Point-to-Point Weekly 04-01-23

Native Speaker proves an impressive and poignant winner for handler Gearoid O’Loughlin at Ballindenisk Reports, pages 4-5

DerekO’Connor

Straight to thePoint Davy Russell– agreat amateur andthe complete professional

WHEN Davy Russell announcedhis retirementat Thurles before Christmasmostof the tributes naturally concentrated on the big-race achievements that made him one of the all-time greats of jump racing.

My thoughts went backtothe early days.Icount myself privileged to have knownhim moreorlessfrom the start. WhenI wasinmymidteens Ispent twowintersworking alongside him in Eugene O’Sullivan’s yard andhewas ahugeinfluence on my career

Thoseofuswho were around at the time will never forgetthe battle forthe 2002 point-to-pointriders’ title foughtout by Davy and the great John Thomas McNamara, ending with the pairtiedon56winners

They puttheir heartand soul into it,likethe unbelievable competitors theywere, butwhen it wasall over theysharedthe title in aspiritof sportsmanship,generosityand respect.

Both men were the finest ambassadors you would imagine for the sport, and therecould be no better examples for youngriders to follow.

That 2002seasonwas aturning pointfor Irish point-to-pointing because it wasthe firstthat involved an autumn campaign introducedto make up for the lossofsomuch racingasaresultofthe foot-andmouth outbreak in 2001.

When the autumn campaign stayed with us it broughtthe opportunity for point-to-points to grow in influence to the extent we enjoytoday

Buttherewas abit moretoitthan that. We all oweadebtofgratitude to Davy and John Thomas for the part theyplayedinbringinganew level of dedication and professionalism to the sport. They setthe bar high for the riderscomingonbehind them

To me,theywereinspiring, and their rivalryhad an influence on the competition that grew between Jamie Codd, BarryO’Neill and me

Ifollowed Davy’s career all the way through and enjoyedwatchinghis many successes

BetweenRubyWalsh,Barry Geraghty, Paul Carberry and Davy, followers of Irish jump racinghad the chance to see four of the best

jump jockeys therehaveeverbeenin action all at the same time

He wasthe lastman standing. Sometimes Ithink the expression aboutthe end of an eracan be overdone because there’salways another generation, butthis time it’s afair description.

People will have their own memories of Davy, and Iguess many will centrearound theunique Tiger Roll and all the bigGrade 1horses. Isaw him ride so many perfectly judged races over the years, countlessexamples of his tactical ability, strength and natural horsemanship

He rode 18 Cheltenham Festival winners,withLord Windermerebeing the highlightinthe Gold Cupin2014. It wasfitting that his firstwinneratthe festival wasinthe cross-country chase. He rode NativeJackfor Philip Rothwell, and it waslikea

revisit of his point-to-pointdays because he fought outthe finish with John Thomas on Spot Thedifference

ButifIhad to pickout just one instanceofhis qualities as arider it would involveahandicap hurdle at Roscommon in the summer of 2009.

It wasarace for horses rated between 80 and 95 and Davy wason amarecalledMedia Queen. Ihad a personal connectionwith her and hadridden her to afew point-topointwins in the spring.

At Roscommon, she wasgoing backtotwo miles,and spentmostof the race towards thebackofmidfield. Shehad plenty of ground to make up when Davy hadtostart nudgingher alongearly in the straight. Shestill hadsix horsesin frontofher jumpingthe lastbut Davy gother head in frontliterally on the line.

Youwould need to be a mathematical genius to getthe fractions so right, andwhen you knowthat Ruby wasridingthe shorthead runner-up,itputs the whole thinginperspective.

Thepostscripttothe story is that Media Queengot putup4lb for her win. Twoweeks later shewentto Ballinrobefor atwo-and-a-half mile handicap andwon by around 20 lengths

That dayatRoscommonwas about as low-key as youcould getinjump racingbut Davy broughtall his brilliance,determinationand professionalism to winarace that so many others would have lost

He wasagreat amateur and pointto-pointrider at the startand a complete professional for the last20 years

up perfect record at Dromahane

Conditions were testing for the final point-to-pointof2022 at Dromahane last Fridayand alsofor the first fixture of 2023 at Ballindenisk on NewYear’s Day.

Mark O’Hare made the long journeyfromthe north to winthe four-year-old mares’ maiden with newcomer Spindleberry

Theonly previous runner Mark hadatthe Corkvenue wasalsoa mare. Shewas calledHoneysuckle and wonatthe Aprilmeetingin2018 by 15 lengths

It wasn’t so straightforward for Spindleberry,but the daughter of PolicyMaker battled gamely,digging deep for Noel McParlan to see off twostrongchallengers

Thestar performer at Ballindenisk wasthe Gearoid O’Loughlin-trained NativeSpeaker,who made all and jumped well for BarryO’Neill to beat the only other finisher Denemethy by 20 lengths in the five-year-old geldings’maiden. It wasa poignant successfor his handler who was absentonaccountofhis grandmother’s death.

On ahappier note,congratulations to Emily Costello,a 19-year-old UCD agricultural student and memberof the famous County Clarefamily, who rode her firstwinneronKeepMe Postedfor her uncle Tomat Ballindenisk

And the same goesfor Cara McGoldrick, a21-year-old from County Antrim,who hadher first winner on WoodbrookBoy for Ellen Doyleinthe open at Dromahane, causingamassiveupset by beating 1-8 favourite Aloneamongmillions in amatch.

‘Davy(below) and John Thomas McNamara were the finest ambassadors youwould imaginefor thesport andthere couldbeno better examplesfor youngridersto follow’

O’Harekeeps

Davy Russell on Native Jack (left) andJohn Thomas McNamaraonSpotThedifference battle it out at Cheltenham

MARK CRANHAM (RACINGPOST.COM/PHOTOS)

ChrisO’Donovan

(below

)onthe

joys of riding, training andthe rewards of thesales

ITHAS been agreat season as I‘ve already ridden 13 winners in point-to-points and one on the track, and last month we traineda four-yearold winner with ShanaghBob at Ballindenisk

We gothim at the August sale in Tattersalls.Hewas in the ring very early in the morningand therewas nobodyinthe ring when we went to buyhim

Ithoughtwe mighthavehad to pay€15,000 or €20,000 and we would have,aswe liked him,but it just so happenedthat luckwas on our side and we were able to gethim for €10,000. We certainly weren’t complaining!

It wasinthe last sixweeks beforehis debutthat the penny seemed to dropfor him and he really came alive.

GoingtoBallindenisk we

‘Whenhewentintothe ring Istarted to worryas he wasstuck on £55,000’

were hopinghewould win after what we hadseen, but with afour-year-old you never really know. We hadgone thereonthe assumption the race would divide into tworaceswithten runners in each.

Whenyou getthereand hear there are15horses with no divide you getabit worried,but you have to take them on because you can’thide forever Thankfully, he did it very well (right)and we went over to Cheltenham

Thesalecertainlyexceeded ourexpectations.Listening to people after the race theywere

sayinghewould make this amountand that amount, but until you go over and actually getityou can’tbethinkingtoo much aboutit.

When he went into the sales ring Istartedtoget worried because he wasstuck on £55,000 for what seemedlike half an hour.Once thebidding did takeoff,itwas just brilliant.

Iwas dreamingofhim making£150,000 so to getto £200,000 wascompletely unbelievable.Hehas gone to Nicky Henderson, whichis brilliant, andhopefully he worksout.

At the moment, my girlfriend JoannaWalton and I arefullyfocusedonraceriding, butit’sa nicehobbyin the evenings for the twoofus havingahandful of ourown horses

Festivewinners galore forex-Irishpointers

GRADUATESofIrish pointing were frontand centreacross the festiveracinginBritain and Ireland with 21 winnersonSt Stephen’sDay alone

That setthe tone for the rest of Christmas andcontinuedto NewYear’s Daywhen 15 wins broughtthe tally to 81.

Within that were five Grade1 victories headlined by the 17-length su cce s si nt he Christmas Hurdle of Constitution Hill, whichbroughthis Grade 1scoretofour. His second in aTipperarypoint-topointremains his only defeat.

Gerri Colombegaveformer point-to-pointrider Jordan Gainford his firsttop-level success at Limerick, while Bravemansgame, Conflated and Hermes Allen completed headline victories which will have pleasedformer handlers: Warren Ewing, Colin Bowe, Donnchadh Doyle,Eddie Hales and Caroline McCaldin

It wasanillustration of the influence pointing exports have on trackracing, with 45 differenthandlers responsible for producingatleast one of those81winners

Christie’s stranglehold

David Christie is keepinga Mullins-esque stranglehold on hunter chases after takingboth

pr izes available over the Christmasperiod

On St Stephen’s Day, the Derrylinhandler wonthe Down Royalhunter chasefor a second time in four editions when his StratfordFoxhunters victor Vaucelet gotthe better of last year’s winner Dorking Cock to cementhis positionat the foreofbettingfor the Cheltenham Festivalhunterchase

BarryO’Neillwas alsointhe saddle 24 hours later when UltimateOptimistleft12rivals trailingatLimericktowin the Earl of HarringtonMemorial.

That doublefollowed on from the Fairyhousesuccess in November of Ferns Lock to give Christie aclean sweepinthe season’shunter chases with three differenthorses

Thetrioare all aged between sixand eight, highlightingthe growinginfluence of younger horses in the division.

McGill’s grand prize

Dara McGill scoopeda €1,000 voucher after he wonthe Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee-backedautumn novice riders’series

Thefinal race in the series took placeatthe Tattersalls fixture on December 18,but theDerry rider hadwrapped up the series on the previous

weekend after an autumn campaign with Warren Ewing’s top performer Brain Power.

The2019 AmericanNational winner hasproved abig asset for McGill as theylanded three novice rider opens which proved keytothe series success

Thejoint-runners-up,Dan Nevin and David O’Brien, each receiveda €300 voucher.A further €1,500 in vouchers will be on offer in the spring series

It will be runacross33races, havingbegun at Dromahane and Ballindenisk with wins for CalShine and Andy BurkeOtt Sisters’ double first Keep Me Postedwill forever hold fond memories for the Costello family as theShirocco geldinghas nowsuppliedtwo of the sisters with theirfirst wins

Firstupwas LauraCostello at Ballycahane in Marchwhenshe guidedthe baytoa narrow victory. Flash forward ten months and it wasthe turn of younger sister Emilytoput on the colours of her mother Claire as shescored on hereighthride with Keep Me Postedinthe winners-of-two at Ballindenisk

Thepair have followed their father,dual champion Dermot Emily Costello is theeighth rider this season to enjoyafirst successbetweenthe flags

MarieHardinghas

beenflyingall season. He is very easytoride for and he has anice mix of horsesfromfouryear-olds for the spring up to older winners and open horses.Itwas lovely to ride a winner for MichaelWinters too

I’minDeclan’s three days everyweekand Itry to getinto TomKeatingand Michaela dayaweekormeetthem Then youhaveGlencairn on a Tuesdaytobeschoolingfor other people

Thankfully,

Queallyhas

Joannaand Iride outinthe mornings and then come home and gettoour own horses in the evenings.That means it’s usuallypitch black and freezingcold when we are finishingup, butthat result makesall theworkworthwhile

Eoghain Ward

CHRIS O’DONOVANWAS TALKING TO EOGHAIN WARD

RACING’S ONLINE AUCTION HOUSE

Joannahas athree-year-old of her ownand thereare two other three-year-olds I’m involved in, while my father John hasafilly comingin. We aretraining outofmy grandfather’s yard and there area load of stables herefrom when he trained. We would onlyeverhavefourhorses ridingout because that’s the

maximumwecan getinthe lorry

been extremely kind to us in letting us useall her facilities and a lot of localpeople have been good to us

I’ve beenvery busy ridingtoo.Declan

agreat yard to be involved with;his horses have

River Voyage rolls on to reveal deep stamina reserves

ON A bitterly cold day with just 42 horses participating on the six-rac e ca rd , the Mi ke y Kennedy-owned-and-trained River Voyage posted a fine stamina-laden performance as he landed the Tattersalls NH four-year-old geldings’ maiden emphatically in the hands of Johnny Barry.

On his third start of the season after a fifth at Kinsale in Oc tob er an d four th in a competitive Ballindenisk race last month, River Voyage was always positioned close to the lead as the Knockmullen second Daring Plan took the 13-runner field along.

The winning son of Ol’ Man River, a €15,500 graduate of last year’s Tattersalls Ireland sale, picked up the running after the third-last and drew clear from the final fence to win going away by eight lengths from Insouciant Dallier

“He’s a horse who has always shown plenty and I probably shouldn’t have run him last spring,” Innishannon-based Kennedy said.

“He’s been mentally that little bit immature and will probably go to the sales now.”

No el Mc Pa rla n, who

Star performance

partnered last weekend’s Grade 1 Challow Novices’ Hurdle winner Hermes Allen to victory for Caroline McCaldin in a Kirkistown maiden in November 2021, recorded his initial Dromahane success on Mark O’Hare’s newcomer Spindleberry in the Dairygold & Pegus Horse Feeds four-yearold mares’ maiden.

The Policy Maker-sired Spindleberry took up the running two out and held on valiantly in the closing stages as runner-up Easy To Follow, who was not fluent at the last, recovered well to get to within a short head.

“She’s a mare with an oldfashioned head who has a nice way about her,” O’Hare said of the winner, owned by his wife Sara and is an €11,000 graduate of last year’s Tattersalls Ireland May sale. She traces to Arkle Chase winner Champleve Just two horses from an entry of 18 went to post for the Singleton’s SuperValu open restricted

to horses who had not won at Graded level on the racetrack

That will have mattered little to 21-year-old Cara McGoldrick from Portglenone as she rode her first winner on Ellen Doyle’s Woodbrook Boy

A three-time winner when und er the ca re of Sha rk Hanlon, Woodbrook Boy took the measure of long odds-on shot Aloneamongmillions from two out to win by two lengths for McGoldrick, who rides out for Doyle and Colin McKeever Rob James successfully teamed up with owner-trainer Roisin Hickey for the first time by winning an eventful Ornella Underwriting Bloodstock & Equine Insurance five-year-old geldings’ maiden on Robert D’Ores, runner-up last season at Curraghmore.

Headcorn still held the call when falling two out, the fence also claiming Beeverstown Pl ace , who held place prospects at the time.

Robert D’Ores was left in fr on t, bu t wa s quic kly ov er tak en by ne wc omer Harper Valley, who then fell at the last when just ahead.

Robert D’Ores took advantage to come home 16 lengths

ahead of John The Spark. “He’s a horse we’ve always liked but we ran him twice on the wrong ground last

Hickey’s husband Thomond O’Mara said. “He’s a softground horse and he’ll go to the sales now.”

TWO young riders had a day to remember when riding their first winners

Teenager Ivan Ryan, from a family steeped in equestrian pursuits, won on Lillys Girl in the Louth Hunt Members older maiden for novice riders, and Sean Stafford claimed the College Proteins five-year-old mares’ maiden on Rose Of Kalanisi.

The parents of 18-year-old Ryan, Kieran and Mairead, competed in eventing at international level, his mother having represented Ireland at the 1992 Olympic Games However, he has opted to follow his twin brother James into race riding.

Biding his time on Dermot McLoughlin’s six-year-old mare Lillys Girl, the pair struck the front approaching the final fence and had seven lengths to spare over Clashabreeda.

“That’s brilliant to get my first winner,” the Oldtown rider said. “I’m working for the Dreapers but I started off with De rm ot and learne d

Breakthrough day for young riding talents Ryan and Stafford

everything from him It’s great to ride my first winner for him.”

Ry an sh ar ed the da y’s headlines with Stafford, who enjoyed his first winner when combining with his uncle Paul Stafford to land the mares’ maiden with Rose Of Kalanisi, sporting the silks of his grandfather Thomas Stafford.

The bay daughter of Kalanisi ha d fi nis he d fo ur th at Lingstown on her reappearance in November and proved to be a game individual by outbattling the Kirkistown runner-up Visible Attraction by a neck.

“It’s my nephew Sean’s first ride,” the winning handler said. “He rides out for me when he can and is a great kid. It’s great how that has turned out; you couldn’t have planned that. It’s fantastic.”

Rose Of Kalanisi was not the only well-backed winner to please the crowd as Hans Gr ub er ju st ified ma rk et support before opening his acco un t in the Pr oper ty Partners Laurence Gunne winners-of-one

The Kayf Tara gelding had got within six lengths of the Grade 1 winner Three Stripe

Life in a Fairyhouse maiden hurdle a year ago, yet his new trainer Ian Donoghue was able to acquire him for just £8,000 at the Goffs UK September sale

His new connections didn’t have to wait long to reap the rewards. Although the Declan Lavery-ridden bay was the only maiden in the line-up, he shed that tag in good style by accounting for Aghmorough Bridge by six lengths

“He can be hard on himself, so we’ve just been tipping away and we were just using this to get him ready to go back to the track,” Donoghue said.

“Joey Dunne would have ridden but he had to leave to ride in the bumper at Thurles I’m disappointed for him as he’s a big help to us in the yard.”

Templepatrick fishmonger Warren Ewing landed the Tattersalls NH four-year-old mares’ maiden with Northern Reel, his fifth victory of the season, only one short of his best season in 2019/20.

After failing to complete her opening two efforts, the Jet Away mare made amends by beating Desperado Genie by fo ur len gths under Da ra McGill.

“She’s been unlucky,” Ewing said. “She was going very well at Loughanmore and all she did was over jump She works well at home and we were expecting her to do that.”

Insurrection, owned and trained by Willie Harvey, was also making up for a recent jumping error when winning the Country Fresh five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The Getaway gelding had got no further than the second

Star performance

Saladins Son was the last of the three principals to launch his challenge but he picked up convincingly on the climb to the line

fence a week earlier at Borris House, but he had clearly learned from his error as he made every inch of the running under Harry Swan to beat Johnny Dogs by 20 lengths

Maike Magnussen’s season continues to go from strength to strength as the Tipperarybased handler sent out her third winner from just four runners when Saladins Son made a winning debut in the Tattersalls NH four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Bred by Kilmallock native Thomas Westropp-Bennett in whose colours the Tobougg gel din g ra ce d, he wa s produced to challenge Parade Away and Shillanavogy at the final fence by Pa King, before quickening two and a half lengths clear

Spindleberry and Noel McParlan on their way to landing the four-year-old mares’ maiden at Dromahane

season,”

The Louis Archdeacontrained Another Ocana put his hurdling experience to good use by landing the adjacent maiden for novice riders in the hands of Cal Shine

Another Ocana, runner-up in an adjacent hunts’ maiden at

this ve nu e in Nove mb er, mastered longtime leader The Gatlan Boy in the closing stages to win by a half-length Owned by the nine-member Tribes Royals and Rebels Syndicate that include his ha ndler ’s br o ther Jo hn

River Voyage proved ultra tough in grinding out a game victory in a strongly run maiden

Li am Bu rk e’s Imp erial Valley atonedfor her defeatat Boulta by landingthe five- and six-year-old mares’ maiden under MikeyO’Connor.

Imperial

ChathamStreetLad turns back theclock forWinters

THEREwas alarge crowdto see the MichaelWinters’ owned-and-trainedChatham Street Lad roll backthe years by landinganemphatic winunder first-time partner AndyBurke Ottinthe novice riders’open.

The11-year-old Chatham Street Lad developedintoan outstandingperformer for Winters by winningseven races and finishinga respectable thirdonhis finaltrack run behind APlus Tard in the 2021 Betfair ChaseatHaydock.

Last month he made afine pointsdebut after aone-year lay-offbyfinishingfourthto Lord SchnitzelatBallindenisk Ridden from off the pace that day, the sonofBeneficialwas again bouncedout in front alongside DashingPerkinthis five-runner contest.

ChathamStreetLad edged ahead wi th six fences remainingand the sweetjumpinggelding could be calledthe winner from twoout, eventuallybeatingDashing Perk by one and ahalf lengths.

Ki ll ult ag hV ic ,n ow a sprightly 14-year-old,acquitted himself well by returningten lengths further adrift in third.

“He’sahorsewe’ve hadtodo afairbit of mindingand the runherethe lastday brought him on alot,” Winters (above) said of hisformer 156-rated chaser.“It turnedhim inside

Star performance

Native Speaker continued a fine season forGearoid O’Loughlin with an easy winning debutinastrongly run maiden

outreally and we’ll runhim in another few opens.”

Emily Costello will treasure memories of this dayasthe Quin native, a19-year-old first-year UCD cultural scien stud ent, ro d e her firstwinner on Ke ep Me Po st ed , trainedbyher unc le To m Costellofor her mother Claire, in the Hu rl e y SuperValu win of-two.

Keep Me Postedwas always positionedonthe pace and made his waytothe frontfrom half-way.The six-year-oldwas alreadyincommand when throwingaspring-heeledjump at the last andreturnedfive lengths clearofBusty Boy.

“I didn’t gettosellthis horse duringCovid andwesaid we wo uld ke ep him f or ou r daughters to ride in points,” Costello’s father Dermot said.

“Emily’selder sisterLaura rode her firstwinner on him in

the spring andhehad avery goodcomeback when second with EmilyatQuakerstown.”

Therewas another winner with Clareconnections as ow ner -tr ainer Ge ar oid O’Loughlin, from Clarecastle, sent out NativeSpeaker to land atakingdebutsuccessin the Tattersalls NH five-year-old geldings’maiden.

TheCourt Cave-sired Native Speakerwas bounced out tly by Ba rr y Neill and was w el li n c omm and when closest pu rsue r Drumcliff Bay, who wasfour engths adrift at etime,fell at final fence s is oursecond winnerofthe season and Barryloved him when he schooledhim duringthe week,”O’Loughlin’spartner

Rebecca Traynor said of Native Speaker,whose Idris-sired damOdonimeewon four races for Lar Butler andwas placed at Grade 3level over fences

O’Neillcompleted adouble on the RichardRath-trained seasonal debutant Larkfield Legacy in the Gain Equine Nutrition &Midleton Veterinary older mares’ maiden Thenine-year-old Larkfield

Le ga cy ,p la ced on se ve n previous occasions, took command by leadingonthe innerbeforetwo outand was alwayscontaining NancyTill from beforethe lastwitha length separatingthe pair

Ow ner -br eed er Ja mes Br enn an, fr om Ki llan n, suggestedLarkfield Legacy could nowrun on the track.

Totowolfe made his first start forhandler IanMcCarthy awinningone in the closing East CorkOil older geldings’ maiden.

Sha re db yG alw eg ia n br oth ers Jo hn and Ni al l Bleahen, Totowolfearrived from off the paceunder awelljudged Jack Hendrickrideto beat ChampagneSparkbytwo and ahalf lengths

“He’salovely, big, scopey horseand is by the rightsirein Blue Bresil. I’dimaginehewill be sold now,”McCarthysaid.

Closestfinish of the day came in the John Gray Auto Services five-year-old mares’ maidenwithMarie Harding’s Another DayOut securingthe fasterjumps over the final two fences for Alan O’Sullivan beforeholdingonvaliantly to denythe closingMicks Jetbya shorthead.

TheOcovango-sired Another DayOut is the firsthorseto representLiscarroll-based owner-breeder LindaTwomey.

Queallyrocks hisway to thetop of thetree

DECLAN QUEALLYwentto the head of the trainers’ table on the wee ke nd befor e Chr istm as whe nR oc ky ’s Howyawon his thirdrace of the season on awet dayatBoulta. It wasQueally’s tenthwinner of the season, equallinglast term’stotal as he edged one ahead of Gordon Elliott.

Only twoofhis 12 runners have failedtowin –and oneof thosefinishedthird–giving Queallyaphenomenal83per cent success rate; and every one startedhot favourite Rocky’sHowya waswell bac ke dt om ain tain his unbeaten recordinthe BMJ Consultants &Clifford’s Bar, Bu tch er s&Sup er ma rk et winners-of-two.

Once a111-rated hurdler, he wassoonpositioned in his customary front-runningrole, although he hadIhavent AClue for companyuntil six out.

Star performance

Cornamonasprintedclear

Thewinning sonofAsk sw ept cl ear und er Chr is O’Donovanthree outtobeat DulArAghaidh by 29 lengths in thecolours of Margaret Kiely from nearDungarvan.

“He’sa very good pointer who jumpswell and we’ll look at an open nowfor him,” Queally said Donnchadh Doyle is another trainer havingaterrific run, especiallywith youngsters,and the Wexfordyardsentout its ninthwinnertojoinElliottin joint secondinthe table.

Speed Davis made awinning debutinthe incident-packed

HickeyBrosPrecast andRyall &O’MahonyLtd four-year-old geldings’maiden.

He wasalwayspositioned near the lead and edged into a narrow advantage on the inner under JamesWalsh from three out, buthewas almostjoined by long-time leader Major Barryatthe second-last.

Major Barry, however, came down and SpeedDavis was then followed by the patiently ridden SecreciesOfStone approachingthe final fence

That rivalfell when holding everychance, leavingSpeed Davis to come home 11 lengths clear of TheVillage Way.

“Jamessaid he gave him a lovely feel,” Doyle’s younger brother Gearoid saidofthe Spider Flight-sired Speed Davis,a half-brother to the Grade 2hurdles-winningmare Violin Davis,who is outofa sister to Grade 1Queen Mother

Champi on Chas ew inner Klairon Davis

TheJohn Staunton-owned and traine d Cornamona hintedshe hasaparticularly bright futurebyreadily beating her rivals in the Tattersalls NH four-year-old mares’ maiden.

Kit’sCoty and Bella Noche, who hadboth shaped with promise this season, tookthe nine runnersalong until the latter edged into anarrow advantage with four of the 12 fences remaining.

TheDoyen-sired winner was stillfourthatthe third-lastbut she made smooth progress with her joint-owner Eoin Mahon to overtakeBellaNoche after the penultimatefence

It wasplain sailingthereafter as the 2021 Tattersalls Ireland July sale graduate swept clear to beat LisronaghthirdKit’s Coty by sevenlengths

“She’s afilly we alwaysliked

butshe wastoo greentorun at thebackend of last season. She’ll be sold now,”Staunton said of Cornamona,anearly Mayfoal whosematernal gr anddam is the Gr ade 1-placedhurdler Boro Bow.

Thelocalshad plenty of cause forcheer as Connabased Eamonn Gallaghersent out Lady Kate tojustify favouritismunder Eoin O’Brien in the East Cork Oilmares’maiden.

LadyKate, runner-up to subsequentBritish bumper wi nner Lady St an wi xa t LisronaghinFebruary, gotthe better of aprotractedduel with Imperial Valleyfrombeforethe last to beat MikeyO’Connor’s mountbyalength in the closest finish of the afternoon.

TheCiaran Fennessy-trained new comer Tw oc on dui t provided riderAlanO’Sullivan with asecond success of the season in the Powers Gold

Label&Hurley’s SuperValu five-year-old geldings’maiden.

LonghouseStar still held a fractional advantage when fallingatthe lastwithTwoconduit,ason of Conduit, then powering clearonthe flat to beat Bloomhill by nine lengths

“I wasexpectingagood run and I’dliketothank Patand David BarryfromRathcormac for lettingmeuse their gallop in the week,” Fennessy said.

Owner-trainer Sean Aherne’s Johngus,amodel of consistenc yo nt he ra ce co ur se, openedhis accountinthe Lahy’sOpenFarm& Hennessy FamilyPlantHireBallinascartha adjacentmaiden.

Johngus, having finished sec ond on his re tu rn to pointingatBallindenisk a fortnightago,took command beforetwo outwith Johnny Hurley to see off Glorious Mist by an eased 12½ lengths

of her rivals afterjumping thelasttowin goingaway on her debut

Archdeacon, Another Ocana will nowgotoAghabullogue for Sunday’swinners’race

Valley, representing Toss ByrnefromTallow, edged into thelead fiveout and was alwayscontainingDancetilldawn from the last,two lengths separatingthe pair. Bred by the late Bill Ronayne, she will now contestamares’winners’race.

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.