FORMER professional jockey Roger Loughran enjoyed his first success as a point-to-point handler when his Honour The Master (5/2 - 6/4 favourite) proved four lengths too good for his seven rivals in the older maiden.
The Kildare man, who called time on his career in the saddle back in 2019, had sent out the seven-year-old to finish a more than encouraging third at Castletown-Geoghegan on his debut earlier.
The City Honours gelding showed the benefit of that initial effort when climbing the stiff to best effect to see of the twice-previously placed Knockiel Synge, with the success having an extra family significance for Loughran.
“He was bred by brother Aonghus. A late uncle of mine Pat Gill died and left us this horse’s mother and a foal and he is now the third winner out of the family from four runners,” he explained.
“I only have two more to run. I am mainly pre-training and I do a lot of breakers – that is my main gig and this is just an extra. Anyone that wants to have a horse with me, no problem – I will do the job for them.”
The success featured as part of the 15th hat-trick that Wexford rider Rob James has enjoyed in his career, and he was seen to particularly good effect aboard Donnchadh Doyle’s Kayf Baha (4/1) in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Always to the fore in what was one of a number of steadily run races on the card, James was keen to get racing early as he kicked on taking the turn into the bottom of the track.
He swiftly got the field on the stretch in what was likely a race-winning move, as he was just able to hold off the fast-finishing favourite Hard Lines by a head.
Two winners
The Monbeg Syndicate-owned son of Kayf Tara, a €50,000 purchase, was one of two winners on the card to have been offered at Thursday’s Goffs UK Autumn HIT Sale, with James’ opening winner Diana Prince (4/1 - 5/1) also earning a trip to Doncaster following her pillar-to-post success in the five-year-old mares’ maiden.
The daughter of Kayf Tara was one of two runners in the six-strong line-up for reigning champion handler Colin Bowe, however his team was halved at the opening fence when the short-priced favourite Sagecraft came down at the opening fence.
Diana Prince proved to be a more than able deputy for the Milestone Stables operator as she made all in the hands of James, fending off the challenge of Kieran Roche’s Jims Apple from the penultimate to win by four lengths.
The success of the Milestone Bloodstock-owned mare marked a notable return to form from the British-bred who had failed to complete both outings following her initial third at Ballingarry 13 months earlier.
JUST seven days on from a memorable afternoon in Limerick when her star former champion pointer Kruzhlinin was retired after a hard-fought victory over hurdles, Camilla Sharples had further reasons to celebrate as she led in her Mighty Stowaway (11/10 - 4/5 favourite) after he had posted an impressive front-running performance to win the open on the card for the second year running.
The 10-year-old had taken a lead over the opening three fences, however with the early pace not strong enough for the proven front runner, Barry O’Neill allowed him to roll on as the field entered the home straight on the opening circuit and he swiftly began to open up an advantage over his rivals.
Main market rival Some Man, who also had a Tinahely success from last season to his name, emerged from the chasing back with a circuit to race, and while David Christie’s eight-year-old began to close on the favourite in a game of cat and mouse, Mighty Stowaway had the edge of recent race fitness and powered up the hill to prevail by 15 lengths for trainer Gordon Elliott.
The success was a second on the card and fourth of the weekend for Barry O’Neill who had earlier teamed up with his principal supporter Colin Bowe as they won their fifth four-year-old maiden of the new season courtesy of Jomig Des Bois (4/5 - 9/4).
The Great Pretender gelding had to chase the more experienced and previously placed Hector Javilex into the home straight, however a quicker leap at the last sealed victory by a length and a half for the Milestone Bloodstock-owned bay who is now set to be offered for sale.
LOCAL rider Jordan Hart recorded the second success of his career when the Baltinglass native struck with Nothinbuttime (5/1), a horse that he trains, to record a surprise success when winning the mares’ winner-of-one contest.
The favourite, Croi Corcra, had jumped the penultimate fence in front, however Hart’s six-year-old climbed the hill to particularly good effect, as she registered her first success since her maiden victory at Damma House almost a year ago, by a neck.
Hart, a brother of conditional jockey Charlie and touring car driver Max, indicated that the Stowaway mare, who is owned by his mother Lorraine, would likely head back to the meeting at Damma House next month.
Horse to follow
Hard Lines (M.F. Bates): This Sageburg gelding came home to best effect and was ultimately only narrowly denied to suggest he should soon find compensation.
Rafferty steps down
SEAN Rafferty, whose voice has been synonymous with racing at Tinahely for 50 years as the track’s announcer, informed racegoers on Sunday that he is to step down from his role at the end of the year.
“I have had 50 fantastic years with the Wicklow and Shillelagh Hunt and I have enjoyed every minute of it,” he announced.
“I have a very good young fellow lined up to take over from me in Aaron O’Hara and I’m sure he will do a wonderful job.
“I have met wonderful people through the years and I’m not going away, I’ll still be around in the background and able to enjoy the racing a little bit more.”