THERE was some ultra-competitive fare at Sunday’s Doneraile Harriers fixture in Dromahane and the ‘Trixie Barry’-trained Bartlemy Boy impressed by coming home as he pleased in the open that was restricted to non-graded winners.

The giant-sized seven-year-old Bartlemy Boy (5/4 - evens favourite), who was most impressive on his previous start in a Liscarroll winners’ contest on March 30th, was also positioned on the pace as recent Taylorstown runner-up Champagne Court set out with the intention of making all.

The eventual winner picked up the running with three fences remaining and was clearly travelling best with Alan O’Sullivan from the penultimate of the 13 obstacles. He was driven clear approaching the last to dismiss Champagne Court by six lengths.

Last season’s Tipperary maiden hunter chase winner Grange Soldier meanwhile showed a return to form by securing the minor honours, a further length adrift.

Fermoy-based operator Barry commented of his wife Mary Hayes’ British-bred: “He’s a horse that’s improving the whole time and this was just his third run of the year. He could now go for the hunter chase at Tipperary and I hope that he will be a nice hunter chaser going forwards.”

Gripping finish

Those present were treated to a gripping finish in the winners’ of one for novice riders with five horses covered by just two lengths on the run to the final fence, as Johnny K still held a fractional advantage.

Johnny K, however, blundered here and it was Headcorn (6/1 - 8/1) that touched down in front, landing running in the process, and this season’s Cragmore runner-up then stayed on determinedly with trainer Michael Phillips’ daughter Hannah Phillips to account for Second Subaltern by two lengths.

Handler Phillips, himself a former southern regional champion rider, remarked of the Tessa Foreman-owned eight-year-old Headcorn: “He did it well, but I don’t think that he has really shown his true ability as of yet. We’ll school him over banks and he’ll hopefully come back again to run in points next season.”

There was yet another family success in the second division of the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden as Belclare runner-up Somersby Roost (4/1 - 6/1) returned to the number one slot under hander Pat O’Rourke’s son Jimmy O’Rourke, despite having to contend with a slipped saddle over the final couple of furlongs.

Somersby Roost, having finished sixth on her most recent outing at Lisronagh in late March, came through to lead from two out and she held a slender advantage when jumping right-handed at the final fence.

Soon back on an even keel, Somersby Roost was too strong for favourite One Day In May on the flat with two and a half lengths separating the pair.

The elder O’Rourke remarked of his wife Phyllis’ Somersby Roost, a 2023 Tattersalls Ireland July sale graduate whose dam is a half-sister to Grade 1 chase winner Somersby: “She was in season after she ran in Lisronagh the last day. She’s our second winner of the year and I couldn’t believe that I got 10/1 about her here. She’ll probably now be sold.”

JONATHAN Fogarty kept his many supporters happy by sending out newcomer Wyoming Line (5/2 - 3/1) to score in the four-year-old maiden.

The Doctor Dino-sired Wyoming Line, one of the definite paddock picks beforehand, always took the eye in running as favourite Ionian led from the third-fence.

Wyoming Line was sent through by Finian Maguire to dispute the running well before three out and he was joined by The Burren Man from this third-last fence.

The winning French-bred, the first horse that Fogarty has trained for Walter Connors, edged ahead approaching two out and he drew clear on the flat to beat The Burren Man in visually-taking fashion by four lengths with a similar margin back to Splendid Fellow in third.

Wyoming Line, a €70,000 buy back at last year’s Derby sale, is out of the Kapgarde-sired mare La Garde Royale who won three races in addition to being listed placed at Auteuil, and he was quickly added to Thursday’s Goffs sale after racing at the Punchestown Festival.

Chasing prospect

The trainer’s brother Mikey Fogarty disclosed of the embryonic chasing prospect Wyoming Line: “We loved him when we saw him at the Derby sale last year and Walter [Connors] then sent him to us. His homework has always been good.”

Mick Goff’s seasonal debutant El Bugsy (7/1 - 10/1) provided rider Matt Gahan with a fourth career success by destroying the opposition in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

El Bugsy, a creditable third on the final of his three forays last term at Inchydoney, swept to the front after four out and he galloped on relentlessly from the second-last to dispose of dead-heaters Up To Trix and Noble Run by an increasing 13 and a half lengths in the silks of his trainer’s wife Caitriona Goff. The El Salvador-sired El Bugsy traces back to Cyborgo.

MARK O’Flynn, a 19-year-old that hails from Glenville, experienced a red-letter afternoon as he recorded an initial career success aboard his boss Jonathan Sweeney’s newcomer Ludovico Sforza (4/1 - 5/1) in the older geldings’ maiden.

Ludovico Sforza, owned and bred by John Fitzgerald from Crecora, landed second over the final fence and the seven-year-old overtook runner-up Oh Really in the very dying strides to oblige by a neck in the afternoon’s closest finish.

Handler Sweeney was wholesome in his praise of the winning rider. He reported: “Mark [O’Flynn] rides out with me every day until lunchtime. He’s a great horseman and a good worker that also comes from a very nice family. I’m really thrilled for him.”

Long-standing ally

Derek O’Connor got on the scoresheet by teaming up with long-standing ally Robert Tyner to collect the first division of the five-year-old mares’ maiden aboard newcomer Frankies Fortune (6/4 - 2/1 favourite).

The white-faced Frankies Fortune overcame a penultimate fence error by storming into the lead before the last, then asserting to return with three and a half lengths to spare over Down The Valley in the colours of the two-member One In The Barrell Syndicate from Riverstick.

Tyner intimated that Frankies Fortune, whom Jason O’Reilly has played a major role with at home, could now be sold.

Splendid Fellow (R J McGrath): This newcomer by Sholokhov, out of a half-sister to Tom Taaffe’s former Coral Cup Hurdle winner Ninetieth Minute, made an excellent debut in the four-year-old maiden by staying on for third spot. An early May foal, he should develop into a nice track prospect.