Point-To-Point Weekly 17-05-2023

Page 2

Flying Flaubert

Wide-margin Stradbally winner provides the perfect return for Conor Moore after serious injury Reports, pages 4-5 s

DEREK O’CONFOCUS MH HENNESSY

‘Colin Bowe has achance of equallin Tyner’s record of 47 winners in asea That would be afantastic achieveme season in which 11 other trainers hav double figures’ Page 2

‘There’s Fr H such a l

saqueue out the door to Humphrey most days –he’s legend here’ Page 3

GRANGE STUD Tel: 025-33006 THE BEECHES STUD Tel: 058-56254 CASTLEHYDE STUD Tel: 025-31966
❝I’ve been doing the rounds looking at stores and have come across some really nice horses by Idaho❞
GROUP 1 PERFORMER AT 2, 3, 4 AND 5
FIRST CROP 3YOS NOW SELLING WEEKLY Wednesday, May 17, 2023 BROUGHTTOYOU BY
Dan Skelton
YEARS
NH SIRES
NO
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NIAM

DerekO’Connor Straight to thePoint Bowe takesaim at career best andhas record within range

AFTER twowinners at Taylorstown last Saturdayand atreble at Ballindenisk on Sunday, champion handler Colin Bowe movedontothe 43 mark for the season.

With twodaysofaction remaining at Ballingarryand Sunday’smeeting at Inchydoney, he hasarealistic chance of improvingonlastseason’s career-bestscoreof46, and equalling Robert Tyner’s47winners,the highesttotal since records began.

That would be afantastic achievementinwhat hasbeena competitiveseasoninwhich 11 other trainers have hitdouble figures, with four saddling20winners or more.

Alarge number of small-scale handlers have hadafair shareof winnerswithagoodstrike-ratetoo

It’s ahealthy sign that so many yards have beenabletomakeanimpacton the trackand in thesales ring, butit’s fair to saythat Colin hasagain been the season’sdominantpersonality. He kept up themomentuminthe four-year-old division when taking the opener at Taylorstown with Wendigo,aGreat Pretender gelding havinghis thirdouting. He alsotook the winners-of-one at the final northern fixture of the year with Theatrical Getaway, asix-year-old Getawaygelding who confirmedthe good impression he made in winning at Dawstown on his second start.

In lastweek’scolumn, Imentioned that the strength of the Bowe stable gave young Bertie Finn an outside chance of catchingDaraMcGill in the battlefor the Under-21 riders’ title

As it turnedout it wasn’t theworst prediction I’ve made this season because Colin and Bertie teamedup successfully at Ballindenisk,winning three maidens in arow and going closetocompletingafour-timer That meansDara’sleadisdownto twoahead of the closingweekend. Thesouthernregionriders’title is still in the balance.Imoved into a one-winner lead by riding Western Harmonytowin the firstdivision of the four-year-old maiden at Ballindenisk for SamCurlingbut I didn’t hold the advantage forlong.

Within half an hour Chris O’Donovanjoinedmeonthe 16-winner mark,makingall in the second division on the TomKeating-

trainedCastleIvers.Bythe end of the day, he wasone ahead as aresultofa good winonRocky’s Howyafor DeclanQueallyinthe open.

Thewinner wasreversing the form of the Cheltenham hunter chasewith ItsOnThe Line,and it wasan importantwin because it putthe seven-year-old on level termswith

David Christies’s Bold Enough in a duel for the honour of being

theseason’sleadinghorse.Bold Enough hadonly to turn up at Taylorstown on Saturdaytoget a walkover which extendedhis winningsequence to eight.

Whereas Rocky’sHowya hasbeen on the go since winninga maiden at Ballycrystal at the beginningof October, Bold Enough didn’t make his seasonal debutuntil the second weekofFebruary, so he’s squeezeda lot into a shortspace of time SamCurling’s La Feline hasbeenthe star mare of the season with six wins, while Desert Heather did well to complete ahat-trickinthe autumn campaign Declan Queally then sent her hurdlingand shehas come good in the lastmonth.She bolteduponher handicap debutat Kilbegganand backedthat up by

winninga€30,000 eventatthe same venuelastFriday.

Mares’ open dilemma

Themares’opens have been generally weak and it’s hard to know what canbedone to make them morecompetitive. You’renever goingtosee atalentedmarecoming backtothe trackfor the closing stages of acareerinthe same wayas high-classgeldings,who beefupthe open category,nolongergood enough for Gradedracesbut retainingthe ability to be competitive in the point-to-pointfield

Apartfromanearly season race at Lisronagh, when she facedten rivals, La Feline hadonly ahandful to deal with in mostofher races,and she walked over at Loughrea.

Lookingbackatthe Lisronaghrace

Isee that the mare whofinished third, Winnie Woodnutt,has made the same transition as Desert Heather to handicap hurdling. She

wonfor the Harvey family at Kilbegganlastmonth

Another of the better young mares on the scene wasLar’s Lass.She won amaiden at Lingstown for Tom DreaperinNovember and wasalso successful at Kirkistown beforegoing down the hunter chaseroute, winningatCorkinApril,then runningwelltotakesecond behind geldings at Tramoreand Tipperary.

Youngermares with anysortof potentialdon’t tend to hang around longinthe opens.One such example duringthe autumn campaign was ChatshowHost, apromisingSoldier Of Fortune mare trainedbyDenis Murphy. Shewon twice at Tinahely, beatingWinnieWoodnuttbyeight lengths on the second occasion, beforebeingsold to join Donald McCain.

Import to retain racesthat maintain traditional links

Themares’openatStradballyhad only fiverunners, butfull marksto the JasonO’Reilly-trained Getawayrooney, who woneasily under Adam Feeney. It wasthe fifth winfor the nine-year-old who looked promisingwhen winningthree races in arow in the autumn campaign in 2020.

Shewas off the trackfor twoyears beforereappearinginthe race won by La Feline at Lisronagh. Shewon at BallyvodockinJanuary and ranina hunter chaseatCorklastmonth,and it’sgoodtosee her performingso well for her owner-breeder Michael O’Neill.

Therewas alsoa maiden for older maresonthe Stradbally card.Itwas wonbyChitchat Sally, trainedand ridden by Conor O’Keeffe,brother of jockeySean O’Keeffe.She hadbeen placednine times,sothis wasawelldeservedbreakthrough

Races likethis arealongway removedfromthe standardwesee in the four-year-old and five-year-old maidens,whichare vital to the business of the top producers and handlers

At the same time,it’simportantthe sportkeeps itslinks to the pastand itstraditions,providingscope for owners and small-scale handlers who simplyenjoy the sportfor its ownsake, and value beingpartofa point-to-pointcommunity in their locality.

‘It’sfair to saythat Colinhas againbeenthe season’s dominant personality’
Wendigo (right)becomes thefirstofColinBowe’s fivewinnersoverthe weekendafter landingthe opener at Taylorstown
Wednesday,May 17,2023 racingpost.com 2
HEALYRACING

Niamh Hennessy on herfirst pointto-point successas trainerand jockey with theveteran Fr Humphrey

I’VEhad agreat runwith Fr Humphrey thesepast few weeks –he’swon twoopenraces back-toback at the ageof15. Good ground really is the keytohim.Hehad runa crackerinQuakerstown at Easter when he gotsome better ground, butI rode him quitecold that daybecause I just wantedtoget himhome and to finish arace.When we gotgoingheflew home likea sprinter

After that, Iwas quite confidentI would be able to layupwith them early on when he nextran, so Iwentto Dromahane quite hopeful, even though we were takingon horses likeRocky’s Howyaand

La Feline Ijumped off handy enough, and Iwas happywhen Isaw that Iwas beside Derek O’Connor on La Feline.Iknew Iwas in the rightplace then. I wasquite hopeful after that butI definitely didn’t think we

‘There’s aqueue out thedoortoride himmostdays–he’s such alegendhere’

would be beatingthem.

It wasonlyasweweregoing alongthe backonthe final circuit that Iknew Ihad them Iwas just telling myself not to go toosoon.

Ihad ridden awinneronthe trackwith ElmGrovefor Willie McCreery,but this is my first season properly training, so it wasnice to tickoff afirst pointto-pointwinner as both arider and trainer.Itwas abig thrill.

Fr Humphrey maybea 15-year-old butyou would never knowit. Igot him in January2022 from Mary Hallahan. TheHallahan family

hadretiredhim at home,but he hated retirement. It just didn’t suit him at alland he waslookingfor ajob When Igot him he wasjust delightedtobe back in work again.

The Hallahans didn’t like seeinghim unhappy at home,which of is understandable,so theywerethrilledtosee him havinga job.

He rideslikeafour-year-old eventhorse. He strides outto his chin and floats along. He hasdone abit of huntingand abit of everything really. He’s got agood few youngkids goingastheir firstspinona racehorse around the gallop

There’saqueue outthe door toridehim mostdays–he’s such alegendhere.

Itookout my handler’s permit to runhim in point-topoints.It’ssomethingIhad alwaysdreamedabout,but it’s one of thosethings that is a dream which younever see turningintoreality.

Butsince comingtoworkat GroveStudhereinFermoyI endedupgettingacouple of horses for the track.

My boss BrendanHolland told me to takeout arestricted trainer’s licence so we could keep them here. It hasrolled

forward from therereally.

Brendan is very good to me He’s always theretohelporto giveadviceand Iprobably wouldn’t be doing allthis without his encouragement.

Thereare twogirls in the yard,Cliona and Claudia,who are also a big help, but all this is down to my father Richie He hadpoint-to-pointerswhen Iwas growingup. He hadgreat interest in it and gotmestarted with ponies,hunters and show jumping.

We have greatfacilities here in GroveStudand I’mblessed that the bosslets me keep my horseshere.

Fr Humphrey came outof Dromahane really well and we went to Stowlin the following SundayasI knew the ground would be good again.

Iwas told by his breeders that he liked racingfromthe frontand when we hadthe goodground Iknewgoingto the startthat he waswell up for it.IsaidIwould bounce outand make alland see what happenedfromthere. Thankfully, it worked out again.

He hasbeeninexcellent formsince Stowlin and I’m goingtokeeprunning himfor as longasheisfit,happy and healthy.

Titlefight forRocky’s Howyaand Bold Enough

BALLINGARRYhosts the last twoopen racesofthe season thisweekend and theyare likely to decide whether it is Rocky’s HowyaorBold Enough who is crownedchampion point-topointhorseafter theywereboth among last weekend’swinners

Bold Enough wasthe first to strike when scaring away the opposition to such an extent that the David Christie-trained eight-year-old wasthe only horsedeclared for the Taylorstownopen,which he wonina walkover

TheJeremygeldingbarely had24hours at the top of the leaderboardwhen he was joined on theeight-winner mark by Rocky’sHowya,who hadthe stiffer task of beating the Cheltenham runner-up and recentPunchestown victor

ItsOnThe Line at Ballindenisk

Should the pairremain tiedit would be Declan Queally’s Rocky’s Howyawho would be cr ow ne dc ha mp io no n co un tb ac k, ha vin ga lso recordeda second place

Meanwhile,the southern title is the lastofthe regional riders’ championships to be decidedand atimely double for Chris O’DonovanatBallindenisk meanthemaintaineda one-wincushion over Derek O’Connor, with John Barrya further winner backinthird.

Theother regional titles have all beenwrapped up with Barry O’Neillagain thechampion in

the eastand north, while Pa King retains his western title,a prizeheshareswith O’Connor.

Finn and McGill ready for aclose finish

Colin Bowe hashit top gear in thefinal weeks of the season, sendingout five winners last

weekend. Hishat-trickatBallindenisk could provekey for Bertie Finn’shopes of landing the Under-21 title.

It hadseemedasthough Dara McGill hadone hand on the trophywith acommanding advantageafortnight agobut sevenwinners in the lastthree

weekends have seen Oulart rider Finn launch himself into title contention. He nowsits just twoshortofMcGill.

Theformofthe Bowe stable will ensurefurther twists and turns in this title race,particularly as the handler himself has movedontothe 43-winner

mark,leaving him four shortof equalling Robert Tyner ’s modern-dayrecordof47 winners in aseason.

None of Bowe’s fivewinners last weekend will have given him as much pleasureasthe first success hisson Bobby achieved in pony racing.

Rocky’sHowya andChris O’Donovanlandthe open at Ballindenisk to levelwith Bold Enough in thetitleraceand set up afascinating final weekend of theseason

Aregular by hisfather’s side at point-to-pointfixtures around the country, Bowe’s firstwinnerinthe saddle came at NavanonSunday.

Downpatrick to host newhunter chase

Anew race will be addedtothe calendar on Fridayevening whenDownpatrick hosts the Down RoyalCorporation of Horsebreeders HuntersChase Tophunter chasersVaucelet and Billawayare among the entries for the race over three and ahalf miles,which features as partofafixture supportedby the race’s sponsor

TheDRCOH, which hasbeen offeringsupportand fundingto the thoroughbred breeding and ra cin gi ndus tr yi n Northern Ireland since the change of managementat Down Royalracecourse at the end of 2018, will alsohosta po in t- to- poi nt aw ar ds ceremonyfor the northern region in the evening. This will seethe achievements of the region’s leading riders,handlers and breeders recognised.

NEWS
EoghainWard IN FOCUS
AND VIEWS
NIAMH HENNESSYWAS TALKING TO EOGHAIN WARD Fr Humphreyand NiamhHennessy on their waytovictory at Stowlin
Racing Post Wednesday,May 17,2023 3
HEALYRACING

SEASON’S LEADERS

THE all-conquering Bold

Enough scared away all rivals for the Boyds Stores open, leaving David Christie’s charge to gain his all-important eighth success of the season in a walkover as the champion point-to-pointer title race moves on to the final weekend of the season.

“We were both disappointed and relieved there was a walkover as the title chase is going to go right to the wire,” Christie said.

Christie’s prediction was correct as Rocky’s Howya’s success the following day meant the rivals drew level again and the final fixtures will decide the title.

“We will have to look at a meeting next weekend to get back on top,” Christie said.

“Owner Ray Nicholas is a great supporter of the yard and we

Star performance

Wendigo bounced back to the form of his promising debut after a below-par effort last time

have had great luck this year Let’s hope this lad takes the title.”

Bold Enough’s rider Barry O’Neill signed off on his northern campaign with a treble having twice combined with his regular ally Colin Bo we , includin g when Wendigo gained a deserved victory in division one of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The French-bred son of Great Pretender had looked set to chase home the subsequent £420,000 se ller Ja lon D’Oudairies at Lingstown in March only to jink and unseat O’Neill on the run-in.

He did himself no favours by running off the home bend, but he was able to overcome that by staying on strongly up the hill to beat King Of Answers by a length and a quarter

The Wexford pair completed their day’s work when Theatrical Getaway backed up his easy Dawstown success 12 days earlier in the Lynda Hughes Memorial winners-of-one

Tr y as the Dr om ah ane winner Barton Snow did to keep the son of Getaway honest on the climb for the line, the six-year-old had too much in reserve for victory by two and a half lengths

“He has a lovely profile,” Bowe said. “I’d love to hold on to him, but I’d say he will be for sale now after two convincing wins in a row.”

O’Neill had his brother Jim to thank for den yin g him a

UNITED AT BALLINDENISK SUNDAY

ROCKY’S HOWYA bounced back to winning ways with his eighth success of the season to draw level with Bold Enough in the ra ce to be cr ow ne d champion pointer.

The Declan Queally-trained Rocky’s Howya, whose winning streak came to a halt when beaten into second by Niamh Hennessy’s Fr Humphrey at Dromahane on April 23 , faced a formidable opponent in Emmet Mullins’ Its On The Line in the Pipelife Renewable Heating Solutions open.

The pair had previously clashed at the Cheltenham Festival two months earlier when Its On The Line came second and Rocky’s Howya fourth Rocky’s Howya got into a lovely rhythm under regular partner Chris O’Donovan in mid-division and picked up the running after three out. It

Star performance

Castle Ivers scarcely saw another rival as he made every inch of the running on his debut

triumphant seven-year-old stayed on stoutly to beat Its On The Line by four lengths with Stranger Danger returning a further two and a half lengths adrift in third.

“The three-week break from Dromahane definitely helped and he will probably run at Ballingarry next weekend,” said the handler’s son Declan of the winner, owned by Margaret Kiely from Dungarvan.

O’Donovan consolidated his lead in the southern region ri der s’ championship by departing with two winners, the Sha nb all ym ore ri de r opening his account on Tom Ke at in g’ s im pr ess iv e newcomer Castle Ivers in the second division of the Goffs UK

four-timer when the champion rider’s mount Barrons Land was overhauled on the run-in by Maggie O, a Getaway mare who was carrying Jim ONeill’s black and blue colours in the Seven Stars mares’ maiden.

The Sean Doyle-trained fiveyear-old took a step up under Jack Hendrick to win by half a length at the third time of asking.

Doyle came short of saddling a double when his Bridge Court proved no match for Roadlesstravelled, trained by his you ng er br other

Donnchadh, in division two of the four-year-old maiden.

The €44,000 Derby sale purchase had lost all chance when badly hampered two out at Loughanmore on his debut a month earlier but he made amends as Rob James guided him to a comfortable victory by nine and a half lengths

Rust To Riches could be asked to follow up his victory in the Philip McCabe Quantity Su rveyor olde r ge ldi ng s’ maiden, with a hunter chase at Downpatrick on Friday.

No rivals prove Bold Enough to tackle season’s leading pointer Rocky hits back hard in title fight on

Spring Sale four-year-old maiden.

A son of Malinas, the €25,000 Derby sale purchase made all the running and led before the final fence to outpoint Little Big Kev by four lengths

“He’s a nice horse who has always gone well at home and he’ll now go to a sale,” Keating said of the close relation to Made In Taipan.

Derek O’Connor made his only ride at the meeting a winning one by landing the first division of this same race on Sam Curling’s Western Ha rm ony , who finishe d se ve nt h on his de bu t at D ro ma ha ne three wee ks earlier

The Champs Elysees gelding surged to the front 50 yards out with an explosive burst to beat Village Master by one and a half lengths

Bertie Finn, a former minor hurler for Wexford, continued his stellar season by combining

WEEKEND REPORTS NEWRY AT TAYLORSTOWN SATURDAY
was all plain sailing from the sec ond-l as t as the
Riders Barry O’Neill 64 Derek O’Connor 33 Rob James 32 Chris O’Donovan 25 John Barry 23 North Barry O’Neill 25 Dara McGill 10 Noel McParlan 8 Rob James 7 Derek O’Connor 7 South Chris O’Donovan 17 Derek O’Connor 16 John Barry 15 Mikey O’Connor 13 Darragh Allen 11 Barry O’Neill 9 Alan O’Sullivan 9 East Barry O’Neill 28 Rob James 16 Jack Hendrick 13 James Walsh 7 Brian Lawless 6 West Derek O’Connor 8 Pa King 8 Chris O’Donovan 5 Rob James 5 Brian Lawless 5 Ladies Maxine O’Sullivan 8 Moira McElligott 7 Cara McGoldrick 3 Niamh Hennessy 2 Joanna Walton 2 Aine O’Connor 2 Toni Quail 2 Georgie Benson 2 Handlers Colin Bowe 43 Donnchadh Doyle 25 Sam Curling 25 David Christie 23 Declan Queally 21 Sean Thomas Doyle 18 Horses Bold Enough 8 Rocky’s Howya 8 La Feline 6 Brain Power 4 Focus Point 4 Winged Leader 4 Sires Mahler 27 Getaway 25 Walk In The Park 23 Ask 21 Soldier Of Fortune 21
Chris O’Donovan:
leads the southern riders’ championship
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 racingpost.com 4
Chris O’Donovan boosts his title chances aboard Castle Ivers

A promisin g se cond at Toomebridge five days earlier, Neil McCluskey’s six-year-old justified his position at the top of the market by following up three consecutive placed finishes in recent weeks to beat an improved Ballydangan by a length and a half

“It was a better race at Toomebridge, so we thought he would win today,” McCluskey said.

“He kicked me in the field last night and I think I may have broken a rib, but I kept

that one quiet today. I might look at the hunter chase at Downpatrick for him.”

Just two non-favourites were among the winners, with Raceview Road the biggest priced when the 8-1 shot was guided to victory by three and a half lengths in the Derrylecka Bedding Centre five-year-old geldings’ maiden by Noel McParlan.

count of eight

with Colin Bowe to record a three-timer, the pair opening their account with the ultraconsistent Friars Island Lady in the second division of the Tattersalls NH five-year-old and upwards maiden.

Finn then landed the first division of the Coolmore & McCarthy Commercials Ltd five and six-year-old geldings’ maiden on Bowe’s Ideal De Romay Third on his debut at Tinahely in January, he led from three out to beat Lord Desart by three lengths

Glens Sensation, a Mount Nelson-sired son out of dual Grade 1-winning mare Glens Melody is the first runner Bowe has sent out for owner-breeder Fiona McStay, and the gelding completed the Finn treble in the second division of this same race by asserting from two out to see off Oscars

Brother

On an excellent afternoon for Wexford-trained horses, the

New chapter for Moore as credits go to Flaubert

Richard Black-trained Golden De Coeur under Darragh Allen made virtually all to deny Bourbon N Kentucky by threequarters of a length in the Geaney Property Developments winners-of-two.

There was a family success in the first division of the mares’ maiden when 19-year-old

Andy Burke Ott recorded a sixth points win on his father

Alex’s Dear Ryta

Owned and bred by Eamonn Grainger from Ballinhassig, Dear Ryta took command in the closing stages to beat Lackaneen Mag by a length

Eamonn Gallagher’s Blue In The West, having shaped well in two recent point-to-point bumpers, led before two fences out under Mikey O’Connor to beat Sense The Tension by four lengths in the Johnson & Perrot Bishopstown confined maiden race in the colours of the Ba rt lem y-b as ed br eed er Padraig Barry.

CONOR MOORE was back in the winner’s enclosure on his first day back race-riding after recovering from injuries he suffered in a car crash earlier in the year

Teaming up with Jonathan Fogarty’s Flaubert, the Kilmore Quay rider injected a notable increase in tempo early on the final circuit of the Goffs UK Spring Sale five-year-old geldings’ maiden, and the Flemensfirth gelding simply went further clear

The bay returned 18 lengths clear of the Fairyhouse fifth The Moon And Me without having had to be asked a serious question.

“This is my first weekend back riding,” Moore said. “I was in a car accident earlier in the year and I’ve been out since then I’m back riding out around three weeks and it’s nice to get back with a winner before the season finishes.”

Star performance

Flaubert was a class above his rivals as he dominated from the front

Jason O’Reilly has his eyes on adding a hunter chase victory to the haul of successes his nine-year-old Getawayrooney has enjoyed after she landed the Meadow Meats mares’ open.

Fermoy rider Adam Feeney was full of confidence on his first time aboard Michael O’Neill’s homebred, and the pair took control of the fiverunner contest from the penultimate fence to dismiss the challenge of Coolroe Lady by 22 lengths

“She might go for a hunter chase at Listowel in a few weeks,” O’Reilly said. “She had the form to win today and thankfully she did.”

Cork visitors had further

cause for celebration when Michael ‘Trixie’ Barry sent out his first winner of the season courtesy of Tuff Days in the Lalor Family older geldings’ maiden for novice riders.

A well-backed favourite when finishing second to Th ea tr ic al Ge ta wa y at Dawstown a fortnight earlier, his claims were given a boost when his recent conqueror won at Taylorstown 24 hours earlier when equally well supported, which didn’t go unnoticed by punters.

Justifying his position at the top of the market, the Ask gelding was two lengths too good for the now nine-time placed Knockiel Synge, and could run at Inchydoney on Sunday before returning to the track.

Moira McElligott remains one winner adrift of Maxine O’Sullivan in the race for the women riders’ title after her mount Pour Me A Double was put in his place by Ivegotdapower in the Ashbourne Meats winners-of-two.

A narrow maiden winner at Dromahane two weeks earlier, the Connie Rooney-owned five-year-old was always positioned close to the lead under James Walsh

When Pour Me A Double loomed alongside around the home bend, the John Paul Brennan-trained Imperial Monarch gelding had plenty in reserve for a one-and-a-halflength victory.

“He’ll go to Doncaster now for the sales,” Brennan said.

“They are on the 24th and 25th of this month and I’m 50 on the 25th, so I’ll be celebrating that over there!”

There was no shortage of plaudits directed at Luke Murphy after newcomer Tribal Glory reaped the rewards of the patient tactics he used in the Tattersalls NH adjacent maiden.

Murphy was content to allow Minella Storytime and Chateau Elan to stride on down the back straight before reeling them in over the final quarter of a mile

It was not until after the last fence, however, that the fiveyear-old overhauled long-time leader Minella Storytime to supply Ian McCarthy with his fourth success of the season.

Murphy had looked to be on course to sealing a double when using front-running tactics on his father John’s Neat Locality in the Design Options older mares’ maiden.

The six-year-old led the field to the final fence, only to make a crucial error, which handed the ini tia tiv e to Conor O’Keeffe’s Chitchat Sally

As Neat Locality weakened into third on the run-in, the seven-year-old winner gained a deserved breakthrough after no fewer than nine placed finishes

“I only have her in training at the minute and a few to be broken,” O’Keeffe said. “My father Jim owns her She stayed on well today and I think she really appreciated the nicer ground.”

LAOIS AT STRADBALLY SUNDAY
Pictures HEALY RACING
Runners race along the back straight at Taylorstown on Saturday Ask gelding Tuff Days (yellow sleeves) clinches the older geldings’ maiden for novice riders to give handler Michael Barry his first victory of the season
Racing Post Wednesday, May 17, 2023 5
Debutant Tribal Glory impresses under Luke Murphy

FLYING FORTUNE, bred by Cathal Ennis, defied a penalty to win a bumper by 7 lengths at Haydock on Saturday for Peter Bowen

CUSTOM OF THE SEA, bred by WhisperviewTrading Ltd, won a maiden hurdle first time out at Killarney on Sunday for Joseph O’Brien

OtherwinnerssinceSaturday...

STADIUM TALK (5YO), bred byThomas James and a winner at Ballinaboola in February, landed a bumper at Hexham on her racecourse debut for John McConnell

SOLDIEROFTHESTORM (5YO), bred by Mrs Ann Bond, won a maiden hurdle at Warwick for Jonjo O’Neill

PONT AVAL won the Killarney National Handicap Chase by 7 lengths forWillie Mullins

DOG OF WAR won a Handicap Chase at Southwell for Dan Skelton

WHYMPER, pictured winning an €84,000 Listed 3YO Chase in November added an €88,000 Listed 4YO Hurdle at Auteuil on Saturday for Hector de Lageneste and Guillaume Macaire

GAELIC WARRIOR won a Grade 1 Novice Hurdle at Punchestown by 10 lengths forWillie Mullins

Wednesday, May 17, 2023 racingpost.com 8
t t t t
Contact: David Magnier, Albert Sherwood, David O’Sullivan, Andrew Magnier & Catherine Magnier: 025-33006. Robert McCarthy, Bobby McCarthy & Peter Kenneally: 058-56254. TomGaffney, Joe Hernon, Paddy Fleming, Cathal Murphy & Barry Kennedy: 025-31966. FLYING FORTUNE GAELIC WARRIOR CUSTOM OF THE SEA WHYMPER

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