Point-to-Point Weekly 08-03-23

NAME TO REMEMBER

Tellherthename makes an impressive debut at Borris House Reports, pages 2-3

DEREK O’CONNOR

‘Hewick didn’t distinguish himself in point-to-points and his record of UFF might have made alesser man than Shark Hanlon give up on him’ The Cheltenham challenge, page 4

MATATA is a long way from the finished article and he's just a baby.

First crop 5YO Novice Hurdler MATATA notched up his second racecourse success for Nigel Twiston-Davies in the colours of Simon Munir & Isaac Souede

Jockey Daryl Jacob

BROUGHTTOYOU BY

NH SIRES

Vision De Maine makes memorable debut impression

ONLY 28 runners took to the track at Tyrella as quick ground re su lt ed in the fix tu re producing a rare walkover with Dento Des Obeaux the only horse declared for the Tom McDowell Memorial adjacent hunt winners’ race

The ten-year-old grey had met with a shock defeat in this race in 2020 but he was able to put that right in what was surely the simplest of Declan Lavery’s 63 point winners He simply had to canter Paddy Turley’s French-bred before the judge to claim victory.

“It was disappointing there were no runners as this has been his main target. It’s our local track and we fancied him to win no matter what turned up,” Turley said.

“Liam Gibney [owner] does a lot of work with him, and he has him in great form. He has an entry in the hunter chase at Thurles on Thursday and that looks the probable target.”

It was almost as easy for Boro

Star performance

Vision De Maine showed plenty of pace in winning on his debut

Melody in the Robert McCoubrey Memorial winners-of-two, as the ten-year-old raced clear of his only rival Grain De Folie.

A loose dog who pestered him on the run-in proved his biggest danger as he crossed the line a distance clear to give rider Jordan Ratcliffe the first success of his career

“We were quietly confident coming here,” handler Corrie Auchterlonie said. “We knew it was going to be a small field and he needed the run last time out, so we knew there was improvement coming.

“He needs good ground, so a winners’ race in Portrush could be his next port of call.”

A winners’ race is also next in line for Soivegotachance after his 33-length win in the INHSC older maiden for novice riders.

Th e Im pe ri al Mo na rc h gelding had finished down the field at this fixture in 2020 on his final start for Matthew Kelly before joining Darragh Bourke for a track campaign

Now an eight-year-old, he made an immediate impact on his first start back with Kelly when beating Le Mieux under Alex Harvey.

“His track form was very good and we had him ready to run in a point-to-point but with Covid hitting we had to turn to the track instead,” Kelly said. “He’s a very genuine type who jumps well.”

Cormac Doyle sent out his first four-year-old maiden winner of the season when Vision De Maine proved four length s too go od fo r the favourite Invicta Du Berlais in the Dennison Commercialssponsored event.

“He’s a very nice horse and we really liked him at home,” winning rider Jack Hendrick said. “He jumps very well and he travelled well on that nice

LIMERICK AT BALLYCAHANE SUNDAY

THE reigning champion mare La Feline got her season back on track with a gutsy victory in the Noreen McManus mares’ open. The eight-year-old had dominated the division over the au tu mn ca mp ai gn , winning three successive races before being beaten by Cheltenham Festival contender Rocky’s Howya in January.

De sp it e a sli ght injur y setback forcing her to spend several weeks on the sidelines, she landed her fourth success of the season when beating Ma Hoey by half a length

“We’re thrilled with that as she’s not been back and ridden out long after she got a bad cut on her leg during her last run in Aghabullogue,” Tipperar y handler Sam Curling said.

“Carina Bowe deserves all the credit with this mare. Carina does everything with her and does an amazing job.”

Curling added to his tally when sending out Baby Shally in the Gain Equine Nutrition & Hogan Stand Bar five-year-oldand-upwards mares’ maiden.

Bred by Gerard and Yvonne Kennedy of Sherbourne Lodge stables, the Soldier Of Fortune

ground, although in time he would probably want it softer

“He was green through the gap but when the other horse came to his girth he found again and I had plenty of horse left.”

Doyle’s older brother Sean ensured the Wexford raiders had a highly worthwhile trip to the Down venue when he sent out Bobbisilver to land the Tattersalls NH mares’ maiden

The Malinas mare found trouble in running after the second-last but overcame it to beat the twice-placed Barrons Land by two lengths Ju st over t hree lengths

‘We’re thrilled’ – Curling sees La Feline win gamely on return

Star performance

Jack N Jones looks to have a lot more to offer after winning with minimum fuss

mare showed the speed that is scattered through her pedigree when comfortably beating the vastly more experienced Miss Carli Fay by five lengths

That success was a fortunate spare ride for Brian Lawless after Derek O’Connor elected to sit the race out, having hit the deck when Iamagetaway, whom he trains for Frank Reynolds, fell two out when likely to have a big say in the outcome of the Tattersalls NH & Dunraven Arms Hotel fouryear-old geldings’ maiden.

His departure left the path clear for the Oldtown third Kap D’Ang e to ou tb at tl e the

newcomer Valgrand by a head, with the retired racecourse commentator Dessie Scahill among thos e on ha nd to welcome the bay back into the winner’s enclosure.

“This is a horse we think a lot of,” Monasterevin handler Mark Fahey said. “He had a lovely first run in a very good maiden and improved a lot from it He’s never disappointed us and will probably head to the sales now.”

That success initiated a double for Conna rider Johnny Barry, who later teamed up with Eddie Power to win The Blue Door & Aqua Process Solutions Ltd five-year-old geldings’ maiden with Ballela Blaze Sporting the colours of his breeder Liam Cosgrave, it was

soon clear that the Conduit gelding was in a league of his own as he took control of the race in the home straight to beat Cash Or Card by 22 lengths Harley Dunne drew a blank from two rides at Borris House on his return to the saddle after a shoulder injury from a fall at Turtulla in January, but his stable did not leave Ballycahane empty handed.

Jack N Jones proved much too good for her seven rivals in the James Barry Motors and John O’Connell Feeds fouryear-old mares’ maiden.

Tiernan Power was full of confidence on the British-bred bay who crossed the line six lengths clear of Made For Me to give her sire Jack Hobbs a second four-year-old maiden winner in two weekends after the victory of Intense Approach at Farmacaffley.

Custers Mistake had his task simplified in the Annacotty Farm Shop & Limerick Foods older geldings’ maiden when the challenging Dylans Delight parted ways with Ross Sugrue at the final fence That left him to beat Leeneys Cross by two lengths under Quin native Paul O’Neill.

Jack N Jones dominated in the four-year-old mares’ maiden

coveredthe firstfourhorses home as Racavan came out on top in the Bl uegr as s Dengie five-and-six-year-old geldings’maiden for Noel McParlan and Gerald Quinn.

Queallyand O’Donovan poweronwithDesign

THERE is no sign of Declan Queally’sphenomenalseason lettinguppaceasthe Cappaghbased handlersaddled adouble to bringhis scoreto16.

His50per centstrike-rate is by far the best amongthe top tentrainersand this success left him twobehind Colin Bowe in thequest for the handlers’title

Both winners were ridden by Chris O’Donovan, bringinghis tally forthe season to 19 and puttinghim in fourth place in the riders’table

Thepair initiallystruckwith Majestic Design inthe Gain Eq uine Nu tr ition ma re s’ maiden. Makingher debutfor Queally, havingfailedto feature in twostarts last season, the six-year-old moved through to join favouriteRebel Treaty from six out.

MajesticDesign wasstarting to ge tt he be tt er of the argumentwhen throwinga fabulous leapthree outfrom whereshe poweredclear to beat thefavourite by 14 lengths in thecoloursofjoint-breeder FionaO’Connor, from nearby Cappoquin.

“She’s ahalf-sister to [Grade 2-placedhurdler]MyDesign

Star performance

QueensburyBoy is the second four-year-old sonof Doyentowin forDenis Murphyinaweek

who we wonwith over fences at Cl onmel las tT hu rs da y, ” Queally said. “Hopefully she’ll runinthe Gain Mares’ Finalat Ballynoe in three weeks.”

Queally andO’Donovan were alsoonthe mark with Lord Schnitzel in the Lismore Harriers &WestWaterford Hunt open.

Theten-year-old made all the runningtogoone better than at Kildorrery twoweeks earlier. TheGrade 1-placed chaser held off DinnyLacey by one and ahalf lengths.

“We’ll trytopickupanother race or twowithhim and he could nowgofor ahunterchase at CorkonEaster Monday,” Queally said. It wasafine day for the trainer as he alsosent outDoyen Ta Wintooblige in a €22,000handicaphurdle at Wexford.

Eleven horsescontested the Tattersalls NH &Foxwoodfouryear-old maiden and it went to owner-trainer DenisMurphy

CARLOW FARMERSATBORRIS HOUSE SUNDAY

THE eagerlyanticipated introduction of Envo iA llen’s brother JoyauAllen wasthe big attraction for racegoers as he triedtoreplicatethe winning debuthis seven-time Grade 1winningsibling made in the same coloursofWaterfordvet

Walter Connors

Trainer JohnnyBerry hadhis ownideas for Tellherthename, who made everyinchofthe ru nnin gi nt he Du nin ga Gallops four-year-old maiden.

Thefavourite triedtoclose on the runtothe home straight butBenny Walsh’s mount alwaysheld the upper hand

TheMalinas geldingproved fivelengths too good for Joyau Allen as the pair pulled27 lengths clear of theirrivals in impressivestyle

Bred by former Wexfordfootballer Redmond Barry, Tellherthename will be offeredfor sale

Walsh went closetodoubling histally when ridinghis own Silver Jetinastrongly runJohn MFoleyMemorialfive-yearold geldings’maiden.

That JetAwaynewcomer was one of three to jump the final fence upsides,but it wasthe moreexperienced Scorsese

who sent outhis second winner in this agecategory this year as newcomer QueensburyBoy (below) came from off the paceunder Joey Dunne Thewinning jockeythen travelledtoBorrisHouse to partnerThree By Twotoa dead-heat victoryfor Murphy.

Focus Pointheldathreelength advantage over Tender Heartwhen Eamonn Gallagher’s charge fell twoout and the victorious seven-year-old, representinghis handler’s wife Trish,will nowcontest a maiden hunter chase.

sing mare wa 000 s

TheDoyen-sired Queensbury Boy, ason of the Grade 3-winningchasing mare Queens Wild, boughtfor €65,0 at las ty ear ’s Go ffs Land Roversaleand ha dt he meas ur eo f Qu eb ec ois from the lastto winbyalength

ays fhim h ’ll

“We’ve alwa thought alot o and nowwehope he’ll go to theCheltenham Festival sale,” the stable’s representative, Kate Kelly, said.

Focus Point landedhis third consecutive victor yw ith another impeccable round of jumpingfromthe frontinthe three-runner Coolmore Stud winners-of-twounder19-yearold DanHyde, grandson of the handler TimmyHyde.

Tellherthename derailsdebut aims forEnvoi Allen’sbrother

Star performance

Tellherthename wasnever headed in adebut filled with potential

who pickedupbestonthe run-intowin by alength to supplyWexford rider Jimmy

O’Rourkewithhis firstsuccess of the season

“Hehad alovelyrun in Lingstowninthe autumn and the race worked outwell,”

O’Rourkesaid of thePaul McKe on-owned Shirocco ge ldin gt ra ine dbyC olm Murphy.

“His work hasbeengood and he’s ahorse of greatpotential. He’salovelyhorse, simple as that.”

Therewas an even closer finish to the GoresbridgeHorse

slight advantage jumpingthe last

under PatTaaffe,but he could not repel thelateefforts of Denis Murphy’sfast-finishing mare ThreeByTwo,who joined him on the line to force adead-heat.

ThesuccessofThree By Two completed agood dayfor Meath rider Joey Dunne,who alsorode the winner of theCastlelands opener twohours earlieronthe West Waterfordcard.

Anarrowdefeatfor Valgrand at Ballycahane prevented Do nnch adh Do yl ef ro m achievinganacross-the-card double as he introduced Rose In Th ePark to ma ke an impressive winningdebutin the Innovotecmares’maiden.

A€40,000 purchase outofthe 2021 Derbysale as ahalf-sister to the Grade 1winner Blow By Blow,the Walk In ThePark mare swept around the outer of JetawayToGetawayonthe

geldings m der Th st f p r f Ja son Ke n d d

Therewas another family successinthe PegusHorse Feedsfive-and six-year-old geldings’ maiden as New r,abrother to eG offer , eppedforward fromhis thirdplaced Ballinaboola debut lastmonth by racingfromthe ro nt under a mes Ke nn y, of trainer Liam n y, to be at OutsideAdesaeasily in the colours of GavanKinch CormacDoyle’s Romeo Magico vindicated thepromise of his fifth-placeddebut at Br ou ghsh ane in Ma yb y leadingfromthe last under Jack Hendrick to beat the mare Idylle Sauvagebytwo lengths in theHornibrooksGarage& Je rr yO ’Kee ff eS aw mi lls unplaced maiden.

home bend andpowered clear

The12-length successwas the 20thwinnerJames Walsh hasridden for Doyle, alist of glories that includessuccesses with subsequentGrade 1 winners Bravemansgame and Tahmuras

AlexHarveyhas missed much of the season due to breakingthe talus bone in his ankle in afall at Colonial Downs in August,but he is makingup for lost time and guided Winnie Woodnutt to successfor his father Willie in the Ward Brothers Recovery &Recycling mares’ winners-of-two.

Thesix-lengthsuccessover Aghmorough Bridge wasa thirdwinner of the weekend for the Dublin rider after victories at Dundalk and Tyrella.

JamesMurray enjoyedhis first success in the saddle whenhe guidedJohn Paul Brennan’s One ForDan to an easy 22-length victoryinthe Connolly’sRed Millsolder geldings’ maiden for novice riders

The17-year-old Ferns rider wasseentogood effectonthe Lingstown runner-up as the pair bidedtheirtimebefore takingcontrol in the home straight.

Pictures: HEALYRACING

Bobbisilverand Liam Gilligan (bluecap)get thebetter of Barrons Land (green cap) to win themares’maiden

Salesadjacentmaiden as the judgewas unable to separate Fr Gilligansvoyge and Three

By Two Theformer hadhelda

Rose In TheParkon her waytovictory in the mares’maiden

DerekO’Connor Straight to thePoint Ex-Irish pointers have stageto shineinthe festival limelight

NEXTweek’s Cheltenham Festival gives ahostofformer Irish point-to-point winners achanceto shine on the biggeststage in jump racing.

Needlesstosay,the Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill is the star attraction. He’s been a sensation on the trackfor Nicky Henderson since finishingsecond in amaiden at Tipperaryracecoursefor Warren Ewingtwo seasons ago.

I’ll alsobetakingabig interest in his stablemateJonbon, who takes on averystrongIrish teaminthe Arkle Irodehim to winfor Ellmarie Holden at Dromahane in the 2020 autumn campaign.Constitution Hill isthe only horse to have beaten him

Another of the Henderson bigguns is Shishkin, who hasalot of confidence behind him in the Ryanair.Hestartedout with Virginia Considine in County Meathand won at Lingstownin2018.

Gerri Colombe,the Gordon Elliotttrainedfavourite for the Brown Advisory was a Lingstown winner for Colin Bowe.The County Wexford venuewas alsowhereGold Cup fancyBravemansgame wonfor Donnchadh Doyleatthe startofhis career

Noble Yeats(Donie Hassett) and Conflated (Eddie Hales) areother point-to-pointgraduates to look out for in the Gold Cupand we shouldn’t forgetShark Hanlon’sHewick, who hadsuch afabulous campaign in 2022, winningthe bet365 Gold Cup, the Galway Plate,and theAmerican Grand National Hurdle at FarHills This is alreadyanincredible ragsto-riches story. RachelO’Neill boughthim for €850 at Goresbridge and, unlikeall theothers I’ve mentioned, he didn’t distinguish himself in point-to-points.Infact,his recordofUFF in points mighthave made alesserman than Sharkgive up on him

ThePaulNicholls-trainedChallow Hurdle winner Hermes Allen is abig fancyfor the Ballymore. He rantwice in points forCarolineMcCaldin, winningatKirkistown in November 2021.

CorbettsCross,arecentaddition tothe JP McManusteam, could lead the Irish challenge for the Albert Bartlett. Formerly trainedbyEugene O’Sullivan, whosedaughter Maxine

wononhim at Kildorrery,Corbetts

Crosswon three races on the track for the Lombardstown stablebefore joiningEmmet Mullins

This year’s Weatherbys

Champion Bumper hasa strong point-to-point

flavour. Theante-post favourite,It’s ForMe, an impressiveNavan winner in January, is aWillie Mullins-trained geldingwho wonamaiden at LoughanmorelastApril for the Crawfordbrothers.

That wasdefinitelyan informative maiden because the third horse, Rock My Way, producedbyWarren Ewing,won aGrade 2event at Cheltenhamand is due to takehis chance in the AlbertBartlett.

ThreeofWillie’s other possible bumper runners also startedoff in points.Chapeau De Soleil wonatStowlinlastMay for Colin Bowe,Western Diego scored at

Carrigarostig earlylastyear for Mark Scallan, and Fact To File wasa Belharbour winner for Donnchadh Doyle last season.

Gordon Elliott’sBetterDaysAhead is another Warren Ewing graduate.I gotaview of him from behind when he beat ahorse Irodefor Ellmarie Holden at Lisronaghlastseason. He wasn’t suited by aslowgallopwhen he wasbeaten at Down Royalinhis firstbumperbut looked very good again when beatingChapeau De Soleil at Fairyhouse.

John McConnells’s Mahler gelding EncantoBruno wonatCheltenham in Octoberafter scoringatCorkin the summer.Hestartedoff with Colin Motherwayand wasa debut winner at BallynoelastMarch It would be asurpriseiftherewas

aBritish-trainedwinner of the bumper,but Paul Nicholls hasanice prospectinCaptain Teague,aneightlength winner at Knockanard for Colin Bowe lastseason. He’s ahalfbrother to festival winner SkyPirate, who wonthe Grand Annual for Jonjo O’Neill.

I’M DUEtoride Mister Coffey for NickyHenderson in the National Hunt Chase. He’sa lovely bighorse,asecondseason novice with plenty of experience,includingagood run when finishingsecond for Sam Waley-Cohen in lastyear’s KimMuir

He didn’t do himself justiceinthe Topham on his final startlastseason butran well when second to aracefit rivalonhis reappearance at Chepstow and Iwas happywithhim when Irodehim for the first time at Uttoxeter last month.

He couldn’t quite to grips with the Charlie Longsdon-trainedGuetapan Collonges, whoisnow favourite for the Midlands National at Uttoxeter onSaturdayweek.

Hisprevious experience of the trackshouldbeahelp,but there’sno doubt the Irish challenge is powerful. TheWillieMullins-trainedGaillard Du Mesnil is alreadya Grade 1 winner,and we know he stays because he wasthirdinlastseason’s Irish Grand National. Willie canalso call on Ramillies,and Gordon Elliott’sChemical Energy also looksa strong contender Twoofthe other main Irish hopes, Churchstonewarrior and Mahler Mission, winner and second respectively in the TenUpNovice Chase at Navan, startedoff in points IrodeChurchstonewarrior when he went very closeonhis debutat Kildorrery as afive-year-old and he’s beenaconsistentand genuine horse for JonathanSweeney.

Ridinginthe National Hunt Chase is alwaysahighlight of the season for anyamateurrider.I’vebeenlucky enough to winittwice,onChicago Grey for Gordon Elliottand on Minella Rocco for JonjoO’Neill,and I’ll be hopingtoequal Patrick Mullins and Jamie Codd, the only riderstohavewon it three times in modern times

It’s shapinguptobeagreat week and abrilliantplatformfor some of the mostexcitinghorseswho have startedoff in point-to-points.

‘We shouldn’t forget Shark Hanlon’s Hewick,who had such a fabulouscampaign in 2022’

ConstitutionHill hasgoneontobecomeasensationsince hisdebut in apoint-to-pointatTipperarytwo seasons ago

EDWARD WHITAKER (RACINGPOST.COM/PHOTOS)

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.