides

O’Neillfollowedupthathalflength defeat of Solo Flight by again teamingupwith his chief supporter Colin Bowe in the Lougher Stables &ITBAmares’

maiden with Annalecka (right). Outofathree-time track winner who hadwon abumper at Punchestown underDerek

O’ Con no r1 6y ears ag o, O’Connor came up second best againsther offspringwhen his mountIriskanareturnedfive lengths adrift of the Fame And Glorymare.

“She’s alovely mare who travels very strongly through her races,” O’Neill said. “She ranw ell on her debutat Qu ak ers to wn an ds he ’s improved for that againtowin.”

O’Connorwillconsider himself unlucky not to have left the Dublin venuewitha winner as his mountLonghouseStar looked to have the Considine Fa mil y&I NH SC old er

mares’ maiden on her father Ti mTow ne nd ’s Straig ht Home

Th es ix-y ea r- old ma de smooth progress to overtake Step It OutGoldiebeforethe final fence and, with the latter fallingthere, sheaccountedfor Rosietokenbyfivelengths

This meetingwill livelongin the memoryof20-year-old Ab bie Fi tz gibb on, fr om

Charleville,who rode atrack winner on Dark Sparkat Listowellastyear,asshe had her firstpoints winner on MichaelWinters’ RebelPat in the MunsterVan Centre& BluegrassHorsefeedsadjacent maiden for novice riders

Rebel Patand Fitzgibbon assertedfromtwo outtobeat BlazingHartingo by 12 lengths

Colin Bowe’s newcomer

Tequila Talkin’ wasanunlucky loser in the Tattersalls NH, the Vaughan Family &Thornhill Opticiansfour-year-old mares’ maiden, the firstrace of its kind to be staged at Kildorrery,as she wasincommand when unseatingatthe last Thedeparture of Tequila Talkin’ enabledEllen Doyle’s Doyen Magic to winunder Brian Dunleavy.

O’Sullivan finds more reasonsto make Kildorrery afavourite track Jameshits300 with Jingko Blue but O’Neillcomes back with adouble

geldings’maiden wrapped up approachingthe final fence.

However, just as he did at Boulta twostarts ago, the final obstacle agai his undoing, st ea di e nota bl approaching the fence and wa s outjumped by Ryehill, who swiftly hit the front.

Th ew i wasnot com outofturn

TomHarney with his one-and-a-halflength victorycomingafter consecutivesecond-place

finishes at Loughbrickland and Tinahely earlier in theseason.

“Wechanged tactics and dropped him in,”Harney said e averybad

a ke at th e ond-last, but

’s done well

o pic ku p

a ga in and win.It’sgreat for the lads

w ho ow n him [Outback yndicate& nor Brett], ’reall here eygot agreat buzz from it”

Alan Harney– who is no relation to Tom–was also amongthe winnerswhen he

guided Er Dancer to afourlength defeatofVis Ta Loiin the Gannons CityRecovery& TheGrafton Hotel open for novice riders

Aclose third to Winged Leader at Cragmore three weeks ago, Donnchadh Doyle’s nine-year-old is likely to contestanotheropeninthe comingweeks

DentoDes Obeaux will bid to avenge his shockdefeatin the hunt winnersrace at Tyrella backin2020 by contesting that race at the Down venue next month after Declan Lavery steeredthe PatrickTurleytrainedten-year-old to athreelen gth defea to fW in ni e Woodnuttinthe Devenish Nutrition winners-of-two.

Star performance JingkoBluelookstohave allthe attributestodevelop into asmart performer

Star performance BeltownLakejustified the high esteem in whichheis held by connections with a winning debut

Lough Gur-based ownertrainer Seamus Murnane saddled Dromleigh to make a winningpoints debutinthe Dairygold &Rathbarry Stud older geldings’maiden.

Returningfromnearlytwo yearsoff,the former hurdler came from well behind under Mi ke yO ’C onnor to be at Dontrushslowtouch by 12 lengths.

McGoldrick repeatswin with WoodbrookBoy to give parentsspecial day

CARA MCGOLDRICK wasthe toast of the busy enclosures as shewas presentedwith abottle of wine and abouquet of flowers by landowner Peter McCutcheon after steering WoodbrookBoy to victoryin the Connolly’sRed Mills ladies’ open.

TheEllen Doyle-trained nine-year-old hadsuppliedthe Portglenone rider with her first career successatDromahane in Decemberand thepair again proved tootough to overhaul.

Havingtaken over pacesettingduties from Russian Diamond by thethirdfence, theyeased clearoftheir rivals in thehome straight to winby 18 lengths

“I washappy to geta lead over the first coupleand get him settled,”McGoldricksaid “Hewas outjumpingthe rest after that, so Ithoughtwhen he’s jumpingsowell I’dlet him roll on. It’s greattohavemy mamand dadhereasthey missed my firstwinner.”

Doylehad alsosuppliedToni Quail with her firstsuccessin the saddle at Loughanmorein 2020 and the Downpatrick

ISLAND AT BALLYCRYSTAL SUNDAY

FORMER champion point-topointmare TheForge Hill marked her return to pointing with the eighth success of her career in the CS Bloodstock International Transport mares’ open.

Sean Doyle’s nine-year-old hadfailedtomakeanimpactin three outingsunder rules since winningthe mares’ open at StradballyinMay for the second year running.

Produced by 5lbclaimer

Ross Sugrue to hit the front approachingthe final fence, she wasa length and ahalf too good for Aghmorough Bridge, as she suppliedthe 21-year-old rider with his second winner.

“The ground driedupright in time for her,” Doyle said. “That’s her eighth pointwin, and it takes some doing. She’s not the same mare inside the rails.The point-to-pointfences seem to suit her betterand we’ll runher in mares’ open races.”

Daniel Hyde alsolandedhis second successofthe season when reunited with hisrecent

Star performance

BeneficiallyYoursboosted Donnchadh Doyle’slofty 42 percentstrike-rate this seasonwithawinningdebut

nativebroughther tally in the spheretothree when enjoying afortuitoussuccess in the CareyGlass winner-of-one

Hermount WarCall was15 lengths adrift of the recent KnockanardwinnerPray Tell coming to thefinal fenceonly for Desmond Kenneally’s seven-year-old to come down with victoryinhis grasp

Th at al lo wed the Sa m Curling-trainedgreytoreturn 17 lengths clear of Mustameet Secret.

RobJames supplementedhis 300th points winatOldtown by landing adouble initiatedby the wide-margin victoryof Mossy FenPark in the Tattersalls NH four-year-old maiden.

Thebay hadfailed to justify his position at the head of the market at Ballinaboolawhen fourth on his debut, buthe stepped up to beat Tommys Lawby18lengths That winningmargin was

enhancedwhen hischief rival GirlsBestFriendstumbledand uns ea te dB enn yW als h approachingthe final fence James thenteamedupwith Doyle’s younge rb ro th er Donnchadh to winthe Liambuckleycarsale fiv e-y ea r- o geldings’maide wi th Be ne ficiallyYours

A€ 42,0 00 purchase from DickFrisby’s Gle nw ood Stud, the Milan gelding stampe his imprinton race on the runtothe final fence and went on to inflict anine-length defeaton an improved Mickie Angel.

“This is alovely bighorse,” Doyle’sbrother Eamonn said. “Wegavehim plenty of time to cometohimself andthankfully it’s worked out. That wasa decentrace and he did it well.”

Therewas further success for Wexfordraiderswhen Golden De Coeur (above) ran his ri va ls ra gg ed in the Millerect&Local Trainers older geldings’maiden.

Twiceplaced in bumpers when under the care of Colin Bowe,the Edgar Allen-owned seven-year-old wasmaking his debutinthe sphereon what wasalsohis firstouting sincejoiningRichardBlack, rivals struggled eep tabs on him omearly on.

Luke Murphy s im ply extendedhis adv an ta ge wi th each passing fence eforethe pair ossed theline ngths clearof Prophet’s Corner.

“T his hors eh as be en unlucky up to now,”Blacksaid. “Hewas undera cloud last year butseems backtohimself.He’s alwaysshown us plenty and to da yh as be en aw hile coming.”

Waterfordrider David Kiely openedhis account for the season when steeringhis brother Paddy’s Faha Belle toa one-length defeatofSeventy EightTeam in the Thurles Racecourse& Gain mares’ maiden.

‘Thattakes some doing’ –The ForgeHillstrikes foreighthtime

Tara Cove by 11 lengths.

“I’m delightedwith that,” Hyde said. “That wasvery straightforward andhe’ll stay pointing nowand head to awinners-of-tw

wide-margin Ballyvodock maiden winner Focus Point (right) to takethe Ballyboy Stables& Milestone Stables winner-of-one

Once takingoverpacesetting duties from the second fence, supporters of the seven-yearold Robin DesChampsgelding scarcely hadamoment’s concern as he took control of the race on the climbtothe home straight beforebeating recentBallinaboolawinner

Ta ra Co v e handler Colin Bowe left his localfixture with adouble which began whe n Be n Solo made the perfect startto his career in th Tattersalls NH f year-old maiden

A€30,000 purchase from the sponsor’s Derbysalelast summer, theKingstonHill

geldingbecamethe second four-year-old maiden winner of the month by the 2014 St Legerwinner when dismissing the challenge of fellow omerKandor our lengths Outofahalfsister to the for mer ch am pi on chaser Altior, BarryO’Neill felt the performance backed his pedigree. e wasdoing ev er ythi ng ri ghtat homeand couldbeanything,” O’Neill said.“He hadloadsleft and Icouldn’t gethim pulled

up until the top of the hill. He’s exciting.”

BenSolowill be joinedon the boat acrossthe Irish Seafor the Tattersalls Cheltenhamsale by his stablemate Brechin Castle after he justifiedmarket supportinthe CooneyFurlong &C Neville five-year-old geldings’maiden.

TheMilestone BloodstockownedShantou geldingheld off the challenge of Noble Blue to wingoingawaybyalength O’Neillcompletedahat-trick at his localcoursewhen later teaming up with Extrapolation to giveCavan handler Shane Donohoehis firstwinnerofthe season in the ColmMurphy & Mick Goff older maiden.

Twice placed, including at Tyrella last month, the six-yearold hadthe measureofthe perenniallyplaced Turnthelightsoff by fivelengths “He’sa decenthorse and had some snippets of good placed form,”Donohuesaid. “Barry said he couldn’t believehewas amaiden. Ididn’t help him by doingacouple of stupid things alongthe way!”

Next month’sGain Finalat Ballynoe is nextonthe agenda for MerryMelody after she openedher accountinthe Monbeg Stablesmares’maiden for Eoin Mahonand Paurick O’ Co nn or by be at in g newcomer Rhiannon Ring by a length

Maxine O’Sullivan records the first of hertwo winson BeltownLake(near side)inthe five-year-old geldings’maiden

DerekO’Connor Straight to thePoint High five forwomen at Kildorrery butmoreopportunities required

IDON’Tknowenoughabout point-to-pointhistory to state that Sunday’s Kildorrery meetingverynearly created some sort of record, butI knowfor certain it wasunusual to see five winners on asix-racecard ridden or trainedbyawoman.

Ellen Doylestartedthe trend, sendingout hersecond four-year-old winner of the season, DoyenMagic, in the mares’ maiden. Then we had four consecutivewinsfor female jockeys,and that on acardthat didn’t have arace confinedtothem

Jody Townend wonthe older mares’ maiden on Straight Home for her father Tim, andMaxine

O’Sullivan hadadouble,a maiden winner for her father Eugene and the open on ItsOnThe Line for Emmet Mullins

Therewas afirst point-to-point winner for Abbie Fitzgibbon on Rebel Patfor Mick Wintersinthe novice riders’event. Mick also providedher firstwinner on the track, on Dark Sparkina handicap hurdle at Listowel last summer and Abbie has also gained valuable experience ridinginopens forDavid Christie

Localhandler MarieHarding, who wasresponsible for lastyear’s Grand National winner Noble Yeatsinhis younger days,was the only woman involved in thefinal race of the day. However, this time the men came out on top,although Marie’s’ runner BraveEndeavourmanaged third place behind Dromleigh,ridden by MikeyO’Connorfor owner-trainer

Seamus Murnane

Women ridershavecompeted stronglyinour branch of racing for a longtime,goingbacktothe days of Helen Bryce-Smith,sisters Rosemary Rooneyand Ann Ferris, andmy mother Jean Moore, in the1960s and 1970s

Their successinthe point-to-point field wasone of the bigarguments in their favourwhen theybattledthe Turf Club to be allowed to compete againstmen on theracecourse.

Earlyinmycareer, the likes of Liz Doyle, Caroline Hutchinson and ClaireMacMahon were well able to hold their own. And although Katie Walsh and Nina Carberry didn’t often ride in points,Katie rode enough to be champion ladyrider in 2011-12 with an amazingstrike-rate, 15 wins from 22 rides.

On the track, Katie and Nina,one of the all-time greatcross-country riders as Imentioned in last week’s column, did ahugeamounttoraise

the profile of women riders

In recentyearsO’Sullivan, who has nowridden65points winners,and the record-breakingLiz Lalor have made abig impact

And just in case anyone hasforgotten, Rachael Blackmorebegan to build the foundations of her incredible career when riding six winnersinthe 2013-14 season. So there’s nothing new in one respect, butatthe same time,it would be agreat benefitif handlers and owners could be encouraged to give girls and young women achance to build their confidence with increased race-ridingopportunities

I’ve beenhelpingwithtraining

sessions for youngridersatRace (RacingAcademy and Centreof Education) in recentyearsand I’ve noticedthat the standardofriding amongthe youngfemale riders is improvingall thetime.

I’msuremanyhavebeeninspired by Rachael. Of course, few will have Rachael’snatural talentand racing brain, butanyone is capable,with theright attitude,oftakingavaluable lessonfromthe storyofher career.A lessonabout determinationand ambition.

It’s hard to imaginethese days, butRachael struggledfor several yearsinpoint-to-points.Before her breakthroughsix-winner season, she hadridden in 106points over fivecampaigns,winning only two races.

We’vehad some brilliantwomen riders over the years,but they’ve

beenaminority. If some of the younger girls I’ve beenseeingatRace getthe rightopportunities then events likethoseatKildorrery on Sundaywill be morecommon.

Former pointers maketheir mark in bumpers

Next week we’ll see the entries for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper and we alreadyknowtherewillbe some talentedpoint-to-point graduates amongthem

LastSundaywesaw astrong bumper at Punchestown.The first four hadall runinpoints and the Willie Mullins-trainedwinner Ballyburn wasimpressive,finding plenty despite havingracedvery keenly.

BoughtbyIan Fergusonfor

80,000gns as afoal, the Flemensfirth geldingwon amaiden at Loughanmorefor Colin McKeever duringthe autumn campaign before joiningWillie.

He’s abrother to Noble Endeavor, who wonthe Paddy PowerChase for Gordon ElliottatLeopardstownin 2016 and wasbeatenonly aheadin the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham the season before.

Runner-up QuantumStorm is a Fame And Glorygeldingwho finishedsecond at Dromahaneand made £165,000 at the sales the following month, joiningthe Elliott team to carrythe BectiveStud colours

Third-placed Irish Panther is a nice horsewho finishedsecond at Turtullainthe 2021 autumn campaign.

He went on to join Edward O’Grady, who trainedthe horsewho beat him that day. Irodehim when he raninthe 2m4f bumper at Leopardstown afterChristmas, nearly always an informativerace.

He hadn’t runfor 13 months and did well to finish aclear second behind Willie’s runner Fact To File, who hassince runsecond behind John Kiely’sADream To Shareinthe Grade 2bumperatthe Dublin RacingFestival.

Irish Panther is agood yardstick by which to judgeBallyburn’s performance.Ialsoliked the fact that the first three finishedwellclear of the fourth,Champagne Admiral, who wasincontention when fallingatthe second-lastina maiden at Boulta on his onlyrun for Roisin Hickey.

‘Rachael Blackmore beganto buildthe foundations of her incredible career when riding six winnersinthe 2013-14season’

20-year-old AbbieFitzgibbon earnsher first point-to-pointwinner on Rebel Patinthe novice riders’ eventatKildorrery

HEALYRACING