THERE was an early finish to Sunday’s Muskerry Foxhounds fixture at Aghabullogue as the decision was made to abandon the meeting after the third race on safety grounds, following deliberations between the stewards and the medical team.

Prior to that, there was some cracking action on an afternoon that saw near incessant rainfall and the Pat Doyle-trained Hunters Yarn (4/1 - 3/1) provided further credence to the accepted maxim ‘once a good horse, always a good horse’ by destroying the opposition under Emily Costello in the novice rider open.

Hunters Yarn started his career by landing a Thurles four-year-old bumper for the aforementioned Doyle, before going on to win five races for Willie Mullins, including a listed novice hurdle and also finishing a creditable fifth behind Gaelic Warrior in the 2024 Grade 1 Arkle Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.

The son of Fame And Glory made a triumphant points debut in November before finishing a creditable third on December 30th.

Off and away

The now nine-year-old got into a lovely rhythm in third spot and eased to the front at the fourth last of the 16 obstacles. Clearly containing Conflated on the descent from two out, the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned bay unleashed some of his two-mile turn of foot approaching the last, duly returning with 20 lengths to spare over the now 12-year-old Conflated.

Handler Doyle’s son Jack remarked: “He’s a proper horse on heavy ground and he will probably go for the Naas hunters chase next, whilst dad has also mentioned the Tetretema Cup.”

OWNER/trainer Tom Keating, who was sending out a third winner since the season resumed at Dromahane on December 30th, provided Chris O’Donovan with the concluding leg of a two-timer, courtesy of newcomer Border Lad (4/1 - 6/1) in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Border Lad, a €16,000 graduate of the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale, bounced out upsides in front and gave a superb display of fencing.

He edged into a narrow advantage on the ascent from five out and it was crystal clear that he was merely in cruise control in front, as he set out on the downhill run from the second last.

With O’Donovan still motionless approaching the final fence with an approximate 15-length lead, this advantage had been increased to 25 lengths over runner-up High Kick Kev at the line.

Keating, also on the mark with Boundfornowhere at Ballindenisk the previous afternoon, remarked: “He’s a horse that wants soft ground and I didn’t get to run him last season, as the ground just went against him.”

The probability is that the exciting Border Lad will be seen in new colours when running again.

Well-regarded

O’Donovan had to work somewhat harder when instigating his brace aboard Stradbally, Co Waterford-based handler Paddy Kiely’s Dinner Dance (4/1 - 5/1) in the five and six-year-old mares’ maiden.

The five-year-old Dinner Dance, the only newcomer in the seven-runner field, always took the eye by the manner in which she travelled and edged into a narrow advantage after three out. Overtaken when slow over the last, she readily surged back to the fore on the flat and then drew clear in the closing stages to score by two and a half lengths.

“She’s a lovely mare and we brought a crowd with us today as she had been working well. She will now hopefully go to the Cheltenham sales later in the month,” said Kiely of the victorious bay, owned and bred by John O’Callaghan from Feddans outside Rathgormack.

The white-faced Dinner Dance, a well-built individual, certainly possesses an interesting pedigree as she is a half-sister to Safe Voyage, who recorded one of the most prestigious of his 14 career victories for handler John Quinn in the 2020 running of the Group 2 Clipper Logistics Mile at Leopardstown.

Horse to follow

High Kick Kev (G. Aherne): A son of Maxios that unseated three out on his Dromahane debut in early December, this fellow merely bumped one here when beaten 25 lengths into second spot behind Border Lad in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden. This late May foal, whose third dam Diamant Noir was a Grade 2 winner over hurdles in Britain, should win his maiden over the coming weeks.