SUNDAY’S Duhallow Foxhounds fixture at Dromahane was the final meeting before Christmas and Sam Curling’s veteran Lite Duties provided further credence to the accepted maxim ‘once a good horse, always a good horse’ by posting a typically tough front-running success to claim victory in a good renewal of the open.
The 11-year-old, who won three opens last season, was having a third outing of the campaign and he disputed the running with Dos Gardenias until upping the tempo on the approach to the fourth last of the 13 obstacles.
With several of his rivals emitting distress signals well before three out, it was last month’s Fairyhouse hunters’ chase winner Er Dancer that emerged as the winner’s biggest threat from this third-last fence with virtually little to separate the pair.
Lite Duties got on top at the last to beat six-year-old Er Dancer by two lengths with first-time partner James Hannon, having his first mount for handler Curling, giving the Skehanagh Stables inmate a well-deserved pat on crossing the line. The patiently ridden Someday meanwhile hinted that his turn is imminent by securing the minor honours, a further one and a half lengths adrift.
Lite Duties won four hurdle races for Charles Byrnes, despite enduring a near three-year lay-off when with the Ballingarry-based operator, and he was at one stage rated 134 over flights.
“He’s a horse that loves this soft ground and he will now stay pointing,” said Curling of Lite Duties, owned by Eamonn Casey from Co Limerick. “He won in Aghabullogue last season and will now hopefully go back there next month.”
While Sayce Gold’s winning run came to an end in the listed mares’ novice hurdle at Thurles on Sunday, her handler Michael Winters still kept his supporters happy by sending out Clounts Glory to capture the five- and six-year-old mares’ maiden under former southern regional champion Mikey O’Connor.
Clounts Glory, having finished seventh on her only previous start at Ballyragget last term, benefited from front-running tactics and she defeated promising newcomer Rose Of Coolbally by two lengths in the colours of Dan and Billy Horgan. The Fame And Glory-sired Clounts Glory, a sister to the progressive pair Clounts Meadows and Clount’s Native, was described as a possible Gain Mares’ Final contender afterwards by rider O’Connor.
The Donncha Duggan-owned/trained Blue Motion atoned for pulling up on his debut at Ballindenisk last month by providing 22-year-old Mikey Tobin from Tallow with a first winner of the season and his sixth in total in the five-year-old and upwards adjacent hunts maiden.
The five-year-old Blue Motion, a flat-bred son of Cityscape, forged past Demothi just after the last and he then bravely kept previous Dromahane runner-up The Lying King at bay to score by a length.
Fitzgerald strikes again with Donny
AIDAN Fitzgerald is experiencing a good run and the Borris-based operator struck with the Cobajay Syndicate-owned Donny Boy, the mount of Harley Dunne, in the first division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden. The Westerner-sired Donny Boy, a £32,000 purchase at the 2019 Goffs UK Spring Store Sale in Doncaster, picked up the running on the approach to two out and he powered clear from the last to contain fellow newcomer Barony Legends by four lengths.
The absent Fitzgerald was keen to pay tribute to the late Robert Williams, who sadly passed away last summer, for being among the first to spot the potential of his winner while riding him out during his time at the handler’s Cobajay Stables.
Colin Bowe and Barry O’Neill combined to win the second division of this contest with Bravo Team. An eye-filling son of Imperial Monarch that’s out of a half-sister to Colm Murphy’s outstanding race mare Voler La Vedette, Bravo Team atoned for pulling up on his debut at Lingstown last month by making virtually all the running.
The sweet-jumping Bravo Team was clearly too good for runner-up Mai Fitzs Tallyman before the last and he then asserted in the style of a useful staying prospect to dispose of Gerry Kelleher’s charge by a widening eight lengths.
“He’s a smart horse that did what we thought he would do today and he will now probably be sold,” said O’Neill of the Milestone Bloodstock Ltd-owned Bravo Team.
Proceedings opened with a dramatic renewal of the four-year-old mares’ maiden, as long-time leader Roccocal was still holding the call when falling three out, bringing down the pursuing Fist Coming Time.
The patiently ridden The Higher Road, owned and trained by farmer John O’Callaghan, then moved closer from two out with Tom Feeney and she forged clear on the flat to dismiss Abbeyfeale by an increasing four lengths.
O’Callaghan, who also started off Danse Idol in points, disclosed that he purchased The Higher Road privately from her Kill, Co Waterford-based breeder David Phelan a year ago.
NINETEEN-year-old Caim native Pearse Rogan, who commenced race-riding with his cousin Shay Slevin, excelled by posting a first career success aboard the Donnchadh Doyle-trained Fiston Du Mou in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Fiston Du Mou vindicated the promise of his fourth-placed debut effort behind Broomfields Kan here in late October by assuming command after three out.
There was only going to be the one outcome thereafter with the winning son of Cokoriko, who was equipped with cheekpieces, asserting in likeable fashion to see-off Best Trition by four lengths in the familiar Monbeg Syndicate silks.
Mixed day for King
Pa King endured a frustrating time at Dromahane, sustaining falls at the third-last fence on his two mounts. However, the Holycross native enjoyed a terrific end to the day as he travelled to Thurles to win the bumper for his uncle Pat Doyle aboard Flame Bearer.
Horse to follow
Barony Legends ( A. Ahern): A half-brother to Grade 1 placed chaser Castlebrook, this son of Yeats finished second on his debut in the first division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.