WHAT better way to conclude the season than in the picturesque surrounds of Inchdoney Island for the annual Clonakilty meeting and handler Sean Doyle saddled two winners at last Sunday’s 25th anniversary of the Carbery Foxhounds fixture.
Both of Doyle’s Monbeg Partnership-owned winners were partnered by rider Sean Staples, with the in-form duo signing off courtesy of Fiyero (2/1 - 3/1 joint-favourite) in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Fiyero was waited with at the rear of the six-runner field. Having run somewhat green on occasion, he moved closer on the stiff ascent from the fourth last of the 15 obstacles.
The son of Getaway came through to challenge long-time leader Boy Of Montego Bay three out and there was then little to separate the pair when the pace-setter erred at the penultimate fence, losing valuable momentum in the process.
Fiyero landed the faster over the last and he then stayed on strongly to deny Boy Of Montego Bay by two lengths.
“He’s a lovely looking horse that’s still a bit green and he will be a cracking horse after getting a summer’s break. He will now go to the Fairyhouse sale on Thursday,” said Doyle of Fiyero, a €30,000 Derby sale graduate.
Bright brace
Shinealight (4/6 - evens favourite) initiated the Doyle/Staples brace in the four-year-old mares’ maiden, a race that saw just three runners going to post.
Shinealight always travelled well off the pace as Eagle River and Last To Know vied for supremacy up front. The winning daughter of Soldier Of Fortune came through to lead three out and was left to come home alone as her sole remaining rival Eagle River fell when some two and a half lengths adrift at the penultimate obstacle.
“She’s a nice filly that will do well for someone on the track,” commented Doyle of the 2024 Fairyhouse July sale graduate Shinealight that’s out of an own-sister to Harry Fry’s 160-rated chaser Boothill.
WILLIE Murphy likewise will have excellent reason to recall this meeting, as the Co Carlow-based owner/trainer also sent out two winners with his brace completed by Monfin Girl (5/1 - 13/2) in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.
The six-year-old Monfin Girl, one of a pair of debutants in the line-up, came from well off the pace with Pa King to lead from two out. The favourite Chiroqui Princess arrived to hold every chance at the last, but the daughter of Westerner pulled out that bit more to deny the market leader by a half-length in what was the closest finish of the afternoon.
“She’s a good staying mare that probably wants the ground softer than it was here. She will now go to the sale in Fairyhouse on Thursday,” remarked Murphy of Monfin Girl.
Front-runner
Murphy opened his account for the afternoon courtesy of the Patrick Gleeson-ridden Boley Bob (6/1 - 8/1) in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Having a third career start and equipped with cheekpieces, Boley Bob employed different tactics to those of Monfin Girl, as he was positioned at the head of affairs throughout.
Whilst joined two out by runner-up Aberfeldy, the victorious son of Snow Sky swept clear on the flat to contain Luke Murphy’s mount by three-parts of a length.
Boley Boy, whose dam Robyns Pride finished second in a race at this same venue in 2010, hails from the immediate family of Corbetts Cross and the bay likewise was bound for this past Thursday’s Tattersalls Ireland sale.
ON an afternoon that saw some of the former mainstays of this meeting, such as the late Edward O’Driscoll, John Sexton, Kevin O’Connor and politician Joe Walsh, remembered by Jim Kenny in his address, it was entirely appropriate that there was a locally-trained winner in the closing six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden in the form of Ray Hurley’s Ask Jeruflo (5/2 - 3/1 favourite).
The nine-year-old, whom Jenny Moore shares with handler Hurley, made a pleasing return to action by coming fourth in the Dawstown adjacent hunts’ maiden earlier this month and the son of Ask moved through to lead approaching three out.
Whilst then erring two out and similarly giving his supporters another anxious moment at the last, Ask Jeruflo readily asserted with Michael Kenneally on the flat to eclipse Cooleagh by one and a half lengths.
D Journey Man meanwhile secured the minor honours, a further five and a half lengths adrift, having been eased in the closing stages when unable to cope with the front pair.
Consistent
The Harry Kelly-trained Mickey Hulie (3/1 - 4/1) landed a thrilling renewal of the winners of two with Alan O’Sullivan in the plate.
A most consistent sort that was placed on his two most recent starts in winners’ grade at Bandon and Ballysteen, the five-year-old Mickey Hulie came through to lead under 100 yards out to beat Colin Bowe’s Theatrical Getaway by three-parts of a length with the latter’s stable companion Practice Run returning a similar margin adrift in third.
“We came here hoping that he would win and we’ll give him a break before going to the racecourse, provided that he’s not sold,” reported handler Kelly of Mickie Hulie, owned and bred by John Nicholson.
Horse to Follow
Boy Of Montego Bay (M. Goff): This French-bred by Dink went out on his shield in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden. Having led until he was joined three out, a penultimate fence error put paid to his chances, but he was still only beaten two lengths into second and compensation should be effortlessly attained in due course.