THERE was a cracking atmosphere at Sunday’s Pigeon Hill & Carrigtwohill meeting at Ballyvodock, where there was also a big screen for spectators to view the televised action from Leopardstown, and Darragh Allen dominated the United Foxhounds fixture by partnering a two-timer.

The 31-year-old, who recorded his 100th points success at Dungarvan the previous Sunday, instigated his brace by experiencing a virtual armchair ride aboard the Terence O’Brien-owned/trained newcomer Uncle Pad (9/4 - evens favourite) in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Uncle Pad, one of no less than 10 debutants in the line-up, arrived with a lofty home reputation, and the son of Vadamos got into a lovely rhythm as he tracked the front-running Rossbrin in second spot.

The eventual winner moved almost alongside Rossbrin after the third-last of the 13 obstacles and he edged ahead on the approach to two out. It was all relatively plain sailing thereafter as the victorious bay, a €20,000 Derby sale graduate, surged clear to account for Common Sense by 10 lengths.

“I think that he is a really good horse, and he has been working very well at home. He was bought to re-sell, and he will be sold now,” said locally-based Carrigtwohill handler O’Brien of Uncle Pad, in whom Ted O’Dwyer, Brendan Hurley and John Buckley also hold an interest.

Two-horse race

Allen then doubled up aboard Con McSweeney’s Rebel Treaty (evens) in the mares’ open, a race in which just two runners went to post.

Rebel Treaty, who was returning from a 15-month sabbatical, tracked Shake The Bag until leading on take-off for the second-last. Shake The Bag then had no more to offer after blundering here as the winning eight-year-old coasted clear to beat her by five lengths.

“It’s great to have her back as she sustained an injury when falling two out at Lisronagh in November 2024,” reported handler McSweeney of The Rebel Treaty Syndicate-owned Rebel Treaty, who was posting a third points success.

“Hopefully, this race will serve as a stepping stone to the mares’ hunters chase at Cork over Easter.”

Murphy’s new digs

Handler David Murphy, who started off Nigel and Willie Twiston-Davies’ 160-rated chaser Matata in points as a spring four-year-old in 2022, sent out an initial winner from his new base at Coolagown when seasonal debutant Scotty Joe (3/1 - 7/2 favourite) recorded a last-gasp success under William Verling in the adjacent hunts maiden for novice riders.

The five-year-old Scotty Joe had made a most satisfactory career debut by finishing fourth at Ballindenisk in early May of last year.

Here, he took closer order inside the final half-mile and he thwarted Rongoright’s bold bid to make all by surging past Jonathan Fitzgerald’s front-runner inside the dying strides to oblige by a head in the silks of his handler’s father Jeff Murphy from Fermoy.

OWNER/trainer Denis Murphy struck with Lady Aurora (5/1 - 4/1) in the five-year-old mares’ maiden. Lady Aurora always travelled well for Shane Cotter and the €50,000 Goffs Arkle sale graduate edged ever closer on the inner just after three out.

The winning daughter of Muhtathir, who is also closely related to Sam Thomas’ former dual-listed bumper winner Good Risk At All, picked up the running clearly travelling best before the second last, and she strode clear of runner-up Malinas Party on the flat to score by a widening five lengths.

There was a break of six lengths back to the third-placed dead-heaters’ Dusky Night and Silent Temptation, the latter blundering away her chance at the fourth last.

Hot-streak

Sam Curling continues to hold sway at the head of the handlers’ championship, and the Tipperary-based operator, also responsible for two winners at Bellharbour, sent out ex-track performer Beau Walking (3/1 - 10/3) to collect the winners-of-two.

Beau Walking, who finished third in no less than four consecutive maiden hurdles for Jessica Harrington during the 2023/’24 season, supplemented his Rathcannon maiden success in November by leading from halfway with first-time partner Nicole Lockhead Anderson to account for Dempseys Diamond by three lengths.

The 23-year-old Aberdeen native, who was recording a fourth success of the campaign, reported of the John O’Lery-owned Beau Walking: “He stayed at it well, and he’s a lovely horse that’s also very honest.”

BANDON-based owner/trainer Paul Moloney’s Pirate Island (2/1 - 7/4 favourite) vindicated the promise of his third-placed debut effort at Carrigarostig a fortnight earlier by recording a clear-cut success under Johnny Barry in the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

The race came complete with a bonus of €1,000 to the winning owner that was generously sponsored by the point-to-point committee.

Ex-hurdler Pirate Island, who finished second in a Punchestown maiden hurdle in February 2024 when under the care of Philip Fenton, made smooth progress after three out, and he moved to the head of affairs clearly travelling best on the run to the second last.

The victorious eight-year-old then returned with four lengths to spare over long-time leader Lewis Road with a further length break back to Ballintemple King in third.

“He deserved that, he had a great run in Carrigarostig and will probably now go for the winners’ race in Bandon. He’s rated 95 over hurdles now, and he could go back to the track at some stage later on,” remarked four-horse handler Moloney of Pirate Island, in whom Derek Sheehan from Crossbarry also holds an interest.

Horse to follow

Clais Mhor Capri (P. J. Kiely): This newcomer, a son of Capri who is out of a blacktype placed racemare in the form of seven-time winner Miss Eyecatcher, made an excellent career debut in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden to finish third behind Uncle Pad. Beaten some 15 lengths in total, this late May foal should step forwards to easily win his maiden.