THE Route Harriers hosted their annual spring fixture at the seaside venue of Portrush on Saturday.
As the sun shone between the heavy showers, the Paddy Turley-trained newcomer Mourne Crystal (100/30 - 6/4 favourite) set the tone for the day in the opening four-year-old maiden, as the son of Crystal Ocean lit up the venue.
The handler was last seen at this track when saddling the subsequent Grade 1 Champion Bumper winner, The Mourne Rambler, to finish second in October, and Mourne Crystal justified favouritism in eye-catching fashion on this occasion, scoring in the fastest time of the day in little more than a canter under Declan Lavery
A €38,000 Tattersalls Derby Sale acquisition, he could not have put in a more impressive performance.
Always positioned on the fore, he travelled smoothly and put in a round of jumping that belied his inexperience, before easing to the front on the turn into the home straight as his rivals began to feel the pinch.
He quickened to the penultimate like a fresh horse and ultimately scored by nine lengths without much exertion in the colours of Turley’s wife Mary.
Brilliant
“He was brilliant, a very, very good horse,” Lavery remarked. “I really fancied him coming here and couldn’t see him getting beat – he’s up there with one of the best horses I have sat on. He’s as good as they come and hopefully goes on to do good things in the future.”
The Stuart Crawford team continued their successful association with Largy Bloodstock when Largy River (9/2 - 5/1), a towering son of Shirocco, got off the mark at the second attempt in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
He tracked the leaders throughout before the principals extended their advantage after three out. This big chasing type soon reeled them in between the final two obstacles and gained a slight advantage over the runner-up before the last.
However, what was most taking about this performance was the way in which, having been headed on the flat, he battled back gamely to get up on the line from Churchroad Harry by a head.
Vindicated
Winning handler Crawford commented: “He did that very well today, he had a lovely run last spring behind a nice horse of Gerald’s [Quinn]. But he’s a big, backward horse, and we gave him the summer off and didn’t rush him back for the autumn, which has been vindicated today. He’ll now be sold.”
Lutece Borget (2/1 - 5/2) continued Eamonn Doyle’s fine run of form, as the debutante daughter of Silverwave overturned the favourite Boombox to claim the mares’ maiden by a comfortable seven and a half lengths in the colours of the Mossy Fen Stables Partnership.
Winning jockey Jamie Scallan stated: “I went into Eamonn’s to school her during the week and was delighted when he asked me to ride her.
“I thought she’d go well today and expected that performance. She was very professional and couldn’t have done much more.”
NICOLE Lockhead-Anderson recorded her eighth success of the season in the older geldings’ maiden for novice riders, leaving her two behind Emily Costello in the race for the ladies’ title. Her mount Jetaway Sheldon (5/6 - 1/1 favourite) got off the mark at the fifth attempt in the pointing field, having been running consistently of late.
The Sam Curling-trained son of Jet Away tracked the leaders throughout and was the last horse asked for his effort in the straight.
The John O’Leary-owned runner caught his rivals flat-footed on the run to the final obstacle to score by 12 lengths from Ballykelly.
Weespoof (7/2 - 4/1) upset the favourite Fortune Lad in the winners of two, a race where he never saw another rival under Noel McParlan,riding for owner Philip McBurney. Trained by Ger Quinn, he was having his first start since pulling up at this track in October.
McParlan set out with intent, holding a significant lead at the first and, although challenged into the straight by the favourite, he quickened with ease to the penultimate fence and scored convincingly by two and a half lengths.
WINGED LEADER (5/6 - 4/5 favourite) continued his fine affinity with Portrush, recording a pillar-to-post victory in the open for his seventh successive win at the venue.
It was a competitive contest on paper, as this history-making 12-year-old took on the smart seven-year-old Hearts And Spades, who had recorded six consecutive victories coming here, but he could not get past his battle-hardened elder on this occasion.
The favourite was bounced out with intent by regular partner Barry O’Neill, holding a five-length advantage by the first. The pair were eager to make this a stamina-sapping contest, upping the pace with over a circuit to race.
Battled bravely
Despite the progressive Hearts And Spades looming ominously in the home straight, the reigning champion battled bravely to the line to win by a neck for John Hegarty and Jennifer O’Kane.
A horse of a lifetime for connections, he brought his career tally to 37 point-to-point wins and 41 overall. He is showing no signs of slowing down and looks set to go further clear in the history books throughout his spring campaign.
“He’s just unbelievable,” Christie said. “I was a little worried when I saw the going description change this morning, but when I saw the way the first few races were playing out, I was happy. That is a good horse of Ian McCarthy’s, almost half his age too. Barry said that he actually won snugly enough, he’s got smart in his old age and only expends as much energy as necessary, but keeps sticking his head in front.
“He could go to Loughanmore next, and we are just so grateful to have a horse like him – we appreciate every win.”
Churchroad Harry (C. Collins): was having just his second start, having pulled up at Ballindenisk back in November. He battled well to the line, but was just narrowly defeated, and is one to follow on his next outing.