COMPETITION was intense at Sunday’s Dromahane meeting staged under the auspices of the Killeady Harriers, and the Rob James-trained/ridden Star Affinity booked his ticket for this past Thursday’s Goffs sale at Punchestown by posting a debut success in the first division of the four-year-old maiden.
Star Affinity (4/1 - 5/1), one of seven newcomers in the 10-runner field, disputed the running until leading from the third of the 15 fences.
The son of Affinisea, a €25,000 foal purchase at the 2022 Tattersalls Ireland November sale, gave an assured round of fencing in front.
The mid-April foal rose his effort from the second last to power clear approaching the final fence, dismising the fast-finishing L’Horizon by four and a half lengths.
“He’s a lovely horse that likes good ground. He also comes from the same family as Shishkin, and that’s one of the reasons that we bought him as a foal,” said James of the Matchmaker Syndicate-owned Star Affinity.
In fine form
Sean Doyle has his team in rude health, and he combined with Jamie Scallan to post a double, opening their account with debutant Prime Contender (5/2 - 3/1) in the second division of this same four-year-old maiden.
The British-bred was sourced for €40,000 at last year’s Goffs Arkle sale, and picked up the running before the third-last only to be overtaken by runner-up Magimax before two out.
The son of Nathaniel then narrowly regained the initiative before the last. With Magimax blundering here when just a half-length adrift in second spot and crucially losing valuable momentum, the Monbeg Partnership-owned bay asserted on the flat to beat Harley Dunne’s charge by two and a half lengths.
“He loved the good ground here and Jamie [Scallan] said that he travelled and jumped.
“He will now go to the Punchestown sale,” reported Doyle of Prime Contender, a late April foal and whose dam Via Delle Volte was a Grade 3-placed juvenile hurdler by Motivator.
Lines Crossed (7/4 - 2/1 favourite) completed the Doyle/Scallan brace by returning from a six-month break to collect the first division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
The son of Malinas picked up the running before three out and stormed clear from the last to account for Dshipdatnevrsailed by eight and a half lengths in the same Monbeg Partnership silks that were earlier carried to success by Prime Contender.
JOHNNY Barry dominated the meeting by partnering three winners, including two that were supplied by John Murphy.
Barry got off the mark by teaming up with Murphy to land the second division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden on Crookhaven (2/1 – 9/4 favourite), runner-up on his Ballycahane debut in early March.
The Jack Hobbs-sired Crookhaven was put to sleep at the back of the eight-runner field and only commenced his move before three out. The British-bred gelding swept through to lead on the inner at the second last and he was always containing Texan Outlaw thereafter, four lengths the ultimate winning margin.
“He has always been a nice horse, and I was surprised that he got beaten in Ballycahane. He ideally wants good ground and also has loads of speed,“ said handler Murphy of Crookhaven, a £25,000 acquisition at the 2024 Goffs UK spring sale in Doncaster.
Barry signed off by once again combining with Murphy to carry the Crookhaven colours of the Highfort Partnership 2 silks to victory aboard Loopy Mag (2/1 - 3/1) in the five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunt maiden.
Confident ride
The five-year-old Loopy Mag, having pulled up on his Curraghmore debut on Easter Sunday, was similarly ridden with confidence, and he came through to pick up the running after two out to thwart favourite Ballintemple King by two and a half lengths.
The Tony Black-trained Scintillo (3/1 - 4/1) provided Barry with his remaining success in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.
The five-year-old made amends for pulling up when sent off favourite on her Lingstown debut in March by making all the running at a frenetic pace.
The daughter of Walk In The Park was almost joined by Cougarontheloose three out. However, Scintillo was in control approaching the second last, and she then stormed clear to repel Cougarontheloose by 10 lengths in the colours of joint breeder Eclipse Bloodstock Ltd.
“I was expecting a performance like that in Lingstown last month, but she may not have been right that day. She will probably be sold now,” disclosed handler Black’s son Richard of Scintillo.
EUGENE O’Sullivan kept his many supporters happy by saddling Made U Look (6/1 - 8/1) to spring a mild surprise under Tommy Aherne in the novice riders winners of two.
The seven-year-old Made U Look made progress from mid-division to move into third before the last, and he assumed command 100 yards out to eclipse Tuff Days by one and a half lengths in the colours of absent Galwegian Alfie Lawless.
Empty-handed
Tuff Day’s handler ‘Trixie” Barry didn’t leave empty-handed as he joined forces with Cal Shine to collect the open aboard Bartlemy Boy (2/1 - 9/4), who was posting a fifth points success.
The towering eight-year-old edged closer from two out, and he mastered long-time leader Heroes Of Renown some 50 yards out to deny Aislinn O’Connor’s mount by a half-length.
Barry indicated that his wife Mary Hayes’ Bartlemy Boy will now attempt to win this month’s Killarney hunters chase for the second consecutive year.
Horse to follow
Magimax (H. D. Dunne): This newcomer by Maxios, a half-brother to Grade 3-placed hurdling mare Mel Monroe, still held every chance when erring at the last in the second division of the four-year-old maiden. He was then beaten two and a half lengths into second spot and a bright track career seems assured.