Sean Ward

WEXFORD pilot Jimmy O’Rourke is experiencing his best ever campaign between the flags and he continued his stellar season when partnering a double at last Sunday’s well-attended Stonehall Harriers meeting in Ballysteen.

O’Rourke was first off the mark in a grief stricken renewal of the Davy Mann & Newcastle West Stores five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden as Midnight Monarch (5/2 - 3/1JF) claimed a battling victory. With only half of the eight-runner field remaining as the field raced across the top of the track for the final time, the Denis Leahy-handled six-year-old soon asserted on the decline to the straight before displaying fine resolve to withstand the late rally of Michael Hourigan’s About You by a half a length.

“I know the mare well as I pre-trained her and we always liked her. We were fortunate enough to get her back and it’s worked out well for her owner thankfully.

“Today was the plan, so we’ll enjoy it before making future plans,” commented Leahy of Conor O’Brien’s bay who had made her pointing debut at Lemonfield last month.

Fellow Wexford-native Denis Murphy supplied O’Rourke with his 12th winner of the season as the Alan Harte-owned Pop The Champers (1/2 -4/7F) followed up his recent Courtown triumph with a resounding victory in the three-runner Cois Sionna Credit Union winners of two. Racing sweetly at the head of affairs from flag fall, the Scorpion-sired bay appeared to have gained the upper hand when the chasing runner-up Heez All Talk blundered significantly at the final fence, leaving a 12-length gap between the pair at the line.

“That was a nice performance, he jumped super today. He’s a lovely, good-looking horse that is still very babyish. I can see him developing into a smashing chaser that’ll win his shares of races,” outlined Murphy who was greeting his 18th winner this term.

LOMBARDY SURGES CLEAR

The opening Goffs Punchestown Sale four-year-old maiden attracted the largest field of the day with fourteen participants facing the starter. Victory in this ultra-competitive event went the way of the impressive Colin Bowe-handled debutant Senor Lombardy (4/1CF). Given the office after the penultimate obstacle by Richie Deegan, the Milan-gelding surged clear in the home straight before readily dismissing fellow newcomer Djarkevi by a cosy five lengths.

With Bowe on duty successfully at Fairyhouse, it was left to stable representative Craig Casey to declare of the Milestone Racing Partnership’s bay, who hails from the family of Irish Grand National winner Glebe Lad:

“This is a fine big horse that we’ve always liked at home. He’s just taken a bit of time, but he did it really nicely today. He’s very much a chaser in the making and will be sold now.”

BOOKIES STUNG

Denied aboard the promising Djarkevi, novice riders title aspirant Gearoid Doyle didn’t leave empty handed as he guided his brother Donnchadh’s Stingthebookies (Evs - 5/4F) to a comfortable triumph in the closing Top Of The Town Askeaton six-year-old and upwards geldings maiden.

Prominently positioned throughout, the previous week’s Stradbally third headed the front-running Seskin Flyer at the highest point of the track. Soon drawing clear the bay produced a fine leap at the last obstacle on his way to a seven-length triumph.

With triumphant handler Doyle similarly absent, his brother Eamonn commented of his charge who carries the colours of a partnership comprising of Billy Yorke, John Curran and Nigel Browne: “That was a deserved success for that lad as he’d run some grand races. We’ll have a look at a winners’ race for him now. It’s great for the owners who have been with Donnchadh a long time.”

FRONT RUNNER

Liam Quinlan had earlier maintained his advantage at the top of the novice riders’ standings when partnering the Tom Keating-trained Timber House (5/2 - 3/1) to a fine front-running victory in the Tattersalls Ireland five-year-old geldings’ maiden. Sourced as a store for €10,500 by his Clonmel-based handler, the Golden Lariat-gelding produced a number of exceptional leaps with closest pursuer Orchard Lane some seven lengths in arrears at the post.

“This is a nice horse who we fancied when he was unlucky last week. Liam gave him a super ride. The horse never put a foot wrong today and will be a lovely chaser in time. He’ll most likely be sold now,” revealed Keating whose good-looking chestnut was showing no ill-effects from a fall at Quakerstown a week previously.

LEVEL AT THE TOP

Ourmanmassini (4/5F) likewise made little of the seven-day turnaround from a similar effort at the Co Clare-venue as he recorded a gritty success in the Dunraven Arms Hotel & Enzos Limerick Open Lightweight.

Ridden on this occasion by Anthony Fox, the Donal Finnan-owned eight year-old showed admirable battling qualities to fend off the persistent effort of the preceding winner of the contest Galloping Gander by a head.

Victorious trainer Peter Flood reflected of his Dr Massini-gelding who is now reunited at the top of the champion pointer standings with Sprintingforgold on six wins: “The horse seemed to be well within himself after last week so we said we’d let him take his chance.”

“Anthony was very good on him and kept it simple on him. We’ll find something similar soon hopefully.”

Pony race

FOR the second week in succession, the day’s action in the Western region concluded with a pony race confined to young hunt members. Seven young members of the Stonehall Harriers faced the starter: Jack Brennan, Ciaran Burke, Tadhg Hanley, Denise Moran, Aisling Moran, Roisin Shanahan and Patrick Cahill. Following two full circuits of the track and no less than 15 obstacles, it was the grey Danny’s Boy who emerged victorious forJack Brennan. There was a popular local success in the mares’ maiden as Midnight Monarch obliged for Clarina-native Conor O’Brien. Accompanied by his mother Patricia and wife Bríd amongst other family members, O’Brien could not hide his delight. “I’ve had a winner previously with Denis but it’s great to have one a few miles from home. Fair play to Denis, he puts huge work in. He is a good friend of our family’s.