MANY of those present at Sunday’s Ballindenisk meeting, run by the United Hunt Club, left the Watergrasshill venue adamant that they had witnessed a future star in action. The French-bred newcomer Coqolino (3/1 - evens favourite) destroyed the opposition with his handler Eugene O’Sullivan’s daughter Maxine O’Sullivan in the second division of the four-year-old maiden.

Vintage Prosseco was the one responsible for the generous early pace as he held a clear advantage until falling at the sixth last of the 12 obstacles.

The gambled-on Coqolino, having taken the eye in-running, moved into pole position after the fourth last.

He was clearly in control from two out and, with the final fence bypassed, he stormed clear to account for this autumn’s Castletown-Geoghegan third Smurphy Enki by 12 lengths.

Mount Oscar, runner-up to Bob Olinger on his debut at Turtulla on November 17th, returned a further six lengths adrift in third spot.

Coqolino, a son of French Fifteen who is a maternal grandson of the German listed-placed mare Classic Cara, was bought for €24,000 at last year’s Derby Sale and he represents his trainer’s long-standing patron Tomas Singleton.

O’Sullivan, who also started off Nick Dundee and Scorpiancer in points, and recent Troytown Chase winner Chris’s Dream, remarked: “This is a very exciting horse and he’s on a par with the best that I have ever had. I would love to keep him, but he will be going to a sale.”

Rhythm

Another that’s bound for the Cotswolds is John Nallen’s Minella Majestic (2/1 - 5/2 joint-favourite) who made a winning debut in the first division of this contest.

Minella Majestic, a half-brother to Grade 3 novice hurdle winner Corbally Ghost who was bought for €32,000 by Nallen as a foal, got into a lovely rhythm at the head of affairs and the Lavally raider seemed destined for a comfortable success as he eased into a five-length advantage with Johnny Barry from two out.

Runner-up Noble Yeats emerged out of the pack and eroded the deficit from the final fence to get to within a neck of the winner at the line.

Nallen disclosed that his wife Bernardine Rochford’s Minella Majestic was in training last season, but that he didn’t get to run due to the prevailing good ground.

James Murphy (20), hailing from nearby Walshtown, brought his career tally to three by teaming up with Gerry Kelleher to capture a vintage renewal of the novice riders’ open aboard Macs Legend (5/2 - 3/1)

Ucello Conti stylishly made his way to the front well after the third last, but the eventual winner closed from two out to take command at the final fence. The Shane Prenderville-owned Macs Legend, a former dual hunter chase scorer, then bounded clear to thwart Ucello Conti by four lengths.

Nine-horse handler Kelleher indicated that Macs Legend is likely to be kept pointing this term.

Winners

Johnny Hurley partnered two winners, the Conna native opening his account aboard Seamus Spillane’s mare Irregularheartbeat (2/1 - 5/2) in the five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts’ maiden.

Irregularheartbeat, runner-up on her initial outing at Turtulla two weeks earlier, was bounced out with the intention of making all and a superb jump at the second last ensured that she was always on top thereafter.

The winning six-year-old, owned by John Fitzgerald and homebred by his wife Geraldine, beat former track performer Grange Ranger by one and a half lengths.

Hurley completed his brace aboard No Memory (4/1 - 5/1), who Coolagown-based operator Liam O’Brien trains for his sister Mary O’Brien, in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden. Front-running tactics similarly worked the oracle as No Memory asserted on the flat to dismiss Rachel’s Surprise by two and a half lengths.

The 2017 Goffs Land Rover Sale graduate No Memory is another that’s due to be offered at Cheltenham on Friday.

Fill The Tank (5/1 - 7/1), also bound for Cheltenham, justified the trek from owner/trainer Aengus King’s Newmarket-On-Fergus base by making a winning debut in the five-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

Closer

Patiently-ridden, Fill The Tank moved closer from three out and the half-brother to three-time hurdles winner Brave Out hit the front under Eoin Mahon after the second last to put two and a half lengths between himself and The New Kid.

Owner/trainer Tom Keating, who started off the Ladbrokes Trophy Chase winner De Rasher Counter in points as a four-year-old, sent out Shuil Luas (2/1 - 3/1) to capture the mares’ winners of two under his partner Liz Lalor.

Shuil Luas picked up the running before two out and she swept clear before the last to dismiss longtime leader Moore Clouds by a distance with the pair being the only finishers.

Horse to Follow

Noble Yeats (D. Hassett): This son of Yeats was largely unfancied on his debut in the first division of the four-year-old maiden and he almost overhauled Minella Majestic in the closing stages, making up considerable ground from the last to be beaten by a neck into second. Compensation should be easily attained and he also appeals as a track winner.

MIDLETON native James Murphy was able to punch the air on crossing the line aboard Macs Legend in the novice riders’ open.

Murphy, whose father Donie also rode successfully as an amateur, rides out with Terence O’Brien and he also calls one day a week to both Robert Tyner and Mattie Collins.

BEN Bromley (17) travelled over from Britain for an initial Irish ride on Ucello Conti in the novice riders’ open. Bromley, accompanied by parents Anthony (who manages the interests of Ucello Conti’s owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede) and Anna, finished second on Gordon Elliot’s charge.

Bromley, who has four British pointing winners to his credit, works with Shropshire-based handler Phil Rowley and the teenager was on the mark aboard his own horse Vivaldi Collonges at Cottenham recently.