Point-to-Point Weekly Racing Post 02-11-22

DerekO’Connor Straight to thePoint Youngridersrevealpotential on theirpathtoseniorstatus

INTHE last fewyears I’ve been involved with trainingsessions foryoung riders and aimingto passonsomeofthe experience I’ve pickedupover the years

I’mthankfulfor howmuch I’ve got outofthe sportsoI trytogive somethingback.

WhenI’m writingthis column too, I’mmindful of young, up-and comingriders. It’s only asmall thing, butany little bit of recognition is important for someone tryingto make aname in sport.

In lastweek’scolumn Imentioned Northern Irish rider Cormac Abernethy, so it wasnicetosee him giveanother example of his abilityat Loughbrickland last Saturday.

He gave ForcingBull awell-judged ride from the fronttowin the fiveyear-old maiden for Colin McKeever inthe coloursofthe race sponsor Wilson Dennison.

On the same card,Corkrider DarraghHiggins wonthe four-year old maiden on the Mick MurphytrainedAsk Anything. In atight finish,hegot arenewed effort from the Askgelding to getthe better of the RobJames-ridden Clovis Island Earlier in the month,Imentioned Darragh’sfirstwinnerat Toomebridge.OnSundayhewas at Tattersalls Farm,and this time Igot a close-up view of him in action.

Unfortunately for me,riding newcomer BobCigar forBrian Hassett, Ilostout,asheproduced another Mick Murphy-trainedhorse, LawOfSupply, with astrong challengetowin by three-quartersof alength

Theexperience gainedbythe winner in twooutings last season waspossibly afactor,but even so,full credit to Darragh, who is developing agood tactical sense.

He’s nowhad three wins from three ridesthis season. Beforethe startofthe campaign,his record stood at 0-19, which makeshis feat all the morepraiseworthy.

Dara McGill hasalsomadeabright start. Lastyearinhis firstfull season, he rode four winners from 54 rides. He hasalreadyadded another three to hisscorethis season, twoofthem onthe veteranBrain Power, who survived abad mistakesix from home on his waytowinningthe open at Tattersalls Farm.

On the same card,young Cork rider Andy BurkeOtt,who hada handicap hurdle winner for Mick Winters at Downpatrickduringthe summer,rodeafine patientrace to winamaiden on Inchidaly Robin.

Anysport is alwaysinneed of newblood,and it hasn’t been easy for youngsters to establish themselves in the lastfew years with the scene dominated by asmall

‘Lastyear, in hisfirst full season, McGill rode four winners from 54 rides.Hehas alreadyadded another threetohis scorethisseason’

groupofseniorriders.

Some daythe pictureisgoingto change.Iguess it wasthe beginning of the end of the presentera when Jamie Codd retired in Maylastyear after ridinghis 972nd point-to-point winner

I’mstill going, andBarry O’Neillis in the drivingseat. When he wonlast season’schampionship by amargin of 61-38 from RobJamesitwas his sixthtitle in arow,and he’s already buildingupa good earlylead this time around.

Theyoung riders of today, the top ridersof the future, have alot of ground to make up.Justtogivean example,ofthe riders who have begun their careers since 2010, only two have reacheda three figure number of winners

Rob, who rode his first winner in 2012, is by far the most successful, with atotal that now stands at 277 after his winonthe

After that, you have Harley Dunne, whosefirst pointwinnercame in 2013 and who is doublingupasa handler thesedays. He hit the100 mark as arider on WorkingAwayfor Denis Murphyinthe four-year-old mares’ maiden at Tattersalls Farm on Sunday.

Whenyou think that the likes of Noel McParlan, JohnnyBarry,Pa King, JamesHannon, BenCrawford and Eoin O’Brien have beenriding for between15and 20 years,you can see therewillprobably be spaces to move into over the nextfew seasons Butinorder to gettheretheyhaveto gather asignificantamountof experience

That doesn’t just mean getting plenty of rides.Itmeansriding good horses,buildingconfidence and tactical awarenessand theability to judgepace through ridinghorses you canget into apositiontochallenge or,betterstill, win.

Thereare good opportunities for novice riders to compete in their

owncategory thesedays. That’s great, buttheyalsoneed to be able to get competitivemountsinraces involvingseniorriders

It helpsthat this season hasstarted with agood spread of talentinyards all over the country. Some 17 differenthandlerswereinvolved with 18 individual winners over three meetings lastweekend and, if that trend continues,itshouldmean we’ll see ahealthyshare-out amongthe listofwinningriders

As ashopwindowfor the track, point-to-pointingneeds experienced riderstoadvertisethe younghorses Iwouldn’t want to predict who will be amongthe nextgroup of top riders, andthereisalwaysthe chance we will losesomeofthe most promisingyoungsters to the professionalranks

Previous novice champions Shane Fitzgerald and Sean O’Keeffe arewell establishedonthe tracknow,and only in the last monthorsowehave seenanother former novice star, MichaelO’Sullivan, make asmooth transition.

promisingHello Mariefor DonnchadhDoyle at Loughbrickland.

Darragh Higgins wins on AskAnything (left) at LoughbricklandonSaturdaybeforefollowing up on LawOfSupply at Tattersalls Farm thenextday

Pictures: HEALYRACING

IanPower hasa selectiveapproach to trainingand it’s provingabig success

IAM based in South Kilkenny, near Kilmacow, and my mother’s side of the family wasalways strongly involved in racing. My father hada few hunters tooas ahobby.

When Iwas young,Ihad ponies and then Dadgot me some hunters to startwith. It wasmoreonthe huntingside of things that Istartedin.

Iusedtowhip-in with the Mullinavatsfor agoodnumber of years,doingsomehunter triallingand it evolved from theretothoroughbreds.

Istartedridingout on weekends at Eoin Griffin’syard and enjoyedthat.

My uncle Denis Hayesdidn’t train alot of point-to-pointers buthehad acouple he was doinghimself and Iwas knockingaround his place as a young lad in my late teens and early twenties

In 2009,IwentovertoTom George in Gloucestershirefor a season which wasareal eyeopener.I’d alwaysbeen fascinated with the fitnessof racehorsesand thoughtan

NEWS AND VIEWS

‘It’snicetoshoweven withoutthe firepower youcan ready them as well as anyone’

awful lot aboutthe waythey were trainedinBritain, with the focus on intervaltraining and usinghillgallops.Iwas really taken by that Iwas likeaspongeover there. Iloved takinginhow everythingworked, it was fascinating.

Ispent the season with Tom and then, when it came to the time Ihad to decideifIwas goingtostayinEngland or move on, Ifelt I’dgot agood groundingthereand Iwas ready to putitintopractice

I’ve never hadany big buyers behind me so I started off steadilywith pre-training and then Istartedtoget

supportfrompeople I’d known over the years It just grew abit at atime from there.

Iput in my owngallop then and we have builtup the facilities over the years Ihaveathree furlong, oval, sand gallop,a schoolingstrip,and walkers;it’sall therenow.We have averystronghill gallop we usefor alot of fitnesswork.

I’dnever setmyselfa goal that Iwantedtobethis or that.

Eoghain Ward

Fixturechanges will mean spring season ending early

THE stewardsofthe Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committeehaveconfirmeda spring fixture list of 73 fixtures for 2023. It will getunder wayat Dr om ah ane on Fr ida y, December 30 and rununtil Sunday, May21.

Nine fixturesare scheduled for January, includingaNew Year’s Dayvisit to Ballindenisk, with anew hunt committee, the Lismore, takingchargeof the Januar y22fixtureat Dungarvan.

Thestartfor four-year-old maidens is likelytoremain at the traditional venues of Bell harbour, Ballinaboola and Tallow, the first of 15 fixtures pencilledinfor February

Durrow makesa welcome return to the listasanotable inclusion for March, amonth which features 18 meetings

TheCountyOffalycourse, which firsthosteda point-topointfixture in 2002 with the BrosnaFoxhounds before becominga two-fixture in 2009, hasnot staged ameeting since 2019, butthat will change on March19when the Streamstown Harriers take over the fixture at thecourse.

Aprilremainsthe busiest month with 21 fixtures, which includes the only remaining Sunday(April23) on the calendar with four fixtures:

Monksgrange,Dromahane, Fairyhouseand Ballysteen

Themostsignificantchange is in May, which nowfeatures just nine fixtures, includingthe season-ending meetings at Inchydoneyand Ballingarry.

Thedispute between the stewards of the INHSCand the South Union committeeover the decision to denythem their traditional date on theJune Bank Holidayleavesnoracing at Kinsale in spring 2023.

Themonth hasbeenleft further depleted by the two-day fixture at Necarne movingto April22for aone-dayfixture, while the NorthKerry Harriers alsomovefromMay to April, havingfilledthe position of last season’sfinal fixtureinTralee For2023, they nowrace on SaturdayApril 15

Thesechanges leave the season finishingtwo weeks earlierthanhad beenthe traditional end pre-Covid.

Harley Dunne hits 100 HARLEY DUNNEbecame the 64thrider to join the100-winner club in point-to-points with the victoryofWorking Away at Tattersalls on Sunday.

TheWexford rider recorded his firstvictoryinthe sphereat Ballydarragh in February2013 on ClondawHerofor Colin Bowe andinthe coloursofthen

owner and nowsuccessful handler Mick Goff

Sunday’svictorywas a39th in thefour-year-old division for Dunne,who nowcombines race-ridingwithhis training career,anoperationthat has quickly grownsubstantially.

Lastseason the for mer under-21 champion saddled29 individual horsesinjusthis second season of training under his ownname

Brain Power topofclass

THE VICTORYofBrain Power in theopenatTattersalls was not only notable for producing a16-length victoryfor Warren Ewing’s11-year-old, butitalso sawthe Kalanisigeldingpost the highest- ratedperformance inapoint-to-point.

Thevictoryearnedaratingof 124, whichbeats the previous best of 122 in the open division which hadstood jointlyto Warne and Marito

That pair achieved their top ratingsatKirkistown,with Warne the first to reach the mark in January2014, ten months beforeMarito

Samcrocame closewitha 121 on his Tinahely return last month,with Aupcharlie,Valmy Baie,Top Twig,Count Salazar, Kilty Stormand Backstage the sixotherstoreach 120 in an open lightweight.

We just pottered away with what came ourway in point-to-points and mostofthe winners I’ve hadhave beenfor owners who sent us horses

Forus, it’s not always aboutthe number of runners we have;we’dbelooking for horseswho would be worth training. I’ve had11 runners in the last five years and six winners.

In 2020 we ranfourhorses

inpoints and wonthree four year-old mares’ maidens.It’s nice to have them to showthat, even if youmight not have the firepower,you canready them as well as anyone

We do alot of schoolingand Flat work to have the horses ready to go.You have to train them,but also knowwhen to backoff them;it’sabout abit of giveand take.It’simportant that the horses enjoytheir work andare healthy.

Health is massive. We usea lot of massagetherapy, allowing them to be moving good andfreeafter work days Thereare plenty of easy days, so it’s not the same grind.

We have loads of variety. We often takethem away to do somethingdifferentbecause, even though horseslove routine,wetry to change the environment.

Ireally likevariety for them and givingthem turnout time They getloads of turnout to keep them from sulkingand being down on themselves in their stable.Health andfitness go alongway

Mister Park wasour first runner of the season and he wonwellatLoughanmorefirst time out.

Ihad it strongly in my mind togo to Listowel for abumper. He’d worked on the Curragh with horseswithgood bumper form so Iknew he waswell up to that, butinthe end jumping washis asset–and he proved that.

My uncle hasbeenabig supporter and we have afouryear-old for him calledMiss Mahler who hasbeentargeted at LisronaghonSaturday.

IalsohaveaniceLauro four year-old who will be outinthe nextmonth –I’m just getting his hunter certsorted–and then we have acouple of three-year-olds.

I’mnot intendingonrushing them butwewillsee around Christmas wherewelie with them.Longmay it all continue.

IAN POWER WASTALKING TO EOGHAIN WARD

RACING’SONLINE AUCTION HOUSE

Forcing Bull continues McKeever’s fine start

COLIN McKEEVER continued his strong start to the season when Forcing Bull became his third winner after running out the wide-margin victor of the Dennison JCB five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Cormac Abernethy made his intentions clear from the outset as he immediately sent the three-time placed son of Papal Bull to the front in a change of tactics for the nor ma lly patiently ridden bay.

That decision was richly rewarded as the pair began to stamp their authority on the race on the climb to the home straight, and powered home to be at Ro ss O’ Su lli va n’s newcomer Ryehill by ten lengths

“He is a lovely sort who jumps very well,” winning owner Wilson Dennison said.

“It’s taken a little time to get the best out of him, but he

Star performance

seems to have come to himself now.

“I think his ideal trip is over two miles and I believe he’ll do very well when he goes to the track.”

Th er e wa s a simil ar ly comprehensive victory for Ferns Lock in the Albert Bartlett winners-of-one when Da vi d Chr istie ’s ch ar ge stepped up on his stable debut at Portrush a fortnight earlier A fortunate maiden winner in February when under the care of Peter Flood, the £60,000 purchase had found Faith Loving two and a half lengths

too good at Portrush on his first start in the colours of Ray Nicholas and Dr Sam Campbell, but he proved a different prospect on his third start.

Easing clear of Faith Loving’s stablemate, the Toombebridge maiden winner Ballymagee from the penultimate fence, Barry O’Neill never had to ask the five-year old Telescope gelding a serious question to record an emphatic 13-length victory.

Those two wide-margin

winners were outdone in the Wi ls on Au ctions older geldings’ maiden when Grain De Folie proved to be in a race of his ow n on rout e to a 40-length victory on his first outing for new handler Martin Fox.

Placed in a four-year-old ma iden at St ra dbally in December 2020 when with Sean Doyle, the Balko gelding had failed to make any impact in two starts on the track for John McConnell.

All the enthusiasm which saw him withdrawn from a beginners’ chase at Cork in April having bolted to post, had not been lost since changing stables, as he raced with enthu siasm on his return to pointing.

Anthony Fox allowed the six ye ar-o ld to stret ch cl ea r entering the second half of the race and his five rivals never managed to land a blow in the bloodless victory, a success which provided the Meath rider with a welcome first

success since May 2019.

“We thought he was the horse to beat, it was just whether he settled during the race, as he hasn’t been easy to train,” the winning rider said. “He was a pleasure to ride there and he hasn’t seen another rival.”

Darragh Higgins maintained his 100 per cent strike-rate for the season as, having recorded his first victory when teaming up with Ellen Doyle’s Haddock De Grissay at Toomebridge on the opening day of the season,

Working Away puts Dunne with elite as he

NINE years after riding his first point winner, Harley Dunne partnered his 100th winner bet we en the fl ag s when Working Away landed the opening Tattersalls four-year old mares’ maiden.

One of seven newcomers in the line-up, the €34,000 Goffs Land Rover purchase had ground to make up on the always prominent Bold Reflec tion on the run from the thirdlast fence, but the Workforce mare reeled in the Ballycahane third before hitting the front on the run-in.

The Denis Murphy-owned and trained bay then powered clear to win going away by two and a half lengths

“She’s a nice mare. Her work was savage at home and she has a very good pedigree,” Murphy said. “Workforce seems to be producing very tough horses I’ve had luck with them and she’ll now be for sale.”

Star performance

The Bold Reflection team of Da ra Mc Gi ll an d Wa rren Ewing went one place better in the Hannon Travel open for novice riders as Brain Power passed his examination this time after a shock failure at Umma House seven days earlier

The 2019 American Grand National winner could never get into a challenging position at the We st mea th ven ue against Brooksway Fair, but seven days on and McGill was keen to ensure there was no repeat by never allowing his brother Oran’s mount Flinck too much of a lead at the head of the field.

Once striking the front exiting the back straight, the 11-year-old soon had some high-class rivals toiling in his wake and they included fellow Grade 1 winner Hardline and the six-time winner Er Dancer.

A winning margin of 16 lengths illustrated his superi ority over his six rivals

“We’ll try to keep winning point-to-points with him and hopefully get to Liverpool for the Foxhunters,” Ewing said

“He’s a better horse on better ground and had to go wide all the way. He just has loads of class and is loving life now.”

Darragh Higgins and Michael Murphy combined to win their second four-year-old maiden of the weekend when Law Of Supply reeled in Bob Cigar in the Tattersalls NH four-year-old

Brain Power shows his class with a 16-length victory to win his second race of the season

geldings’ maiden.

Purchased for just £7,000 last year, the Mahler gelding took a big step forward from his two pr evio us ou tin gs when outstaying the strong-travelling Bob Cigar to win by three quarters of a length

Wearelongterm commanded a much larger purchase price as he made his competitive debut in the Goffs UK Sandown Tingle Creek Sale on December 3 five-year-o ld gel dings’ maiden having been bought for €195,000 at the 2020 Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale

A ha lf -br other to th e ill-fated dual Grade 1 winning bumper mare Fayonagh, the Milan gelding was never too far fr om the le ad, as he overcame a mistake at the penultimate fence under Barry O’Neill to beat the French import Kapamazov by two lengths

“He slipped in the yard last year and missed a lot of time,”

Brain Power produced all the answers in a scintillating display to win a particularly competitive open by 16 lengths

Grain De Folie could not have provided Martin Fox with a better start to his training career with a bloodless 40-length victory

Forcing Bull proved an easy winner of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden

the Ballmacoda native made a second successful visit north of the bo rd er to claim the Dennison Commercials four ye ar-old ma id en on Ask Anything

Teaming up with Wexford handler Michael Murphy for the first time to deputise for Murphy’s regular rider Mikey Sw ee ne y, who is on the

sidelines after a fall at Tinahely, Higgins cajoled a final surge from his mount as the pair gamely repelled the challenge of the Sean Doyle-trained newcomer Clovis Island to win by a head.

Doyle’s younger brother Donnchadh fared better in the Tattersalls NH mares’ maiden when Hello Marie opened her account at the first time of asking under Rob James A €58,000 purchase from the 2020 Goffs Land Rover sale, the daughter of Network had just one rival to beat after Scarlet Rebel exited with eight to jump and that rival, Finding Fame, was always playing second fiddle, crossing the line four lengths adrift

Balnaslow, Chosen Dream and Send For Paddy are all former notable performers that Graham McKeever sent out to win in the open division, and he could have another exciting individual for the division after January Jets won the Barclay Communications open on his stable debut.

The eight-year-old may have won only two races under rules for Henry de Bromhead, but he was rated 140 over fences and the £22,000 that his new owner Shane Wilson paid to acquire him at Doncaster in September could be money well spent.

Derek O’Connor was keen to keep the Presenting gelding wide throughout as he beat Welsh Saint hard held by two length s wi th the Ai nt re e Foxhunters stated as the long-term aim

hits century

winning trainer Gordon Elliott said.

“There was never anything wrong with him He’s still only a big baby; he’ll come on a ton for that and will now head to the track.”

Daniel Murphy enjoyed the perfect start to his new season when saddling Hashtag Boum, his first runner, to win the ITBA five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

Making the running and ju mp in g so und ly for a newcomer, the Al Namix mare proved tough to collar for favourite Kayf Hope, who was never able to get fully alongside her on the run to the last, before Hashtag Boum gamely took off again to extend the winning margin.

The two-length victory was a notable family success having been ridden by Murphy’s son James in the colours of his wife

Geraldine

“She jumps great and had

been doing everything right at home, but this was our first point-to-point runner of the season, so we were just seeing where we were,” Murphy said.

“She’ll improve again and I think she could be a good mare.”

Inchidaly Robin could be bound for the track after he left two non-completions in the spring well and truly behind him in the Dore & Co Solicitors unplaced maiden.

The race presented the Alexander Ott-trained fiveyear-old with a winnable opportunity, which he took full advantage of Coming from off the pace in the hands of Ott’s son Andy Burke Ott, he over hauled Clody Flyer on the run to the last before going on to open his account by two and a half lengths

The recently turned 19-year old rider indicated the Owen O’Flynn-owned five-year-old is now likely to go over hurdles

Mylesfromwicklow on the right road as he leaves rivals toiling

NE WC OM ER Mylesfrom wicklow gave a fencing exhibi tion more akin to a handicapper in winning the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

It was the opening leg of a do uble for jo cke y Ja mes Hannon at the first Cork and Waterford meeting of the season.

The Ocovango-sired Myles fromwicklow the definite pick of the paddock was bounced ou t sm ar tly to ma ke the running on his debut and was not for catching.

Th e previo us Su nd ay ’s Umma House runner-up From The Clouds went second from three out, but could never get to gr ips wi th the Ro be rt Moloney-trained bay, who asserted between the final two fences to beat him by eight lengths

Shantou Moon acquitted himself by returning a further short head adrift in third spot.

“He’s a horse who has taken all this time,” Bandon-based handler Moloney said of his brother Paul’s winner, who traces back to Putty Road, who landed the 1995 Grade 1 Sun Alliance Novice Hurdle for David Nicholson and was a fiv e-time wi nner for an emerging Aidan O’Brien.

“He’s a very strong stayer and the plan was to bounce out and make the running. He had been working with my four year-old Jack Hyde who came third at Portush a few weeks ago and he’ll now be sold.”

Hannon brought up his double on Eamonn Gallagher’s ex-hurdler Tender Heart in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

Tender Heart, who finished si xt h to Magic Daze in a Clonmel maiden hurdle in January 2021, was sent to the fr on t wi th thr ee fen ces remaining and was well in control from two out before winning by eight lengths from newcomer Lyrid.

“I thought that she would win a handicap hurdle and when that didn’t happen, we said we would go pointing. She’ll now run in a winners’ race,” Gallagher said of Tender Heart, the first winner he has trained for owner-breeder Conor O’Brien.

Ly ri d’s ha ndler Mi ke y Kennedy and rider Johnny Barr y didn’t leave empty

Star performance

Mylesfromwicklow was able to brush aside the challenge of the form horse in the race in likeable style

handed as they combined to win the six-year-old-and upwards geldings’ maiden with Dundaniel, whose owner breeder PJ O’Driscoll died the previous month

Dundaniel, a runner-up last season at Bandon, benefited from frontrunning tactics by edging into a couple of lengths advantage on the descent from five out.

Barry’s mount was in no mood to be denied in the closing stages as he held on grimly to beat Pray Tell by a neck in the closest finish of the afternoon.

“He’s a horse who has always shown plenty and he’ll now go for a winners’ race,” Kennedy said of Dundaniel, whose year younger brother Dunworley finished fourth in the same race

Punters had the best possible start to the day when Pat Do yle ’s de bu ta nt Ma rv Michael justified favouritism

in the Tattersalls NH four-year old maiden.

The Westerner-sired gelding arrived on the outer with a well-timed challenge under Ben Harvey to see off long-time leader Double Digits by a length

“He’s a grand, smart horse, not your typical point-to pointer perhaps, and he will make into a nice hurdler,” Doyle said of Marv Michael, a €35,000 graduate of the 2021 Goffs Land Rover sale bought by Ge ra rd Madiga n from Dromcolligher in County Limerick.

Marv Michael, whose Oscarsired dam Civena finished second in a Grade 2 mares’ no vice ch as e, wi ll no w continue his career with Henry de Bromhead.

Cloudy Tuesday displayed his tenacity by making a victo rious return under handler Turlough O’Connor in the open.

The seven-year-old gelding, winner of a Thurles hunter chase in March 2021, held a narrow advantage over Lord Schnitzel from five out with the pair having the race to them selves from three out. With Lord Schnitzel already

beaten when erring at the last, Cloudy Tuesday returned with two lengths to spare over the staying-on Notice To Close. Lord Schnitzel was the only other finisher, a further six lengths adrift

“He’s a tough horse who had a few hard races last season and he’ll run again in another open in a month’s time,” O’Connor said of Cloudy Tuesday, owned and bred by his maternal aunt Irene Walsh

The Declan Queally-trained Desert Heather supplemented her maiden victory at Bally crystal the previous Sunday with an authoritative success in the winner-of-two.

Desert Heather made the best of her way home from four out under Chris O’Donovan to beat recent Portrush maiden winner Autumn Philtre by two lengths

“She’ll run in winners’ races for the time being and then she’ll go back ‘inside the rails’ as she’s handicapped over fences,” Desert Heather ’s owner-breeder Henry Gettings said.

Newcomer Mylesfromwicklow made an impressive winning debut with James Hannon

exceptionalfirstfoalsnextweek!

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