EMILY Costello is leading her rivals a merry dance in this season’s ladies’ championship, and she moved onto the 10-winner mark for the campaign by steering the Pat Doyle-trained Magic Sadler to a front-running success in the open at Sunday’s West Waterford Foxhounds meeting at Castlelands.
Magic Sadler (4/7 - 1/2 favourite) set out with the intention of making all, and runner-up Call The Tune emerged as his biggest danger from three out.
Call The Tune couldn’t raise his effort on the approach to the final of the 15 obstacles as the winning British-bred produced a terrific leap here to put the issue beyond all doubt as he asserted on the flat to beat Josh Ahern’s mount by three lengths.
Handler Doyle remarked of the Patrick Brogan-owned son of Clovis Du Berlais: “He’s a tough horse and the plan now is that he will go to Cork for the hunters chase over Easter.”
Cullen off the mark
Leon Cullen experienced a never-to-be-forgotten afternoon as the 17-year-old from Piercetown partnered a first career winner aboard his boss Robert Tector’s Supreme Force (3/1 - 4/1) in the unplaced maiden.
The five-year-old, owned and trained by Tector, but in whom Waterford-based breeder Ger Flynn still holds an interest, was always positioned close to the pace and moved through to hit the front after five out.
The son of Workforce was clearly in command from the turn into the home straight before the second last as he stormed clear to dismiss Bens Baby by 13 lengths.
No waiting around
Killeagh native Eric Mellerick, a Business Information Technology student at MTU in Cork, recorded a second career success aboard his father Tom Mellerick’s Wait Awhile (6/1 - 8/1) in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.
The six-year-old Wait Awhile was held up well off the pace, and she edged somewhat closer from three out as long-time leader Cloudy Rosie still held the call from Jimmy’s Hope.
With Jimmy’s Hope falling when challenging for the lead two out, Cloudy Rosie still appeared the most likely winner approaching the last. Wait Awhile though swept to the fore some 75 yards to account for the valiant Cloudy Rosie by two lengths. The Jukebox Jury-sired Wait Awhile possesses an interesting pedigree as she’s a half-sister to Lucinda Russell’s former 137-rated chaser Whistle Stop Tour whilst her unraced grandam is an own-sister to Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Kicking King.
GARY Murphy is in the midst of a purple patch at present and the Rathangan-based operator was on the mark with the Turbine Syndicate-owned True To My Word (3/1 - 7/2) in the four-year-old mares’ maiden, a race in which all nine runners were newcomers.
The Shane O’Rourke-ridden True To My Word, a €23,000 Tattersalls Ireland July sale graduate, moved into second from the penultimate obstacle.
She was still some two lengths adrift of the sweet-travelling leader Soleretta in second spot when Denis Murphy’s charge fell at the final fence.
The imposing Poet’s Word gelding then stormed clear to put 10 lengths between herself and runner-up No Sudden Moves.
Handler Murphy, who was saddling a third individual four-year-old winner of the season, reported: “She’s a beautiful filly that had been working with my other couple of four-year-old winners.”
True To My Word and Soleretta have both been added to this Thursday’s Cheltenham Festival sale.
Successful debut
Another that was due to be offered at the aforementioned Tattersalls sale was Donnchadh Doyle’s Koaly Play (4/1 - 5/1), who made a winning debut under Alan Harney in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden. This nine-runner event similarly proved to be a dramatic one as the Brian Lawless-trained/ridden Max Potential led from three out and appeared the most likely winner on the run to the last.
However, Max Potential fell when holding a two-length advantage here and Koaly Play, a son of Getaway, was then left clear to dispose of Sunset Carousel by seven and a half lengths in the familiar Monbeg Syndicate silks.
ON an excellent afternoon for Wexford-trained horses, the Andrew Latta-owned/trained newcomer Ocean Master (3/1 - 4/1) brought up the concluding leg of a double for Jamie Scallan by obliging in the second division of the five and six-year-old geldings’ geldings’ maiden.
Ocean Master, one of the definite paddock-picks beforehand, got into a lovely rhythm in second spot as The Stags forced the pace, and the €20,000 Derby sale graduate made his way past the front runner with four fences remaining.
The son of Crystal Ocean was clearly travelling best before two out and, despite erring at the last, he still defeated Exciting Ride by three lengths. Ocean Master is another that was due to be sold at Cheltenham on Thursday evening.
Scallan initiated his brace aboard Sean Doyle’s seasonal debutant Justoneglance (2/1 - 7/2) in the first division of this same contest.
The Monbeg Partnership-owned Justoneglance made all the running, maintaining the momentum to thwart Jorgenson by a widening six lengths. Justoneglance is likely to be seen in new colours when running again.
Horse to follow
Soleretta (D. P. Murphy): This daughter of Maxios was sent off favourite on her initial outing in the four-year-old mares’ maiden. This €28,000 Derby sale graduate picked up the running after three out and was travelling best with a two-length advantage when falling at the last. A bright track career seems assured and she was due to be offered at Thursday evening’s Cheltenham festival sale.