Neil O’Donnell

IT was a throwback to a bygone era at the bank holiday Monday Dawstown fixture at Birch Hill outside Grenagh as there were no less than eight races and some 91 runners at the Muskerry Foxhounds-sanctioned meeting.

The large volume of runners can undoubtedly be attributed to the drying ground conditions and there were some outstanding performances, most notably from the Colin Bowe-trained newcomer Lock’s Corner who destroyed his opposition in the truly-run second division of the Tattersalls Ireland four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

On an afternoon that saw the start of racing delayed by 45 minutes (see below) the Milestone Racing Partnership-owned Lock’s Corner (7/2) made smooth progress to go second from halfway as fellow debutant Elmouth maintained a blistering tempo in front.

With some scrimmaging on the descent to the turn before the third last, the triumphant son of Gold Well came away in front and the event was all over as a race from two out as the sweet-jumping bay drew further clear under reigning champion Barry O’Neill.

He had 12 lengths to spare over stable-companion Bbold in what was undoubtedly one of the most competitive maidens’ staged all season. Favourite Express Des Mottes acquitted himself well by returning a further two lengths adrift in third spot.

“He has always pleased me at home. He jumped well out there and he’s very professional. He will now go to some of the sales,” said the winning handler Colin Bowe. Lock’s Corner is a close relation to black-type winning mares Deep Sunset and Bobbina that was bought by Bowe’s first-cousin JJ Bowe for €39,000 at last year’s Derby sale.

Bowe and O’Neill came very close in their attempts to depart with two winners as their representative Easyrun De Vassy was only just touched off in a driving finish to the first division of this same contest. The Come Back Dude and Precious Bounty took the 12 runners along until the latter went on from four out.

The well-supported newcomer Run Wild Fred made smooth progress with Harley Dunne to go second two out. A blunder here didn’t inconvenience Run Wild Fred (4/1 – 5/2) as the son of Shantou took up the running after the last and he then gamely prevailed to edge out Easyrun De Vassy by a head. Precious Bounty indicated that his turn is imminent by securing the minor honours, a further one and a half lengths adrift.

Winning handler James Doyle, also on the mark with Eden Du Houx at Monksgrange the previous Sunday, disclosed that the Baltimore Syndicate-owned Run Wild Fred will now be offered at some of the forthcoming sales.

PROGRESSING

The Vincent Halley-trained Chinensis is clearly progressing well and the five-year-old supplemented his recent Dromahane success by recording a third success of the campaign in the Wm & M Kiely Ltd, Courtbrack winners of two.

The only winner on the eight-race card to benefit from front-running tactics, Chinensis (2/1 – 7/4) made virtually all with John Barry. Although headed at the sixth last and then blundering five out, the triumphant son of Well Chosen was back in front with four fences remaining.

While coming under pressure briefly on the run to the second last, the victorious son of Well Chosen asserted from this penultimate obstacle to beat Speedy Buck by six lengths in the style of a horse that’s on a definite upward trajectory.

Chinensis, shared by Sarah Keane with his handler’s father Lar Halley, is due to go through the ring at this month’s Goffs UK spring sale at Doncaster on Wednesday May 23rd.

The Eugene O’Sullivan-trained Along The Reeks benefited from a well-judged waiting ride from Ciaran Fennessy to claim victory in the Singletons Super Valu five-year-old geldings’ maiden, the race that attracted the biggest field of the day in 17 runners.

Recent Ballysteen runner-up Along The Reeks (3/1 – 5/2) made progress from the rear to go seventh on the run to four out, at by which stage just 10 lengths covered the remaining 14 runners.

The son of Let The Lion Roar then held a slender advantage on the run to the final fence where his nearest challenger Pogue made a horrendous blunder. Pogue, making his debut, rallyed well but was just held by O’Sullivan’s gelding with four lengths back Gaye Breeze in third.

Along The Reeks was purchased by his owner Liam Sheahan, a long-standing points supporter from Whitechurch, at the 2016 Fairyhouse August sale and it’s also worth recalling that handler O’Sullivan won this same race back in 2013 with Henry de Bromhead’s subsequent Galway Plate winner Shanahan’s Turn.

Derek O’Connor, fresh from his three-timer at Dromahane the previous afternoon, was the only rider to partner with two winners and he got the ball rolling aboard Robert Tyner’s Dix De Der in the Blarney Castle Hotel, Pegus Horse Feeds & FBD Insurance five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts maiden.

Crossley Tender had just taken up the running when cruelly falling a few strides after the third last with Rocky’s Treasure then being left in front. Dix De Der (7/2 - 3/1), absent since pulling up at Bandon in late-February, was now stalking James Dullea’s charge with menace and the French-bred five-year-old took command at the last to oblige by three lengths. Dix De Der, representing jeweller Liam Lynch, is now likely to return to the track.

The Galwegian completed his brace aboard the well-supported Caracara Mail, having his first start for Jonathan Sweeney, on the French-bred’s return from a mid-season break in the closing Cork Recycling Company six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.

Caracara Mail (2/1 - 5/4) was always positioned close to the pace and he struck the front three out. Challenged briefly by runner-up Overbury Prince at the second last, the Kevin Shields-owned bay forged clear from the last to score by a widening four lengths. Caracara Mail, handler Sweeney’s initial points runner of the season, will probably now contest a bumper.

Punters once again got it correct, much to the dismay of the 15 bookmakers present, in the second division of the Christy Buckley Auctioneer five-year-old mares’ maiden as the Damian Murphy-trained grey Madam Cloud stepped up from her third-placed debut effort at Quakerstown last month.

Madam Cloud (7/4) edged ahead from three out with Joanna Walton to dispense with Brideview Weir by a distance in the familiar Trevor Hemmings silks. Murphy will now discuss future plans for Madam Cloud, also bred by Hemmings’ Gleadhill House Stud, with the owner’s racing manager Mick Meagher.

Stream Lady, the only animal that Billy Gahan has in harness at his Monageer base in Co Wexford, showed all the correct qualities by posting a taking debut success with Rob James in the first division of this same contest.

The Curtain Time-sired Stream Lady (5/1), bought by Gahan’s son Liam as a three-year-old at the 2016 Fairyhouse August sale, powered clear from the third last to dismiss Illuminated Beauty by 12 lengths in the style of an extremely progressive individual. The Gahans’ were incidentally also keen to thank their near-neighbour Denis Murphy for the use of his all-weather gallop.

Major delay

THIS was undoubtedly one of the best meetings staged all season, but the organisers had to endure a major headache before racing. This was due to the fact that a lorry transporting runners to the meeting broke down on the approach to the entrance to the track. This happened just before 1pm, just over an hour before racing was due to start. There was then a major tailback as the road wasn’t wide enough for vehicles to overtake the stricken truck. With several other lorries and horseboxes stranded on the narrow road outside, the organisers quickly made the decision to put back racing by 30 minutes. Eventually, all of the vehicles behind the lorry were able to turn around and embark on a lengthy detour to reach Birch Hill. All of this took plenty of time and after a further delay of 15 minutes, proceedings eventually got under way at 2.45pm.