IT was a late finish at Sunday’s Muskerry Foxhounds meeting in Ballindenisk with 90 horses participating on the nine-race card, and the Mick Goff-trained Tactic (3/1 - 4/1) indicated that a bright track career awaits by recording a clear-cut debut success in the first division of the four-year-old mares’ maiden.
Tactic was bounced out smartly by her handler’s son, Harry Goff, at the head of affairs, but she had a tendency to jump left-handed at some of her fences and was joined by Crystaleyes after the fourth-last of the 12 obstacles.
The daughter of Prince Gibraltar soon regained the initiative on the run to two out. Tactic once again jumped noticeably to her left, but her rivals were unable to capitalise, and she forged clear from the last to dismiss fellow newcomer Qualitymerchnadise by two lengths.
“We brought her to Dromahane a few weeks ago and didn’t run,” said handler Goff of Tactic who sports the silks of his wife, Caitriona. “She was bought in France as a yearling and, whilst she ran green there, she has a huge engine. She will probably now be sold.”
Family Success
There was another family success in the winners’ of one as Pros And Cons (6/1 - 8/1) supplemented last month’s Dromahane adjacent hunts’ maiden victory by returning to the coveted number one slot under his owner/trainer Alex Ott’s son Andy Burke Ott.
Patiently ridden, Pros And Cons moved into second spot from four out and came through to pick up the running approaching the penultimate fence.
The five-year-old had his task simplified when closest pursuer Thermal Overload, who was in the region of a half-length adrift at the time, fell at the last, and he returned with three-parts of a length to spare over Commander King.
“If someone comes looking for him, he’ll be sold. If not, we’ll leave him off for the summer and he should be a lovely horse next year,” disclosed Ott of the Proconsul-sired Pros And Cons.
Maganey (4/1 - 5/1) carried the colours of his absent handler James Kenny’s mother, Noeleen, to success by landing the closing six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden in the hands of James Murray.
Maganey, whose previous best effort came when he finished fourth at Tinahely in January of last year, moved to the front after three out and was always containing runner-up The Gallan from before the last with two lengths separating the pair.
ADAMSTOWN-based handler Sue O’Gorman was credited with her first four-year-old winner courtesy of newcomer Lake Nagambie (6/1 - 8/1) in the second division of the four-year-old mares’ maiden.
Lake Nagambie, owned and bred by Sean Howlett from Bridgetown, arrived from off the pace to lead with Shane O’Rourke well after three out, and the daughter of Jet Away asserted before the last to contain Allez Jacqueline by five lengths. “She’s a lovely straightforward filly that jumped very well, and she’ll now go to a sale,” O’Gorman reported.
Cormac Doyle’s The High Stool (4/1 - 6/1) atoned for pulling up on his Curraghmore debut last month by springing a mild surprise under 5lb claimer Donal O’Connor in the second division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Held up
The High Stool, a rare points winner bred by Cheveley Park Stud Limited, was put to sleep at the rear of the eight-runner field and the son of Nathaniel was still last after three out.
The €30,000 Goffs Arkle sale graduate crept closer before two out and surged into pole position at the last. The Monbeg Farm Racing Partnership-owned chesnut then swept clear to account for Vedivici by four lengths.
On an excellent afternoon for Co Wexford-trained horses, the Rob James-trained/ridden debutant Maxi Twist (2/1 - 3/1) won the first division of this same contest.
Maxi Twist, a son of Maxios who was acquired for €27,000 on behalf of the Matchmaker Syndicate at last year’s Derby sale, overtook runner-up Surroundmecomrades approaching the last to dispense with Garry Murphy’s charge by four lengths.
James remarked of Maxi Twist: “He’s a lovely horse that’s still very raw, and I didn’t want to get to the front too soon.”
NICK Stokes was on the mark with Jet To London (4/1 - 6/1) in the first division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden. Jet To London, a creditable fourth on his previous start at Ballycrystal in March, still had three horses in front of him at the final fence.
The son of Jet Away, a €7,500 acquisition as a foal, however came with a determined run with Adam Feeney to surge past Rond Point as the line approached to oblige by a short head in the silks of the Ballymaglassan Farm Partnership.
Denis Murphy’s team have hit a rich vein of form and the Ballyboy Stables owner/trainer, having sent out five winners the previous weekend, struck with seasonal debutant Airforce Marshal (4/1 - 5/1) in the second division of this race.
Front runner
Airforce Marshal, who pulled up on his only previous start in a Fairyhouse maiden point a little over a year ago, was always positioned at the front, and the €16,000 Goffs Arkle sale graduate maintained the momentum in the closing stages to eclipse first-timer Water Mill by three parts of a length under Shane Cotter.
The Robert Tector-owned/trained Spring Waltz (2/1 - 5/2 favourite) went one better than she did on her previous outing at Lisronagh in early November by coming home as she pleased in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.
The five-year-old Spring Waltz got into a lovely rhythm for Jamie Scallan. The daughter of Shirocco assumed command after three out and she stormed clear from the last to beat Hillview Lass by six lengths.
Horse to follow
Rond Point (J. J. Murphy): A newcomer by Poet’s Word that traces back to Bilboa, this athletic chasing type stumbled approaching two out in the first division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden and yet was only beaten a short head into second. The early May foal fits the profile of a sure track winner.