THE Island Foxhounds returned to Peppards Castle for a second consecutive year, following their successful inaugural fixture at the scenic venue near the Wexford coastline last season.
Racegoers were treated to an afternoon of thrilling action, with a six-race card providing plenty of excitement from start to finish and bookended with close-fought finishes.
The closest finish of the day came in the very first race, when the judge had to be called upon to separate Yellow Warning (5/1 - 6/1) and Jetaway Mountain in the four-year-old maiden.
The verdict eventually went the way of the Ellen Doyle-trained Yellow Warning, who prevailed by a short-head.
Owned by the Baltimore Stables Syndicate, the grey son of Milan had shown plenty of promise on debut at Ballingarry last term before unseating four from home.
Making his seasonal reappearance here, he jumped fluently throughout and made smooth headway through the field under Brian Dunleavy before delivering his challenge after the penultimate obstacle.
Staying on gamely to the line, he just managed to edge out the eye-catching newcomer Jetaway Mountain in a thrilling finish.
“He came to us from the Magnier family at Grange Stud,” explained James Doyle afterwards.
“Conditions suited him well here today as he’s a typical Milan who handles soft ground. He has a good attitude, and we were very hopeful of a good run coming here today. He’ll go to the sales now.”
Ladies’ open
A field of seven went to post for the ladies open, which produced yet another thrilling finish, this time a blockbuster showdown between Kings Jet (2/1 - 5/2) and Galon De Vauzelle.
In a strongly-run contest, the Cormac Farrell-trained Kings Jet stayed on powerfully under an inspired Emily Costello to hold off the runner-up by a neck in the colours of the Nice But Dim Syndicate.
“The plan was to get him qualified for Cheltenham,” revealed a delighted Cormac Farrell afterwards.
“I actually sold him to a group of my friends, so the pressure was on to get him qualified! There’s a hunter chase at Fairyhouse in a fortnight’s time that we might consider.
“He likes nice ground, so I’m really pleased with him after winning on that surface today. He’s only five and has a big future ahead of him.
“I spoke with Pat Doyle yesterday and he recommended Emily to ride him for me - and he was right; she was very good on him.”
Close finish
The afternoon’s action was capped with one final close finish when the Ian McCarthy-trained Hearts And Spades (3/1 - 2/1 favourite) was delivered with a perfectly-timed challenge by Eoin Mahon to take the spoils in the six-year-old and upwards maiden by a length from his main market rival, Long Road.
Initially dropped out by Mahon, who was making a welcome return from a wrist injury that had kept him sidelined for some time, the eye was always drawn to the six-year-old son of Maxios as he travelled strongly through the field.
Making smooth progress before two out, he was produced with precision on the run-in to overhaul the long-time leader close home.
“I broke him as a three-year-old for his owner, Martin White, and I really liked him the whole time I had him,” explained McCarthy afterwards.
“I suggested to Martin that I’d take him back this year as I thought he might suit this job. He’s going to be a nice horse to look forward to, and he’ll step up into winners’ races now.”
Ponte puts up impressive display
THE most decisive winner of the day came in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden, where the Colin Bowe-trained Ponte Vedra (11/10 - 1/1 favourite) built on two placed efforts last season to record a comfortable six-length success and complete a quickfire double on the card for Barry O’Neill.
Owned by Maria Kavanagh, the son of Kingston Hill travelled strongly throughout, making good progress to lead before the penultimate fence.
From there, he stamped his authority on the contest, forging on through the rain-softened ground to sufficiently account for Virgo Claro and Larkfield Lidaho, who dead-heated for the runner-up spot.
“We’ll campaign him in a couple of winners’ races now,” said Bowe afterwards.
“He’s a real winter horse, he handles soft ground, and he should be able to win again before Christmas. We’ll have a bit of fun with him.”
Last season’s champion rider Barry O’Neill had initiated his double half an hour earlier, when this time teaming up with David Christie to take the five-and-six-year-old mares’ maiden with Idaho Expresso (5/4 – 7/4), who upstaged favourite Giorgia Rose by two lengths in a steadily run, three-runner contest.
Unseated
The five-year-old had unseated her rider at Portrush on her seasonal reappearance a fortnight ago but made amends here by making all the running to secure victory in the colours of her trainer.
“We’d have thought she’d have won long before now,” admitted the Derrylin-based handler.
“If she doesn’t take in a winners’ race, she could possibly be sold. I think she’d make a lovely mare to train, she’s very sound and she also has a nice page.”
IN what seemed to be the theme of the afternoon, the four-year-old auction maiden also produced a dramatic climax.
Itsjustthewayiam appeared to have the race at his mercy when holding a three-length advantage approaching the final fence, only to make a bad mistake and unseat his rider.
That left the Westerner-sired Double Ten (3/1 - 7/2) clear to come home seven lengths in front of the debutant McElhattan for owners Monbeg Farm Racing Partnership and provide rider Donal O’Connor with a fourth career success.
“He had a good run to be third at Inchydoney last season,” explained winning handler Cormac Doyle afterwards. “He ran well again today and probably got a bit of luck, but you need a bit of luck sometimes. He relishes soft ground and stays going well. He’s for sale now.”
Jetaway Mountain (M. A. Corrigan): is an athletic newcomer son of Jet Away who showed an impressive turn of foot to cut through the field in the final half mile of the contest.
This was a cracking debut performance, and he lost nothing in defeat on this occasion having ultimately only be touched off by a short head at the line. An exciting future looks assured for new connections.