THERE was some outstanding fare at Sunday’s Waterford Foxhounds fixture on the Curraghmore Estate outside Portlaw, and the meeting is one that will live long in the memory of 17-year-old James Crowley from Ballinamult as he partnered an initial career winner aboard his father Pat’s Suspect Getaway in the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden for novice riders.
Suspect Getaway (6/1 - 4/1), who was still leading when cannoned into by a loose horse and then being carried out after the second-last on his previous start at Knockanohill on March 15th, made progress before halfway to lead from six out in this 14-runner contest.
The son of Getaway, still owned by his former handler Virginia Considine, was clearly travelling best in the lead after his closest pursuer Champagne Order erred two out.
With Champagne Order unseating when held in second some eight lengths adrift at the last, Suspect Getaway came home 14 lengths clear of newcomer Pride Of George.
Trainer Crowley, himself a former accomplished amateur rider, reported of Suspect Getaway: “It was great that Virg [Considine] gave Suspect Getaway down to us for James to ride, and today is a wonderful day for us all. “
Officer leads them home
The Jonathan Fogarty-trained Lead Officer (6/4 - 2/1 favourite) booked his passage for the Goffs UK sale after racing at Aintree on Thursday evening, following his debut success in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Lead Officer, a rare points runner for Trueshan’s sire Planteur, was always positioned quite close to the pace, and the British-bred moved through to dispute the running with fellow debutant and runner-up Crystal Wings at the penultimate of the 13 obstacles.
The pair accelerated clear of their rivals, and engaged in a ding-dong tussle on take-off for the final fence.
Lead Officer landed running as Crystal Wings blundered, the bay then drawing clear for Finian Maguire to oblige by two lengths.
“He’s very easy to train, all he does is eat and sleep. He’s the first horse that I’ve had by the sire,” commented Fogarty of the Gaynestown Stud Partnership-owned Lead Officer.
Top-shelf success
Crystal Wings’ handler Robert Tector and rider Barry Stone didn’t leave empty-handed as they earlier combined to collect the four-year-old mares’ maiden with Whiskeyontherocks (2/1 - 5/2 joint-favourite).
Whilst already having to be ridden when blundering three out, Whiskeyontherocks gamely responded by moving through to dispute the running with Twin Flame approaching the second-last.
The daughter of Doyen, a €9,000 Derby sale graduate, then forged clear after this penultimate obstacle to account for the always-prominent Twin Flame by four lengths.
“She’s a very tough filly that there’s no end to at home. I’m delighted that Conor Martin, who owns a leg in her, is here today,” said Tector of the Gret Glen Bloodstock-owned Whiskeyontherocks, who was likewise added to this Thursday’s Goffs UK sale in Aintree.
NICK Stokes appears to have a potentially decent prospect on his hands in Jet Bay (4/1 - 5/1) as the Jet Away-sired newcomer destroyed the opposition in the second division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden. A €20,000 Goffs Arkle sale acquisition who presently represents his trainer’s wife Anna, Jet Bay always travelled with purpose for Adam Feeney in mid-division, and he eased through to lead from two out.
The Tipperary challenger then bounded clear before the last and, with closest pursuer Nowihaveya unseating at this final fence when in the region of six lengths adrift at the time, he returned with 14 lengths to spare over long-time leader The Real Diego. Handler Stokes remarked: “He’s a nice horse that was bought off Peter Molony at the Goffs Arkle sale. All he has done since is grown. His breeder rang me a while back, and I told him that I would get some form on this fellow ahead of the sales this summer.”
For sale
Vinnie Devereux sent out last month’s Cheltenham Festival winner Meetmebythesea to finish second in a Monksgrange four-year-old maiden in March 2024, and the south Wexford operator struck with the similarly-named Meetmebythelake (7/1 - 10/1) in the first division of this same contest.
Meetmebythelake, owned by his handler’s father, James Devereux, but in whom Maurice Day also holds an interest, was always positioned on the pace, and he assumed command from two out to thwart Macdonagh Park by three lengths in the hands of Shane O’Rourke.
The indications are the Ocovango-sired Meetmebythelake will now be sold.
THE Willie Murphy-trained Johnny K (2/1 - 3/1), owned and bred by The O’Toole Family Partnership, went one better than he did on his previous outing at Ballycrystal last month by coming home as he pleased under Pa King in the winners-of-one.
Last season’s Loughbrickland maiden winner got into a lovely rhythm and, having taken the eye from four out, he readily forged to the front at the second-last to dismiss Maison De Balzac by eight lengths.
Murphy, who also sent out former pointer Clonmeen to win a €26, 000 handicap chase at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday, suggested that the seven-year-old Johnny K could now contest a hunters chase.
Mark Scallan, also on the mark with Sittin Ona Fortune at Quakerstown, completed a memorable afternoon by saddling The Ocean Queen (5/2 - 11/4 favourite) to record a smooth success under Luke Murphy in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.
The Ocean Queen, runner-up to recent Warwick bumper winner Burds Of A Feather on her only previous start at Dromahane in December, made all the running to beat Affiniseaandbeyond by an unextended eight lengths in the colours of Billy Bates.
Horse to Follow
Crystal Wings (R. Tector): This newcomer by Crystal Ocean still held every chance in a dispute of the lead when blundering at the final fence in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden and was duly beaten two lengths into second spot by Lead Officer.