A SOMEWHAT rare but wonderful, glorious spring afternoon greeted all who were in attendance for the Westmeath hunt spring fixture in Castletown Geoghegan.

Amidst the sunshine, the Stuart Crawford operation unleashed a smart-looking prospect in Monjeu De Chaillac (5/2 - 4/1) to strike in the opening contest of the afternoon, the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

A son of Jeu St Eloi, the winner received a patient ride under Stephen Connor, who was content to watch on from the rear for much of the race.

The winner moved into a clear third two out, and despite having work to do at this point, quickened on the run to the last to dispute the lead with long-time leader and eventual second Menasha, before forging on to a two-and-a-half-length success for the Jet Bloodstock Partnership.

“We were confident coming here today, he’s a horse that shows plenty of speed at home,” Crawford reported. “He’s improved a lot over the last six weeks. It was an option to go to Newbury for the bumper, but just with this project, we’re keen to run as many of them as we can in point-to-points.”

Across the card double

Gorey native Matt Gahon recorded his third winner of the season aboard the Mick Goff-trained Techno Kid (3/1), who scored in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden to seal a quickfire double for the yard, having saddled the winner of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden in Dromahane just minutes earlier.

A grey son of Capri, the winner was sent to the head of affairs from flag fall and produced an exhibition of jumping throughout, gaining lengths from his opposition at each obstacle.

Victory was sealed with a spring-heeled effort at the last as he routed his rivals by some nine lengths in the colours of Caitriona Goff.

Having just his second career start, the grey had finished third on debut in Monksgrange back in March, and the €13,000 store purchase looks to have been well bought at that price.

Just six mares headed to post for the five-year-old and upward mares’ maiden, which provided one of the finishes of the afternoon. It was the Liam O’Farrell-owned and trained Godblessyourosie (5/2) who prevailed by a neck to fend off the long-time front-runner Back In Favour.

The winner came into the contest with arguably the best form in the book, having finished second and third on her two outings last autumn, and despite returning from a mid-season break, she relished conditions and stayed on powerfully to the line.

Having raced in mid-division for much of the race, she moved into a clear third and was hard ridden on the long run to the last, and showed a battling spirit to get up by a neck under a strong Adam Lord ride, to double the rider’s tally for the season.

“I nearly got brought down on the first circuit, and I was conscious to just let her creep into it. I didn’t want to force her,” Lord reported.

“She jumped the third last very well and latched onto the two in front. Once I got to the top of the hill, I got the gap, and she really rallied between them.”

THE local race of the afternoon, an adjacent winners’ race, attracted six runners for the Frankie Kiernan Memorial Cup.

Three almost formed a line approaching the last, but it was to be the Michael Ronayne-owned, trained and bred Notsomethingelse (4/1) who stayed on to score by two and a half lengths to gain a much-credited success having not been out of the top three in her last five runs.

Having been waited with patiently in rear for much of the contest, the winner made smooth headway under Ollie Gilligan to move into a challenging position three from the finish.

“We thought she would have won long ago, but she just kept meeting one a little bit better than her. She’s the unluckiest mare; everything happens to this mare,” explained Ronayne.

All for sport

“We always thought she had ability, so we said we would keep going with her. This is only for sport me and my daughter, we go off racing for the craic, and this is what this is.”

Thrilling finishes were the theme of the afternoon, and the open contest did not disappoint in this regard with Macs Charm (6/4 favourite) prevailing by a length and a half to fend off the challenge of Longhouse Star.

Trained by Ciaran Murphy, he went one better than his previous outing in Oldcastle recently and continued the red-hot form of the yard. The 11-year-old winner was never far off the pace and travelled well from a long way out under Mathew Love to throw down a strong challenge approaching the last.

Although half a length down at the last, the winner battled gamely to the line to prevail by two and a half lengths for the Coolderry Farm Partnership.

THE six-year-old geldings’ maiden went the way of the Gordon Elliott-trained Irinas Path (6/4 favourite).

Having previously been plying his trade on the track, the switch back an older maiden between the flags saw him to good effect and ran out a two-and-a-half-length winner for owner Liz Graham.

The son of Coastal Path was never far off the pace in this small field of runners and moved into a share of the lead three out before quickening into a half-length advantage approaching the last.

He stayed on powerfully to the line under Josh Halford to defeat Orkneys Jack by two and a half lengths.

Horse to follow

Menasha (C. Bowe): He produced a fine effort on debut to only go down by two and a half lengths. A son of No Risk At All, he made every inch of the running only to be collared after the last from a rival who came from off the pace.