SOFT ground and testing conditions set the tone for the Stonehall Harriers fixture at Moig South last Sunday, where recent rainfall had eased the going at the Askeaton venue.
The opening four-year-old maiden attracted a field of 10 and, in a true test of stamina, it was the Patrick Farrell-trained newcomer Lord Du Gouet (4/1) who showed a game attitude by staying on well in the closing stages under Pa King to reel in A Real Banter and score by a length, with Champagne Blue the only other finisher in third.
Owned by his trainer’s father, Harry Farrell, the son of Jeu St Eloi comes from the same outfit that produced the likes of Colonel Harry and Supreme Jet, and he appears to have all the qualities of a promising chaser in the making. “He was bought privately from Altenbach Bloodstock,” Farrell explained.
“Thomas Whitehead recommended him, and to be honest, I think he’ll improve again for better ground. We’re from Carlow, and I work for Willie Murphy. I use his gallop, so a lot of thanks to him as well.”
Well-timed ride
Rob James gained swift compensation for the narrow defeat of A Real Banter when, 30 minutes later, he produced a confident and well-timed ride to land the four-year-old auction maiden aboard McElhattan (5/2 - 2/1 joint-favourite) for handler Mark Scallan.
An eye-catching runner-up on debut at Peppards Castle in October, the son of Yeats was settled in mid-division before being angled wide to deliver his challenge from the landing side of the penultimate fence.
McElhattan quickly asserted, pulling clear of the field, and a fluent leap at the last sealed an impressive four-and-a-half-length success over runner-up, Boise Bluebird.
“It probably just didn’t work out for him at Peppards Castle,” Scallan reflected. “He’s a tough, hardy horse by Yeats and he’s heading to the sales now. He cost €15,000 at Goffs Arkle Sale, and he’s owned by Billy Bates, Ray Rochford and myself.”
Mares’ maiden
A field of nine faced the starter for the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden and, with no rider initially keen to make the running, the race unfolded at a notably steady tempo, leaving many still in contention turning for home.
Owned by the Maghtera Syndicate, Connemara Shore (3/1 - 4/1) made full use of her previous track experience, staying poised in the main group before being delivered right on time by David Doyle to strike after the final fence and secure a length success from Rebels Dream for handler Robert Tyner.
Speaking afterwards, Tyner noted that the easier going had played to the winner’s strengths. “The bit of experience from running on the track is always a help coming back point-to-pointing,” he explained.
“Soft ground is key to her, and that’s why we came here. Tom Healy, Ruth Healy, and Martin Bourke are all part of the syndicate, and they’ll have plenty of sport with her when she returns to the track.”
THE open division has welcomed several exciting new recruits this season, and few made a bigger impression than the 152-rated chaser Hunters Yarn (2/1 - 5/2), who announced his arrival with a commanding eight-length victory in the Ladies’ Open under the in-form Emily Costello.
Having tasted listed success on the track while also recording a fifth-place Arkle Novices Chase finish at the Cheltenham Festival in 2024, the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned eight-year-old is once again under the care of handler Pat Doyle, who had trained him to an initial bumper success at Thurles in March 2021.
Hunters Yarn was also providing Costello with her fifth winner from just seven rides between the flags this season, and the Suirview Stables handler was quick to praise a rider whose star continues to rise.
Unsung heroes
“Emily is a very good horsewoman,” Doyle commented. “Her dad was a great horseman, he rode winners for me a long time ago and was one of the unsung heroes in my book. She’s a lucky girl to be riding some nice horses, but she’s not missing and that’s very important.”
Co Cork rider Chris O’Donovan marked a successful return to point-to-pointing after an 18-month absence when steering the Tom Keating-owned and trained Begger (7/2) to victory in the five-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.
O’Donovan, an accomplished rider with more than 100 winners to his name and long regarded as one of the go-to riders on the Cork-Waterford circuit, showed no signs of rust on his return to the fold as he sent the son of Workforce to the front after the second-last fence before driving him out on the run-in to secure a two-length success over runner-up, Coolcullen.
“Chris is back in riding out with me the whole time,” Keating explained. “I’d been waiting for soft ground for this horse because it really suits him. He was a €20,000 Goffs Arkle Sale purchase from Ivy Rothwell, and he’s for sale again now.”
THE concluding winner-of-two for novice riders delivered a memorable local success as the well-supported Cresthill (5/4 - 6/4 favourite) justified favouritism with a bold front-running performance for handler Michael Flannery, giving rider Tommy Aherne a second career success.
Previously placed in open company earlier this month, the seven-year-old relished the drop in grade as he poached an early lead from flag fall and had stretched his advantage to 20 lengths going out on the final circuit.
Rapturous delight
Though driven out in the closing stages, he always appeared in control and crossed the line to the rapturous delight of his owners, finishing four-and-a-half lengths clear of Dromleigh.
“The whole syndicate are here!” laughed Flannery as he tried to find space in the packed winners’ enclosure.
“They’re all from a pub up the road, the Top of the Town Bar in Askeaton. We sat down around a table about three months ago and came up with a plan. I said he’d run in three point-to-points, and I’d get him to Askeaton for them and, if there was a winners’ of one, we’d take plenty of beating. As it turned out, it was a winners’ of two, but we all wanted to come here, and the plan worked out.”
Horse to follow
Boise Bluebird (M. C. Griffin) is a son of Idaho out of a Flemensfirth mare who ran an excellent race on debut to finish runner-up to a more experienced winner.
A €13,000 graduate of Tattersalls July Sale, he is sure to step forward for this initial experience and will be interesting to follow on his next start.