Neil O’Donnell

THE inclement weather conditions over the weekend thankfully didn’t prevent Sunday’s Clonmult/Dungourney meeting, run by the United Hunt Club, from going ahead at Boulta. Ground conditions were understandably extremely testing, a point illustrated by the fact that just 20 out of the 61 starters completed the course on the six-race card.

There were some impressive performances and the John Murphy-owned/trained Press Conference showed that a bright track career lies in wait by making a victorious return to action under a confident John Barry in the Hickey Bros Precast & Knockacool Gallops four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Press Conference (4/1), who finished an excellent third to Brewin’upastorm on his sole start last term at Quakerstown on Easter Sunday, always took the eye in running as Kildrum and Gurmknodel vied for supremacy up front. The eventual winner edged ever closer from the third last and he stormed into the lead two out.

While ridden between the final two fences, the victorious bay was well in command from the last and he duly returned with two lengths to spare over promising newcomer Kildrum. Yesandno, yet another of the nine first-timers’ in the line-up, was lying a close third and holding definite placed prospects when exiting at the final fence.

Upton-based handler Murphy, who also bred the winning son of Getaway through his Highfort Stud remarked: “He’s a horse that we’ve always loved and I was disappointed that he got beaten at Quakerstown last season. He was just a bit green in front here, but he has a huge engine and I’d imagine that we will go for a bumper on better ground next.”

Press Conference, a half-brother to Willie Mullins’ Grade 2 novice hurdle winner Lambro, was quickly added to last night’s Tattersalls Ireland December Sale at Cheltenham.

Proceedings opened with the Hurleys Supervalu, Midleton four-year-old mares’ maiden and Con O’Keeffe’s Kilbarry Angel surely qualifies as the unluckiest loser of the entire autumn campaign when she fell at the final fence with the race well and truly at her mercy.

Kilbarry Angel, having finished a creditable sixth on her debut at Lisronagh in late-October, eased to the head of affairs before the third last of the 14 obstacles. She was always in command thereafter and held a commanding 10-length advantage when jumping out to the right and then cruelly falling at the final fence.

This enabled the hooded 11/4 shot Siege Of Tobruk, who Niall Kelleher trains for absent Kinsale-born musician Barry Tierney, to beat the only other finisher Wetbehindtheears by a distance in the hands of Declan Queally.

Four-horse operator Kelleher, who also paid tribute to fellow Co Clare-based handler Joe Ryan for the use of his uphill gallop outside Broadford, said that Siege Of Tobruk will now be offered at the Cheltenham Tattersalls Ireland Sale last night.

Siege Of Tobruk finished second on her previous outing behind Danse Idol at this same venue two weeks earlier and previous Boulta form from the November 26th meeting also proved crucial as Rattle The Cage repeated his success at last month’s fixture by returning to the coveted number one slot with his handler Dick Lalor’s daughter Liz in the Leahys Open Farm & The Hennessy Family Plant Hire Ballinascartha winners of two.

The six-year-old Rattle The Cage (7/2) tracked longtime leader Allannahs Gold until Three Loud Knocks took up the chase three out. The son of Mahler stormed back into a challenging position after the second last and he took the measure of Allannahs Gold on landing over the final fence to beat the seasonal debutant by six lengths. The mare Go Goonagainwest kept on to secure the minor honours, a further 14 lengths adrift.

Tom Barry, who of started off Teaforthree in Irish points in 2010, sent out Rosmuc Relay to capture the Powers Gold Label five-year-old geldings’ maiden under Ray Barron.

Rosmuc Relay (5/2), a fine third to The Conditional on his initial outing here last month, always travelled smoothly and he moved through to tackle pacesetters Vetoncall and Doctor P’s Getaway after two out. The winning son of Presenting took the measure of Vetoncall from the final fence, although the official winning margin of five lengths was exaggerated somewhat as the runner-up drifted noticeably right-handed in the closing stages.

Rosmuc Relay, representing Mary Turner, was similarly destined to go through the ring at last night’s Cheltenham sale.

Ruby On Broadway, yet another with previous Boulta form as she finished second to Down The Milan here in November 2016, provided five-horse handler Gerry Kelleher with his initial success of the season by just coming out on top with Chris O’Donovan in a desperately close finish to the concluding East Cork Oil five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

In a race run in a snow shower, recent Turtulla fifth Ruby On Broadway (8/1) moved through to tackle Kilbree Shadow from two out and there was the very little to separate the pair until the winning daughter of Broadway Flyer edged ahead inside the final 50 yards to oblige by a half-length in the colours of Macroom-based owner/breeder Shane Prenderville.

Just two horses regrettably lined up in the BMJ Consultants & Cliffords Bar, Butchers & Supermarket five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts’ maiden and Pat O’Connor’s five-year-old newcomer Sullane Hill sprung a major surprise by getting the better of the long odds-on shot Walk Waterford.

Sullane Hill (7/4), representing his handler’s long-standing patron Brid Lucey, eased through with James Hannon to pick up the running on the inner after the third last. Although blundering two out, Sullane Hill was always in command thereafter and he ultimately triumphed by 15 lengths.

Macroom success

HANDLER Gerry Kelleher, who trains just five horses with his brother Mikey at the pair’s Macroom base, was understandably pleased to get off the mark for the season with Ruby On Broadway in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.

Kelleher remarked: “This mare is owned and bred by Shane Prenderville from Macroom and his father John, who has recently retired, rides her out with us every day at home. I’d imagine that she will now go to either Aghabullogue or Killeagh next month.”