HANDLER Gerald Quinn continued his outstanding campaign at Saturday’s North Down Foxhounds meeting at Kirkistown by sending out Lou Prince (5/2 - 4/1) to record a scintillating debut success in the four-year-old maiden.
On an afternoon that saw some 38 horses participate on the six-race card, Lou Prince and Power On Demand took the field of seven newcomers along until the French-bred edged ahead for Noel McParlan with two fences remaining.
Berkstar soon emerged as the biggest danger to the son of Doctor Dino as he moved second on the inner after the penultimate of the 15 obstacles.
It was clear, however, that Lou Prince was travelling best on the run to the last as he unleashed a potent turn of foot, a one that duly saw him coast home by three lengths from runner-up Berkstar, with McParlan looking around for any non-existent dangers inside the final 75 yards.
“He’s a proper horse with a serious turn of foot, and I thought coming here today that he wouldn’t be beaten,” said the in-form Quinn of Lou Prince, his 10th winner incidentally of the season to date.
Support justified
Stuart Crawford kept his supporters happy as he struck with newcomer Ballypollard (5/2 - 3/1 joint-favourite) in the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.
The six-year-old Ballypollard, a €34,000 acquisition at the 2023 Tattersalls Ireland July sale, was put to sleep at the rear of the seven-runner field as seasonal debutant Moneysharvin set out with the intention of making all.
The son of Califet made smooth progress from four out, and he loomed large in Moneysharvin’s wing-mirrors approaching the second-last.
The eventual winner picked up the running well before the last, and he swept clear in the closing stages to account for Moneysharvin by four lengths.
Tom Told Me So more than acquitted himself on his initial outing by securing the minor honours, an additional 13 lengths adrift.
“He’s a nice horse that has a lovely, easy way of going,” reported Crawford of Ballypollard, whose dam is a half-sister to Grade 2 placed hurdles mare My Design.
“He didn’t run last spring as the ground was just that bit too fast and he was then ready to run in the autumn, except that he put up a splint.
“After Stephen [Connor] got banned at Leopardstown last month, I waited to run this horse so that he would be back to ride him.”
Stormed home
Racegoers were treated to a couple of close finishes, none more so than in the novice riders’ open as the Cormac Abernethy-trained City Chief (3/1 - 100/30) came home with a wet sail to provide 20-year-old Cormac Byrne with a seventh career success.
Enda Bolger’s In Excelsis Deo appeared the most likely winner when picking up the running well before the final fence with City Chief, a former four-time winner for Nicky Henderson who was rated 142 over fences in Britain at one stage, still having three horses in front of him at this stage.
City Chief, a £42,000 purchase by current owners Largy Bloodstock at the 2024 Goffs UK Spring Sale, stormed home to cut down In Excelsis Deo in the shadow of the post to oblige by a head.
THE Caroline McCaldin-trained Mackieshill (3/1 - 7/2) completed a double for Orán McGill by supplementing last month’s Farmacaffley maiden success in the winners’ of one.
Dunaird set out with the intention of making all until overtaken by Mister Frostie at the second-last. Dunaird through came back to lead before the final fence, except that Mackieshill and Occupational Force were by now in close proximity.
Mackieshill surged to the front some 75 yards out to thwart Caitlin Grant’s mount Occupational Force by a length with Dunaird dropping to third on the line, a further short-head adrift.
“He’s a tough sort that won well in Armagh [Farmacaffley] and my horses were a bit sick earlier in the season.
“Orán [McGill] gave him a good ride,” remarked the successful handler of her father Wilson Dennison’s Mackieshill.
Important owner
McGill was earlier on the mark aboard his father Gary McGill’s charge Lady Eimile (9/4 - 2/1 favourite) in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden, and the Maghera amateur will have attained immense satisfaction from this success as he also owns the winning daughter of Feels Like Dancing.
Lady Eimile brought the best form to the table in this five-runner contest, considering that she finished second on her previous start at this same venue last month in the race won by Lisbane.
The white-faced Lady Eimile, who traces back to multiple Grade 1 winner Champagne Fever, moved to the head of affairs two out and she had sufficient reserves of stamina left to fend off the fast-finishing Gracehill by one and a quarter lengths.
HANDLER Tom Dreaper was all smiles following the debut success of Techno Davis (3/1 - 100/30) in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden as the French-bred was providing him with an initial success for owner Ronnie Bartlett.
This six-runner contest was run at a cracking tempo with newcomer The Two Four going on from fellow pacesetter On The Razzle approaching two out. Techno Davis made smooth progress into second on the inner with Johnny Barry after this penultimate obstacle, and he moved through to join issue with The Two Four before the last.
The son of No Risk At All, acquired by Ian Ferguson for €160,000 at the 2024 Goffs Arkle sale, was marginally the faster away from the fence, and he then strode clear on the flat to put one and a quarter lengths between himself and The Two Four.
“He’s a gorgeous horse that has always been very straightforward and he has loads of class,” reported Dreaper of Techno Davis, an imposing bay who is out of an own-sister to Grade 2 hurdle winning mare Violin Davis, from the family as former Grade 1 Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Klairon Davis.
Berkstar (M. R. Murphy): This Berkshire-sired newcomer, whose dam is a half-sister to Hong Kong Vase winner Dominant, shaped well on his debut in the four-year-old maiden by quickening into a gap on the inner after two out when arriving to mount a challenge. Whilst duly beaten three lengths into second spot, he still showed enough to suggest that he holds a bright track future.