THE Limerick Foxhounds meeting at Rathcannon escaped the rain last Sunday. Those who attended were treated to a few taking performances on a good to yielding surface.
The loudest cheer of the day came with a popular local success for handler Donncha Duggan as Glenrouge (7/2) won the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.
He travelled and jumped impressively from start to finish to score in the hands of owner Tom and Hazel Russell’s son, David. It was a steadily-run contest with the eventual winner waited with for the early stages of the race.
She began to make smooth headway between the fourth and third from home before taking it up at the second last. She stayed on well up the hill to beat Positive Mindset by two and a half lengths. Connections are weighing up future options for the daughter of Elusive Pimpernel.
Tom Russell reported: “We are just delighted and, to have my son David riding, it was special. We have options but there are no decisions made yet. I think we can dream a little about this one as she looks to be a step above.”
Winning weekend
A double on the card for Sam Curling rounded off a brilliant weekend for the handler following his treble at Lisronagh on the previous afternoon. It included the competitive winners-of-three contest, won by Longhouse Star (4/1-5/1).
This was a first winner for Scottish-born rider Nicole Lockhead Anderson, who was always in touch with the leaders before taking it up three fences from home and keeping on well up the hill to score by a length from Muskerry Rock. Having been pulled up in Portrush last month, this was a much better performance.
“I’m just delighted,” Lockhead Anderson said. “He has been in great form at home, so I was hopeful of a good run today. It’s great to ride a winner for Sam.”
Double up
Curling also claimed the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden earlier on the card as Beau Walking (5/4-4/5 favourite) put in a smart performance to score comfortably, as the five finishers in this race came home well strung out.
Having arrived at the start with strong credentials, the John O’Leary-owned seven-year-old was well-supported into odds-on before the off. There were very few anxious moments for his supporters, and he was left in a clear lead two fences from home, going on to score by 18 lengths from Fortunes Keep.
Winning rider David Doyle said: “I thought he had a big chance coming into today. He travelled well, and I was confident of picking up the faller in front of me at the time. He will stay point-to-pointing and is a lovely horse for the season.”
THE well-supported Majestic Horizon (3/1-5/1) opened the day’s action when battling well under Sean O’Rourke in the four-year-old maiden. This continued the good recent run for handler Cormac Doyle within the four-year-old division as the well-supported newcomer put in a smart performance at the first time of asking.
The winner was briefly headed with two fences to jump, but responded to his rider’s encouragement to battle back to the front once again before the last, and asserted on the flat to defeat favourite The Gem State by two lengths.
“This is a lovely horse who was working very well with last week’s four-year-old winner in Tattersalls, Pitch And Toss,” said Doyle of the Monbeg Farm Racing Partnership-owned gelding. “We fancied it based on that, and he will be for sale now.”
Positive tactics
In the five-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden, the €35,000 Derby Sale graduate, Rine Yeats (6/1-10/1) jumped superbly throughout in the hands of Eoin Mahon.
This was a huge step forward from when the Brian Hassett-trained bay was pulled up in March, with positive tactics working the oracle as he kicked on to win by six lengths.
The Hassett family had previously combined with owner Gary Kelly to start off the 2022 Grand National winner Noble Yeats in point-to-points.
“We really fancied this horse to win earlier in the year, and we were very disappointed with that run,” Hassett said. “He was a sick horse, it turned out after. We’re not in the business of keeping them, so he will go to Cheltenham sale now.”
SOLITARY Man (4/7-4/9 favourite) scored for the second time this season when taking the open lightweight for novice riders in the Shanahan family colours.
The Enda Bolger-trained Champs Elysees gelding ran a cracker to finish in second place at Umma House a fortnight earlier, when only beaten by the 134-rated The Goffer. Luke Kelleher was never too far from the pace as the seven-year-old had his third run of the season, with the pair taking it up before two out and going on to defeat Lord Of Kerak by nine and a half lengths.
“I came from Mallow and just got here on time to see this one win,” Bolger said. “We just wanted to win today and get him qualified. He will be put away now, and we’ll look to Aintree and Punchestown. He could go for a ladies’ race too somewhere with Aine O’Connor here beside me.”
Horse to follow
Pearl Of Grange (W. P. Murphy): Caught the attention in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden. He made smooth progress in the second half of the contest to finish third having been last at one point. The son of Doyen had run with credit on his two previous outings on the track, so there should be a race for him in this sphere.