THERE was some stellar fare at Sunday’s Kilkenny Foxhounds meeting at Damma House and the four-year-old maiden was a most eventful contest.
Little over a half-length covered the first four home with the Caroline McCaldin-trained Harper Brown (4/1 - 5/1) surging to the fore in the shadow of the post to oblige under Orán McGill.
Eight horses faced the starter in this opening contest with Highland Brook and Silent Reckoning vying for supremacy up front until favourite Dok Holiday came through to dispute the running after two out.
The Walk In The Park-sired Harper Brown made up almost six lengths storming up the incline to lead just before the line, beating dead-heaters’ Bushman and Doc Holiday by a short-head.
“He ran well to come fourth on his only start at Kirkistown last season, but then got sick and wasn’t fully fit in Portrush. He will now go to the Cheltenham sales,” remarked Down-based handler McCaldin of her father Wilson Dennison’s €58,000 foal purchase at the 2022 Goffs December sale.
Patient ride
Nicole Lockhead Anderson gave her boss Sam Curling’s Dr Pep (2/1 - 9/4) a waiting ride to collect the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden on the French-bred’s return from a near 20-month sabbatical.
Dr Pep, absent since finishing third at Nenagh in March of last year, was still last of the five runners as Eddie The Legend and Beau Coup tussled at the head of affairs on the approach to the penultimate of the 16 obstacles.
The six-year-old effortlessly came through to challenge runner-up Beau Coup at the last, then striking the front shortly after this final fence to beat Caitlin Grant’s mount by a length.
Owner/trainer Curling reported of Dr Pep: “He met with a bit of a setback as a spring five-year-old and hadn’t all that much work done coming here. I told Nicole to take her time, she gave him a great ride and he’ll now go for a winners’ race.”
Brave success
Benny Walsh’s grey Leo Brave Fe (4/1 - 5/1), who pulled up on his only previous start at this same meeting a year ago, won the five-year-old geldings’ maiden in the hands of Barry Stone.
Leo Brave Fe, having always been well positioned, assumed command after three out and the son of Brave Mansonnien was clearly containing runner-up Impact Sub from before the bypassed final fence with six lengths the winning margin.
Leo Brave Fe, a half-brother to Grade 3 Auteuil-placed chasing mare Lola Oak, is shared by Richard Busher with Crossgales Stables Partnership.
THE Ian McCarthy-trained Hearts And Spades (evens - 4/5 favourite), last season’s champion pointer with eight successes to his credit, lit up the fixture by making a taking winning return to action in the open.
Bold Enough had just moved through to dispute the running alongside Pat Coyne when the latter exited five out and the winner easily moved into third spot at the fourth last. Hearts And Spades was soon eased back a notch by regular partner Eoin Mahon and he came through to hit the front after the second last.
Life In The Park briefly gave the winner something to think about, but the French-bred asserted inside the final 50 yards to dismiss Alexandra Butler’s charge by three-parts of a length.
“It’s nice to start back and the track around here would have been plenty sharp for him,” said handler McCarthy of his wife Nicki’s Hearts And Spades. “He will probably now go for the hunter chase at Fairyhouse next week.”
Juke finds winning piece
The Jim O’Neill-owned/trained seasonal debutant Jigsaw Juke (4/1 - 5/1) displayed battling qualities for Brian Dunleavy to collect the winners’ of two.
The seven-year-old, a maiden winner at Lingstown in November last year, regained the lead setting out on the final circuit, with two challengers for company in Sir Topham Hatt and Supreme Walk after three out.
Jigsaw Juke though fought off the pair on the run to the last, returning with two and three-quarter lengths to spare over Sir Topham Hatt.
“He got a few different setbacks and he’s a lovely sort to have around the place at home with the young horses,” disclosed O’Neill of Jigsaw Duke.
“He’ll go for another winners’ race next and we might try him in a hunter chase at some stage after that.”
THE Eugene O’Sullivan-trained Shannon’s Rainbow (5/2 - 3/1) atoned for pulling up on her career debut at Loughrea three weeks earlier by landing the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.
The daughter of Jukebox Jury came from off the pace to go second after three out and took the measure of long-time leader Ailes D’Aigles 100 yards out to score by a widening three lengths under owner Sabrina Maguire’s son Finian.
This success will have evoked special memories for the Maguire family as the 2023 Goffs Arkle sale graduate is out of a half-sister to Nicky Henderson’s Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Finian’s Rainbow, whom Sabrina’s husband Adrian started off in points as five-year-old in 2008. Shannon’s Rainbow is also named after the Maguires’ daughter Shannon who fittingly led up the victorious six-year-old on Sunday.
Horse to follow
Highland Brook (J. P. Berry): This son of Highland Reel, a well-built bay that’s a brother to five track winners, was disputing the running when blundering at the last in the four-year-old maiden. Whilst he came back to hold every chance in the closing stages, he was beaten just over a half-length into fourth.