WITH the Lismore Harriers meeting at Dungarvan surviving an early-morning inspection on Sunday, the Alan Ahern-trained Jerry The Dreamer (4/1 - 5/1) recorded a battling success under Johnny Barry in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The well-supported Mossy Fen King mostly took the field along in this nine-runner contest until overtaken by Go Down Rockin approaching the penultimate of the 14 obstacles.

Go Down Rockin then appeared the most likely winner as he held in the region of a three-length advantage when blundering at the last.

With Mossy Fen King having no more to offer in second, Jerry The Dreamer and Coolishael arrived to hold every chance on the long run-in as Go Down Rockin’s advantage was reduced.

It was Knockbally Partnership-owned Jerry The Dreamer that seized the initiative by storming past Go Down Rockin over 100 yards out to thwart Barry O’Neill’s mount by a length.

“I thought that he had come on since Aghabullogue, and we rode him more prominently today. He will now go to a sale,” said handler Ahern of the Blue Bresil-sired Jerry The Dreamer, a €12,500 foal purchase who was providing him with an initial success of the campaign.

Kieran Roche is experiencing a stellar run, and the Adamstown-based handler brought his seasonal tally to five winners, from just 11 runners, following the victory of Be Useful (2/1 - 5/2) in the five-year-old mares’ maiden.

Be Useful got into a lovely rhythm for Jamie Scallan in second as she tracked favourite Push Push.

The winning daughter of Ol’ Man River challenged Push Push on the outer from four out until establishing a narrow advantage approaching the second-last.

Be Useful was clearly possessing all the aces in front on the run to the final fence and, whilst blundering here, she still bounded clear to dismiss Push Push by a widening six lengths in the colours of Roche’s long-standing patron Mick Kenny.

“She’s a nice mare that came forward from her first run at Umma House, and she will probably now go to the Goffs sale next month,” said Roche of Be Useful.

EMILY Costello is leading her rivals a merry dance in this season’s ladies’ championship, and the Co Clare native brought her tally for the term to eight by teaming up with Pat Doyle to win the novice riders’ open aboard Hunters Yarn (evens favourite).

A former six-time track winner that held a rating of 152 over fences when under the care of Willie Mullins, Hunters Yarn has really blossomed since casting his attentions to the pointing sphere this term as he also won opens with Miss Costello at Moig South and Aghabullogue.

He eased through to challenge King Alex approaching two out, and he momentarily appeared in trouble on the run to the last as Garrett Ahern’s aforementioned charge still held the call.

Hunters Yarn though, still had to be asked for maximum effort with Simon Munir and Isaac Souede’s ‘double green’ performer surging past the gallant King Alex some 150 yards to oblige by an increasing three lengths.

Handler Doyle remarked of the nine-year-old Hunters Yarn: “He’s a grand horse and the track may not have really suited him, but Emily gave him a great ride. He will probably now go for the hunters chase at Naas next month or else the Tetretema Cup at Gowran in March.”

DARRAGH Allen dominated the Dungarvan = fixture by recording a three-timer with the Araglen native attaining a most praiseworthy feat by posting a 100th points success aboard his opening winner of the afternoon, Miss Appleberry (5/2 - 3/1 co-favourite) in the older mares’ maiden.

The Terence O’Brien-trained Miss Appleberry was always positioned close to the pace on the outer in this seven-runner contest.

She edged into a narrow advantage two out and, having been faster away from the final fence than Tiffiny’s Girl, the Derrick Mossop-owned seven-year-old gave her supporters near heart palpitations by coming off a straight line after the last.

This allowed Tiffiny’s Girl to join issue on the run-in, but Miss Appleberry still fought back to assert inside the final 50 yards en-route to eclipsing Tiffiny’s Girl by a half-length in what was the day’s closest finish.

The 31-year-old amateur then combined with Paul Kiely to collect the adjacent hunts’ maiden aboard the mare Somethinghonest (4/1 - 5/1), owned and bred by Dungarvan native Michael Ronayne.

The six-year-old Somethinghonest, having come a creditable fourth on debut at Ballindenisk in late November, disputed the running from three out until Wrong Decision came through to lead approaching the penultimate obstacle.

The eventual winner led away from this second last fence, except that she had company in Wrong Decision and Howyasox taking off at the last.

With the latter exiting here, the daughter of Idaho mastered Wrong Decision on the flat to score by two lengths.

The Araglen native brought up his hat-trick aboard Padraig Butler’s Vals Charm (evens favourite) in the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

Recent Ballindenisk runner-up Vals Charm assumed command from after two out to beat April O’Reilly’s mount Tea In The Park by a resounding four lengths.

Ballinhassig-based operator Butler suggested that his brother J.J.’s Vals Charm will now contest a winners’ race, provided that he is not sold.

Horse to follow

Go Down Rockin (C. Bowe): A runner-up on his Kirkistown debut in November, this son of Walk In The Park stepped forward from his most recent third-placed Tinahely effort by finishing second in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden, having appeared the likely winner when blundering in the lead at the final fence. Consolation should prove a formality over the coming weeks.