ALL roads led to Ballynoe on Sunday for the Gain Mares’ Final, a race that has been in existence at this same United Foxhounds’ fixture since the late 1980s, and Jerry Baragry’s Carry On Heidi won a stellar renewal of this prestigious contest in the hands of first-time partner Bertie Finn.
Carry On Heidi (5/1 - 7/1), one of a quartet of five-year-olds in the 13-runner field, was always positioned close to the pace as Lakewood Rose took the field along at a cracking tempo with Richiesamslady and Glenmalure Lady in pursuit.
Some Joy picked up the running before the third-last, but the eventual winner was soon in her slipstream and she moved through to join issue two out.
Carry On Heidi edged marginally ahead approaching the last and, whilst none too clever here, she still landed running. The winning daughter of Idaho then powered clear to dismiss Brian Barry’s mount Some Joy by a comprehensive two lengths.
Nolans Rocco meanwhile secured the minor honours, a further three lengths adrift.
Beaten favourite
Glenmalure Lady, having beaten Carry On Heidi some 14 lengths into second spot at Borris House on March 2nd, was sent off favourite. The market leader, however, was beaten from the fourth-last and was pulled up before two out, when out of contention.
Carry On Heidi, who also won the generous €3,000 bonus for this race that was put up by Gain and the Ballynoe point-to-point committee, is owned and bred by her four-horse handler’s wife, Mrs Patricia Baragry.
Baragry, who recalled partnering winners at Ballynoe during his own race riding days, reported: “Today was the plan and we had her spot on for today.
“This is my first runner in the Gain, it’s a great race to win and she will now go for the mares’ point-to-point bumper at Cork on Easter Monday. I would also like to thank Sean Aherne, Liam Burke and Sean O’Brien for the use of their gallops.” Carry On Heidi will also be eligible for a further €3,000 bonus, if she wins the mares’ bumper at Cork on Easter Monday.
NICK Stokes appears to have a seriously-talented sort on his hands in newcomer Jet To Monte Carlo (3/1 - 4/1), who spreadeagled the opposition in the four-year-old maiden.
Jet To Monte Carlo was bounced out smartly by Finian Maguire and the distinctive white-faced bay led from before the third fence. He gave an assured round of fencing in front, apart from erring at the downhill fifth-last fence, and forged clear on the ascent to the third-last of the 14 obstacles.
It was all plain sailing thereafter, as the winning son of Jet Away, whose Jeremy-sired dam is a half-sister to Samcro, readily maintained the momentum to account for Ka Mate Du Brivet by an authoritative 14 lengths in the colours of breeder Douglas Taylor’s Ballymaglassan Farm Partnership.
“Looking at this fellow going around the parade-ring here, I thought that he was heavy compared to some of the other runners. He’s a lovely straightforward horse that missed some work in January as my horses were sick. There is lots of his broodmare sire Jeremy in him and he will now be sold,” said handler Stokes.
Late charge
The Alan Ahern-trained grey Kado Sacree (4/1 - 6/1) just came out on top in a pulsating finish to the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
The French-bred, who was staying on from off the pace in sixth spot when cruelly unseating at the last on his debut in the Castlelands contest won by Hydration Station two weeks earlier, was always well-positioned on this occasion.
The €22,000 acquisition at the 2023 Tattersalls Ireland July sale moved through to pick up the running for Cal Shine after the third last, only to be joined by newcomer Ballyeaston from two out.
Ballyeaston hit the front briefly on the flat, except that he was soon joined again by Kado Sacree and the winning son of Magneticjim led literally on the line to deny Robert Tyner’s charge by a short head.
“He took a bit of time to come to himself, but he has really turned the corner in the last month and will now go to a sale,” reported Ahern of the Knockbally Partnership-owned Kado Sacree, whose unraced grandam is a half-sister to Sprinter Sacre.
A COMMON thread runs through the three other winners at the meeting, as the trio are all homebreds that were steered to victory by family members and Jody Townend returned to her pointing roots to partner How’s Hannah (9/4 – 6/4 favourite) to success for her father Tim Townend in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.
The six-year-old always travelled well on the outer. She took command after two out to beat long-time leader Bunty Kearney by one and three-quarter lengths.
Owner/trainer/breeder Tim Townend indicated that How’s Hannah, a daughter of Sans Frontieres, will now contest the mares’ point-to-point bumper at Cork on Easter Monday.
Wings Of A Swallow (3/1 - 100/30) vindicated the promise of his sixth-placed debut effort behind Inishcorker at Ballyvodock last month by landing the five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts maiden under his owner/trainer/breeder Donal Coffey’s 22-year-old grandson James Coffey, who was posting a third career success.
Wings Of A Swallow led from half-way and, having being overtaken before two out, the five-year-old son of Wings Of Eagles then strode clear after the second-last to eclipse favourite Follow My Order by three lengths.
William Verling, having ridden his first winner aboard Pure Decent at Knockanard last month, landed the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden aboard his uncle Pat Verling’s Mor Go Leor (3/1 - 4/1).
The previously once-raced 11-year-old Mor Go Leor, representing the rider’s mother Mrs Catherine Verling and home-bred by his father Garret, made all the running, with the seasonal debutant asserting from two out to deny Stanners Glen by five lengths.
Horse to Follow
Ballyeaston (Robert Tyner): This newcomer by Affinisea, whose dam is an own-sister to Hidden Cyclone, went down fighting on his debut in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden when beaten a short head into second spot by Kado Sacree. He should easily develop into a track winner.