DerekO’Connor Straight to thePoint Kielyplauditswelldeservedin glorious week forIrish pointers

ITWAS another great Cheltenham Festival for Ireland, and thereweremany specialmoments

Twostood outfor me,John Kielyand John Gleesonteaming up to winthe Champion Bumper with A Dream To Share, andSam Curling takingthe KimMuir with Pa King on Angels Dawn,amareweboth rode in her bumper days

Veteran trainer Kiely, who turns 86 inMay,deservesall themanytributes that have been paidtohim.Hewas a brilliantmentor when Iwas ridingin bumpersfor him early in my career

He providedmyfirst bigwinner on the track, Reine DesReines in a fillies’bumperatthe Punchestown Festival in 2003.

I’ve beenlucky enough to have ridden plenty of winnersfor Samand Iwas thrilled for him and Pa and owner-breeder Alfie Sweetnam

Samwas alsoinvolved in theearly days with BarryConnell’s Supreme Novices’winner Marine Nationale, who wassomaturely handledby MichaelO’Sullivan. Thechampion novice point-to-point rider of 2019 doubledhis festival scoreonJazzy

Mattyfor Gordon Elliottinthe

Boodles

Meanwhile,Ben Harvey who shared the novice title with Brian Lawlessin2020, wonthe Magners PlateonSeddonfor John McConnell

It’s atribute to the groundingthat Michaeland Ben received in pointto-points that they’ve made such a smooth transition to the professional ranks.Both riders come from families steeped in racing.

Theexceptional Constitution Hill, the amazingHoneysuckle and the superb Envoi Allen were the star ex-pointersofthe meeting. We also sawa rising starinStayAwayFay, who wonthe AlbertBartlettfor Paul Nicholls aftergettingaserious test from Noel Meade’s AffordaleFury, a Ballycahane winner for Garrett Murphyjustoverayear ago. Stay Away Fay, whosesireShantou was alsoresponsible for ColmMurphy’s Mares’ Chasewinner Impervious, fetched£305,000 at the sales after winningatLingstown in December 2021 for Matthew Flynn O’Connor. Another Lingstownwinner, Gordon Elliott’sGerri Colombe,lost outbyashortheadtoThe Real Whackerinthe BrownAdvisory. That wasthe firstdefeatfor the Colin

Bowe graduate who cost£240,000 at the Tattersalls CheltenhamFestival sale three years ago, buthe confirmedhe’saverytalented novice who hasthe makingsofa Gold Cup horse if all goeswell.

Gordon wasbackinthe market at last Thursday’ssale, paying £420,000 eachfor the twotop lots,the Donnchadh Doyle-trainedpair, RomeoCoolio,who lived up to his bigreputation whenmakinga winningdebutat Belclare, andJalon D’Oudairies,winner of the Lingstown maiden that has previouslyproduced both Gerri Colombe and the Gold Cup runner-up Bravemansgame.That’s alot to liveupto.

It wasa fabulous weekfor the Doylefamily’sMonbeg operation. Castlelands runner-up Quebecois and Nenagh winner Mossy FenPark both sold well, and the team added twomorefestival winners to their list. Donnchadh wonaFairyhouse maiden pointwith the long-priced County Hurdle winner Faivoir,and the operation boughtJohn McConnell’s Magners Platewinner Seddon as astore horse.

Youdon’t alwayshavetopay a fortune for apoint-to-pointwinner. Corach Ramblerisprovingtobeone of the major bargainsofrecentyears after beingpickedupbyMichael Scudamorefor £17,000 following his winatMonksgrange forDuncormick, County Wexford handlerJohn Martin Walsh in September2020.

He wonthe UltimaHandicap Chasefor the second successiveyear and must have abig chance in the Grand National wonbyhis trainer Lucinda Russell with Liam Kenny’s Lingstownwinner OneFor Arthur in 2017.

Acouple of other former pointers ranwellinthe Ultima. Third-placed Monbeg Genius (ex-Sean Doyle) could be afutureAintree contender for JonjoO’Neil, who mightaim him at the Scottish versionthis season if the ground stayssoft,and fourthplacedThe Goffer (ex-BennyWash) is apossible Irish Grand National horsefor Gordon.

ItsOnThe Line has abig future

TheStJames’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chaseprovided ashockresult for the second time in recentyears. In 2020 It Came To Pass was66-1 when winningfor the O’Sullivans.This time Premier Magic wasthe same price for owner Julian Sheriff and trainer-rider BradleyGibbs

TheCourt Cave geldingran three times in points for Mark Cahill in his early days andhas wonnine times in points in Britain.

IrodeIts On TheLine for Emmet Mullins and wasdelighted with the wayhefinishedthe race to be runner-up.Nosix-year-old haswon theracesince Kingscliff in 2003, so that shows his achievementinagood light. He’s ahalf-brother to the Welsh National winner and Grand National thirdMonbeg Dude,and he hasthe same sort of stamina. I’ve no doubt his best years areahead of him Aloose horsemade the closing stages messy andDeclan Queally’s Rocky’s Howyawas unlucky notto hold on to thirdplace after puttingin abrave front-runningeffortfor Chris O’Donovan. Chris’s Dream alsoran well to takefifth,but therewas disappointmentfor the twomain Irishfancies.The defending champion Billawayfell at the tenth, and Vaucelet,who seemedtohavea greatchanceonpaper,couldn’t stay with the leadersfromthe secondlast.

It’s likely that Vaucelet will be a differentproposition on better ground at Punchestown.His trainer David Christie canhopefor better when he runs last year’s Cheltenham runner-up Winged Leader at Aintree. He also hasthe very promising Ferns Lock in the yard,and the strength of the stable wasgiven another boost when Ultimate Optimist backedupa Limerick successatChristmas by winningthe hunter chaseatDownRoyal on St Patrick’sDay.