Sean Ward

IN spite of hugely contrasting weather conditions to last year’s fixture, the annual County Clare Hunt meeting at Belharbour still took on a very familiar theme as local amateur Derek O’Connor maintained his impressive strike-rate at the Burrenside venue when partnering a treble.

Debutant Reality Bites (4/6-4/5 favourite) initiated the champion rider’s treble when posting a ready victory over his main market-rival Way Back Then in the John O’Donnell Hardware and Clare Marts Ltd five-year-old maiden. Sourced by his handler Robert Tyner, the Mahler-sired bay who hails from the family of classy performers such as Monumental Gesture and Blazing Spectacle, sports the silks of the trainer’s wife Mary who commented: “That was a nice performance from a lovely horse. We expected him to run well today. We’ll see what happens but I would imagine he’ll go for a bumper if he’s not sold in the interim.”

Fellow short-priced favourite Glencairn View (4/6-1/1 favourite) did little to lighten the mood of the four remaining bookmakers present, as he provided the Tubber-born pilot with the final leg of his hat-trick in the concluding Linnanes Bar & Restaurant and Croplink Ltd six-year-old and upwards geldings maiden.

The son of Flemensfirth had posted a highly-creditable effort when runner-up at Ballinaboola a fortnight previously and confirmed that potential here with a smooth three length victory over Didarro. Tony Mullins has care of the six-year-old chesnut for well-known owner-breeder Bobby McCarthy of The Beeches Stud and he divulged: “Derek was very impressed with him today. The point-to-point bumper in Gowran in early March has been on his agenda for a while now so he will run in that next if he’s fresh and well”.

O’Connor’s long standing ally Pat Doyle is another with a fantastic strike rate at the North Clare venue and he provided the perennial regional champion with the middle leg of his treble as Sydney Paget (2/5F) proved himself a class apart from his seven opponents in the Sixmilebridge Mart, Kerry Co-Op Corofin and Pier Head Bar & Restaurant open lightweight.

Victories at Rockfield and Ballinaboola already this term ensured that Roddy O’Byrne’s nine-year-old was dispatched at prohibitive odds and the six-time-track scorer was not unduly extended to outpoint the gallant Gonebeyondrecall by six lengths.

Doyle was pleased with the bay gelding. “He did it well. I wasn’t convinced he was at his best the last day in Ballinaboola and I wanted to see where we were with him today. He’ll get an entry for the Cheltenham Foxhunters now.”

Co Tipperary-located Doyle completed a brace as his wife Mary’s Ambler Gambler (1/1-4/6 favourite) provided 18-year-old Evan Dwan with a first career success in the saddle in the Fabricated Products winners-of-one.

The well-supported Doyen-sired six-year-old, who tasted maiden success in the autumn of 2014 at Kilworth, maintained his unbeaten record between the flags with an authoritative 15-length triumph over the Robert Tyner-trained Royals and Rebels. Doyle, who was greeting his seventh winner of the season remarked: “I’m delighted for Evan – you will struggle to meet a harder-working young man. I still think this fellow’s a good horse. He’s very good to jump a fence and he beat what was put in front of him easily today. Where he will go next I’m not sure.”

DRAMATIC CONCLUSION

The opening Costello Family four-year-old maiden saw nine face the starter and those present saw the Deirdre Hassett-owned Dingo Dollar (4/1) show a willing attitude as he fared best in a dramatic conclusion. Promising debutant Burren Life appeared to have the race in safe keeping on the downhill run for home only to cruelly fall at the last fence and severely impede the chasing Caltex.

All the while the Martin Hassett-handled Dingo Dollar was responding well to his rider Chris O’Donovan’s urgings, ultimately heading the unfortunate runner-up Caltex in the shadows of the post. Killenuale-based Hassett was absent, but was ably represented by his brother Paddy who declared: “We have been mad about this fellow for a while. That was a lovely first run. The ground was probably against him today but he was ready to run so we took our chance. He will probably go to the next Tattersalls Cheltenham sale now.”

The fifteenth and final fence also played a crucial role in the Gain Horse Feeds, Gort Mart & MacMahon Oil five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden. Here, the Stephen O’Donovan partnered Dazz The Dreamer held a healthy advantage only to come to grief, allowing the Michael Hourigan-trained Donegal Tuesday (5/1) to capitalise.

Carrying the silks of renowned Galway-City publican Stephen Fahy, the daughter of Presenting battled gamely under a strong Richie Deegan drive to withstand fellow newcomer Scorpeasy by three-parts of a length.

“I’m over the moon for Stephen. He rang me up and said I have a new name for a horse so I had to find him one! She was tough there, I’d say she will go for the point-to-point bumper in Gowran now,” stated Hourigan whose six-year-old is a full-sister to the Ben Pauling-trained Castle Cheetah.

Late call up

NORTH Cork native Chris O’Donovan was seen to excellent effect in the opening youngster’s maiden when guiding Dingo Dollar to a dramatic victory. The 5lb claimer was recording his fifth win this term. “I only got the ride the previous night when Martin (Hassett) rang me up so I’m very grateful to him. I’m riding out full-time with both Adrian Maguire and Mick Winters and they are great men to learn from. Hopefully things will keep tipping away for me now,” concluded the 19-year-old.

First winner

CASHEL Community College Leaving Certificate student Evan Dwan was all smiles following his first career success aboard Pat Doyle’s Amber Gambler in the winners-of-one. The 18-year-old remarked: “I can’t believe it to be honest. Pat has been very good to me for the last five or so years now. He’s a brilliant man to work for. I’m in the middle of my Leaving Certificate mocks now so things are fairly busy at the minute but I am really enjoying it at the same time. It would be great to keep the ball rolling now.”