PERSISTENT rain throughout the day resulted in difficult conditions for this Carlow Farmers Foxhounds fixture, with a high percentage of the 67 horses in action failing to complete.

Racing on the best of the ground in the opening four-year-old mares’ maiden, which featured nine debutantes, Gary Murphy’s Personal Space (5/2 - 5/1) impressed.

Making all under Shane O’Rourke, the €15,000 Goffs Arkle Sale purchase jumped well in the colours of the Turbine Syndicate and increased her advantage before two out, ultimately easing to an eight-length win.

“She’s a gorgeous filly that I bought off the Bleahens. We’ve loved her from day one, and her jumping is immense,” Murphy enthused.

“She done a piece of work at Monksgrange no length ago and came down the straight with nice Henry de Bromhead horses around her. She’s a proper one.”

Chasing success

Trained locally by Eamonn Sheehy, the Andrew Kennedy-ridden Chasing Chances (3/1 - 4/1) was another to dominate from the front in the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden for novice riders.

Not seen since finishing eighth on the track at Cork in January of last year, the former ‘Shark’ Hanlon inmate held a healthy advantage approaching the straight and increased his lead all the way to the line, eventually coming home 25 lengths to the good.

“He was going to run a big race at Cork the last day, but a horse fell in front of him, and he slipped a tendon off his hock.

That’s why he was out for so long,” Sheehy, who also owns the successful bay, revealed. “I might try him in a maiden hunter chase now.”

Local success

Hanlon later got on the scoresheet in the concluding adjacent maiden, with his Comeoutofthefog (1/1 – 5/4 favourite) justifying favouritism in this nine-runner heat.

Bringing some solid form to the table, the Cal Shine-ridden bay swept to the front four fences from the finish and readily increased his advantage on the approach to the straight.

Coming home 16 lengths clear of Legend De Touchete, the successful son of Feel Like Dancing is owned by Hanlon’s partner Rachel O’Neill.

BRIAN Lawless enjoyed another landmark moment this season, with the well-supported Ballycrystal Boy (2/1 - 6/4 favourite) providing him with his 100th point-to-point success in the second division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Breaking new ground by registering his first winner in the training ranks at Ballycrystal in December, Lawless brought his tally to five with this €42,000 Tattersalls Derby Sale graduate.

Ridden and gaining an outright advantage on the approach to two out, the Abbie O’Connor-owned bay recovered quickly after pecking on landing at the last, and he came home two lengths clear of Local Resident.

“I’m delighted to get the 100th winner. We fancied this horse coming here today and he’s smart. He found plenty off the bridle, and he’ll be sold now,” Lawless reflected. “I’ve had a great spell over the last while, thank God, and long may it continue.”

’A real classy horse’

Seven newcomers lined up in that opening divide, and a field of eight debutants faced the starter in the second split.

Improving to dispute the lead before two out, Pat Doyle’s Monzon Sport (2/1 – 4/1) was soon left clear by the fall of Profit In Pocket and he ultimately came home 20 lengths to the good under Finian Maguire.

A half-brother to Leader Sport, a Grade 1 winner over fences in France, the Jet Bloodstock Partnership-owned victor was bought for €67,000 at the Tattersalls Derby Sale.

“He’s a real classy horse, and I’d say he is probably more of a two-miler. We’ve always liked him,” Jack Doyle, son of the winning handler, who was registering his third winner of the weekend, reported. “Finny said he had the other horse covered when he came down.”

Patience prevails

Little Patience (3/1 - 6/1) rounded off a fruitful weekend for Donnchadh Doyle, as he impressed on debut in the opening division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Bought for €64,000 as a foal, the Monbeg Syndicate-owned victor gained an outright advantage approaching four fences from the finish under Rob James.

Skipping clear after the next, he soon had all his rivals off the bridle, and despite a slightly awkward jump when steadied into the last, he eased to a six-length win.

“He’s a well-bred horse with a big pedigree, and he’ll be a lovely one going forward,” Doyle, who saddled winners at Farmacaffley and Ballycahane, disclosed.

CAROLINE McCaldin, Wilson Dennison and Oran McGill were also on the mark at Farmacaffley on Saturday, and they again successfully combined with Lamikal D’airy (6/1 - 10/1), an eight-length winner of the second divison.

Awkward over the first, the €32,000 Arqana purchase gradually warmed to his task, with a swift jump four out seeing him assume command.

While Bedtime Bob remained in a close second for quite some time, the winner shook off that rival when ridden approaching the penultimate obstacle, with the pair the only finishers in this nine-runner heat.

“He was probably a bit immature as a four-year-old, but he seems a nice horse now. He stayed going well on the soft ground and he’ll improve away,” McGill explained.

Improving

Dedudefromhouston (6/4 favourite) also came home eight lengths to the good, with the progressive Colin Bowe-trained five-year-old easily accounting for seven rivals in the mares’ winners’ of two. An eyecatcher on debut at Ballycrystal before impressing at Punchestown, the Leo McArdle-owned bay eased to the front before two out and bounded clear with the minimum of fuss. “She is improving from run to run. I didn’t think she’d have enough experience for this,” Bowe explained. “Barry said she loved the ground and she has great heart, so we’re delighted.”

Horse to Follow

Nothinlikehim (J.P. Berry): Pushed along in fourth and appearing a spent force on the approach to the straight, this Free Eagle bay rallied in the closing stages and was less than three lengths off the winner on crossing the line. Sure to step forward from this initial effort, it’ll be interesting to see how he fares next time.